You may be wondering, what the heck is Nutritional Yeast?
Not to be confused with brewer’s yeast or the yeast used for baking, Nutritional Yeast is an edible dietary supplement. Nutritional yeast is a yeast strain grown on cane sugar and beet molasses, the finished product doesn’t retain the sugar and is packed with nutrients. It is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium. It is also a good source of Protein, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid and Zinc. Its cheesy flavor is a delicious bonus to all the nutritional benefits this supplement provides. Below are two of my favorite recipes featuring this wonder ingredient. One is a delicious meat and dairy free soup and the other is a dairy free version of Parmesan Cheese that tastes just as delicious as the real thing. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Delicious 7 Vegetable & ‘Cheese’ Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2-3 Cups Chopped Sweet Onion (one large onion)
- 3 large Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Cup Chopped Celery (2-3 stalks)
- 1 heaping Cup peeled and chopped Carrots (2 small carrots)
- 6 packed Cups Broccoli Florets (1 large bunch broccoli)
- 2 Cups peeled and chopped Sweet Potato (1 small sweet potato)
- 1½-2 Cups seeded and chopped Delicata Squash (if not available, more sweet potato can be substituted)
- 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 5 TBS Nutritional Yeast
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less to taste)
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- For Serving: Toasted Pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) and Smoked Paprika
Directions:
- Grab a large (6½ qt) pot, add onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes being careful it doesn’t burn add salt and pepper as needed.
- Add celery, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, squash, one by one as you chop them. Continue to sauté over medium heat being careful it does not burn.
- Cover the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary.
- Uncover and add the broth, bring to low boil. Reduce to low/medium heat, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until potato and squash are fork tender.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for10-20 minutes. After cooled scoop into blender or food processor (this will more than likely need to be done in a few batches), add in nutritional yeast, cayenne, and cinnamon. Carefully blend, be sure not to completely close blender lid to avoid the lid popping off from the heat.
- Return soup to original pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve soup with Smoked Paprika and Toasted Pepitas sprinkled on top and Enjoy!
Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients:
- ¾ Cup Cashews
- 3 TBS Nutritional Yeast
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¾ tsp Salt
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in food processor. Store in airtight container and enjoy on any and all items you would typically top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!