Recipe and Review: Pesto using Parmela’s Parmesan-Style Aged Nut Cheese

Good things come in small packages. 

I was always intrigued by pesto. All the celebrity chefs were making it on their shows, and I loved how green it was and how fresh it looked because of how quick it was made using simple ingredients. 

I never tasted or made pesto prior to becoming plant-based (I know, hard to believe, but I just stuck to tomato- and cream-based sauces). But that all changed when I came across Parmela’s Parmesan-Style Aged Nut Cheese.

I was thinking of different ways to use the product other than sprinkling it on homemade pizzas. So I thought I'd give pesto a try.

Parmela's Parmesan has a nutty, cheesy flavor that comes from the cashews and nutritional yeast. The texture is medium to fine course, and I find that it has a slight zing as an aftertaste (maybe from the fermented soybeans).

A lot of vegans simply use nutritional yeast when they want a Parmesan-like cheese. I don’t mind the taste of nutritional yeast (or nooch, as it’s sometimes called), but I don’t like to flavor my pesto with it. My pesto tastes bland and unappealing with it.

I’ve read some reviews online from people who don’t particularly care for Parmela’s. The reviewers don’t mention how they apply Parmela’s Parmesan, so I’m not sure what their issue with the product is. I’ll admit, I don’t notice the flavor of this nut-cheese product too much when sprinkled on a finished dish, but my dishes often feature robust spices and strong ingredients that can easily overpower this subtle cheese alternative.

But in my pesto, which is sweet, fragrant, and mild, this product adds body and nutty, cheesy notes that make me want to keep eating it.

Pesto

Ingredients:

2 cups of loosely packed basil

1/3 cup of pine nuts (toast them in a pan for a couple minutes, tossing frequently, until they darken slightly and give off an aroma)

3 cloves of garlic

1/3 c of Parmela’s Parmesan

1/3 c to 2/3 c of olive oil, depending on how runny you want the sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Put everything into a food processor – except the salt and pepper – and blend until mixed thoroughly. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Blend again and taste.

This is how my pesto looks with 2/3 cup of olive oil. 

I'm about to boil some organic whole wheat spaghetti.

Finish off your plate of pasta with a sprinkle of Parmela's and a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Review: Viana Organic Creamy Spreads

Viana's tasty spreads, which are found for around $4 a jar at veganessentials.com.

I love crafting and eating sandwiches, but just working with mayo, ketchup, and mustard can get boring -- even if the contents between the bread change. I was curious to try Viana's various creamy spreads, most of which are comprised of ground sunflower seeds. 

All the spreads were well-seasoned and had their own distinct flavors. I used most as a spread on bread, but toward the end I used spoonfuls in various sauces to add another dimension to the flavor profile. My latest pumpkin pasta dish was exquisite thanks to the spoonfuls of Papaya Curry and Italian Vegetables. Both spreads added tartness, fruity notes, and hints of herb flavors.

Here's my take on the various spreads:

• Onion butter: What’s not to love about this seasoned spread – it’s buttery, salty, and has onion pieces in it that taste like the fried onions that get tossed on green bean casseroles. I’ve spread it on toast, but I absolutely loved adding a spoon of it to my baked sweet potato.

• Papaya Curry: This creamy sunflower spread has a very subtle curry taste. It has a fruity flavor and is just plain wonderful. I’ve added a spoon to my savory dishes, and it adds a lovely tang.

• Horseradish: This creamy sunflower spread is one of my favorites. Your tongue is bombarded with a strong horseradish flavor, but there’s absolutely no heat. Don’t expect the usual stabbing pain in your sinus when you eat horseradish. I added a spoon of this to my portion of creamy cauliflower and it elevated the dish with its tang and horseradish flavor.

• Red Pepper: This creamy sunflower spread tastes like a sweet pizza sauce. It’s a pretty pink and is thick like the other spreads. It’s wonderful on a flat bread and then topped with fresh veggies (like a pizza, but without the actual pizza sauce). It’s great as a dip for crackers and tortilla chips.

• Italian Vegetables: You can taste the oregano and basil in this creamy sunflower spread. It’s similar to the red pepper spread, but it has a fresh-herb taste. This would be great as a dip, spread, or as an ingredient in pasta or casserole recipe.

• Eggplant: This creamy sunflower spread had the consistency of stage 2 baby food. It was one of my least favorites. It definitely tastes like pureed eggplant and herbs. It would be fine as a dip for crackers and chips. I would use this as a filling inside eggplant rollatini.

• Lentil Curry: This creamy lentil spread is very thick and tastes like cooked lentils that have been ground into a paste. There is a slight curry flavor and a tang that comes from the mango and apple puree, and other juices added to the product. It’s tasty and would probably be good spread on a strong cracker or even as a sandwich spread.

Most of the spreads have a thick consistency. Eggplant was a tad bit runnier.

I would highly recommend these spreads if you're looking to take your sandwiches to another level. 

Review: Treeline Aged Artisanal Hard-Style Treenut Cheese

Treeline's Cracked Pepper hard cheese, at left, and Original flavor.

Recently, I purchased Treeline’s new hard cheeses fromVeganEssentials. I ordered the Original and Cracked Pepper flavors. I have never tried Treeline’s soft cheeses, but I’ve read fairly good reviews on that product.

The hard cheeses, which can fit in the palm of your hand, resemble Parmigiano-Reggiano on the outside and on the inside when you make a wedge. That’s where the similarities end. The taste is a pleasant, sharp tang, like feta.

Because of the hard texture, I shredded the cheese on a microplane over a piece of bread. I made a grilled cheese sandwich. I also shredded a little of the cheese over a bowl of tomato soup. The shredded cheese feels softer in your mouth. The cheese doesn't really melt; it actually browns if exposed to heat. It also gives off a strong cashew aftertaste, which didn’t bother me.

I wouldn’t order this cheese again, and it’s not just because it’s $10.50. I don’t need this type of cheese in the type of dishes I cook. It was nice having a grilled cheese, but I think shoppers can use cheaper vegan shredded cheese and add a few spices to hide the nasty flavors (I don’t like most vegan cheeses). 

The black pepper flavor tasted the same as the original, but the edge was crusted in cracked peppercorns – a nice touch. But, for the same reasons I mentioned above, I would not order this flavor again, either.