I have to admit–I’ve had a real love affair with cheese for a very long time. Anything smooth and creamy gets my mouth watering. Cheese over pasta, over potatoes, in a salad. I’ve been hooked for ages. But as I began learning about whole food plant food and all the benefits it can offer (including a slimmer me), I’ve been on the quest for a low-fat plant-based cheese sauce.
My first attempt was a nutty sauce with roasted pimientos to give it a cheddar color. But all those nuts can add up to a thick waistline and even higher cholesterol. If you’re at your ideal weight and not battling any lifestyle diseases, a nut-based cheese sauce won’t matter. But if you need to lose a few pounds, this is the cheese for you. When we served it at one of our HealthBites cooking classes, it got thumbs-up from all our club members. I guess I’m not the only one with a love affair with cheese. One reason I like it more than my old standby is the stretchy gooeyness (I hope that’s a word) that we’ve come to expect in a cheese sauce.
And what’s even better–it’s quick and easy, perfect if you’re a busy mom like me. Just add the following ingredients to your blender, process it for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Add the sauce to a medium pan, cooking over medium heat. Stir occasionally. It will only take a few minutes before you will see a thick, creamy, and gooey cheese right before your eyes. It doesn’t take long, so stay close to your pan. Remove from the heat and serve immediately over a baked potato, vegetables, or baked chips.
1/2 cup rolled oats
3-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1/4 cup cornstarch
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup roasted bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp garlic powder or 1-2 garlic cloves (opt.)
2 cups water
If you’d like to increase the richness and weight isn’t an issue for you, try adding 1-2 tablespoons of almonds and the same amount of walnuts to 1 cup water to start out. Then add the rest of the ingredients and process til smooth.
CHEF’S NOTE: If you’d like a bit of color, you might add 1 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley or dill. This recipe makes 2 1/2 cups. It is perfect over a baked potato and makes a great sauce for our favorite comfort food, macaroni and cheese. Without all the fat too!
