Gluten Free/dairy Free Cheese

[Aligray]

I went dairy free today! So, i need a cheese substitute. What do yall use?

We have a whole foods here, not a trader Joes.

Thank u!

-Ali

[tom]

Hmmmm I went 2+ yrs w/ zero cheese. Eventually ya stop thinking about it.

Sooooo many dishes are better w/ cheese.

The substitutes, soy cheese, rice cheese, whatever, never looked appealing enough to me to try. AND! Some actually include casein! The nerve! Who'd want fake cheese if it still has the milk protein??

BUT . .. A couple months ago I finally tested goat cheese, as I'd heard of many ppl w/ dairy problems being ok w/ non-cow cheeses and/or milk.

Now I LOVE my goat cheeses bought at WhF.

I get local ones, and I get great Feta, Mozzarella and Chevre here in Phx.

Mmmmmmm so good.

Do you think you can have goat cheese?

Otherwise, ihear of ppl making a subtitute at home, starting w/ raw cashews. They seem to like it much more than the store-bought alternatives.

[Matilda]

...

[Juliebove]

I sometimes make raw, vegan nut cheeses. I buy vegan rice cheese. I like the cheddar flavor. It's wonderful on pizza or nachos. There is an almond cheese that tastes good but I'm allergic to almonds. There are also soy based cheeses but daughter is allergic to soy so they are out. I also like Parma! A walnut based "parmesan" cheese. In pasta sauces and breads, I add nutritional yeast. Gives it a cheesy flavor. Daughter likes it on popcorn.

One thing you have to look for in faux cheeses and even nutritional yeast are milk derivatives. Some contain whey or casein. That's no good if you have a dairy allergy.

[codetalker]

I also like goat and sheep cheese. It doesn't work for everyone, but it does for me.

Goat cheese worked for me, too. Tried it once just as an experiment. The best I could tell, there was no problem.

[mftnchn]

I thought the cashew cheese substitute sounded very strange but got around to trying it a few weeks ago and put it on pizza. It really tastes good, and my husband likes it too. The consistency on the pizza is more like cream cheese. I haven't tried it yet as a spread on crackers and stuff but think it might be quite good. I am enjoying the pizza so much I keep making it.

[Mango04]

I can't do goat cheese.

The best sub is called Parma. You might have to order it online (it's worth it). It's made by Eat in the Raw.

[tarnalberry]

A solid cheese substitute - nope, never found one. There are one or two Gluten-free Casein-free cheeses that are eh... ok... after melting. But not great. Nothing that can be eaten like cheddar or mozerrella or more interesting cheeses. The vegan nut cheeses that you make yourself from raw nuts can work in creamy cheese situations, though.

[Juliebove]

I thought the cashew cheese substitute sounded very strange but got around to trying it a few weeks ago and put it on pizza. It really tastes good, and my husband likes it too. The consistency on the pizza is more like cream cheese. I haven't tried it yet as a spread on crackers and stuff but think it might be quite good. I am enjoying the pizza so much I keep making it.

Try adding a few hot peppers. Makes a nice dip for tortilla chips or raw veggies.

[alamaz]

There is a vegan product called Chreese that is okay. I bought the Chreese Nacho Dip yesterday and it actually wasn't that bad, even my picky goat cheese eating husband thought it was pretty good. I eat the Mac & Chreese occassionally but I'm pregnant and real Mac & Cheese used to be my fav. meal soooooooooooo...... I like the alfredo style better than cheddar. I've seen these at WF by the boxed mac & cheese section. be careful to select the gluten-free ones though because they also make non gluten-free boxes.

there are also vegan cheese slices at whole foods. you'll find them by the tofu/cottage cheeses/butter (at least at mine you do). some of them have casein in them so you have to really read the label. the one i buy says casein free, soy free and something else. there are almond cheeses there that I really want to try but they either have soy or casein in them, can't remember off the top of my head.

I've made several at home cashew cheeses/dressings and i didn't really like them. but, i don't really like cashews so that's probably why.

Amy

[Juliebove]

There is a vegan product called Chreese that is okay. I bought the Chreese Nacho Dip yesterday and it actually wasn't that bad, even my picky goat cheese eating husband thought it was pretty good. I eat the Mac & Chreese occassionally but I'm pregnant and real Mac & Cheese used to be my fav. meal soooooooooooo...... I like the alfredo style better than cheddar. I've seen these at WF by the boxed mac & cheese section. be careful to select the gluten-free ones though because they also make non gluten-free boxes.

there are also vegan cheese slices at whole foods. you'll find them by the tofu/cottage cheeses/butter (at least at mine you do). some of them have casein in them so you have to really read the label. the one i buy says casein free, soy free and something else. there are almond cheeses there that I really want to try but they either have soy or casein in them, can't remember off the top of my head.

I've made several at home cashew cheeses/dressings and i didn't really like them. but, i don't really like cashews so that's probably why.

Amy

I love the Nacho Chreese. Can't say the same about the Chreese powder. Reminds me of mustard. But daughter likes it and so does the rest of my family. When I make the pasta with it, I add cubes of ham. It's always a hit. Just not for me.

For pasta, I prefer the Say Cheeze from Namaste. Husband can't eat it though because it has hemp in it. He's in the military and they do drug testing. The hemp shows up on the drug tests.

[alamaz]

hmm, I saw the Say Cheeze and didn't read the label because I figured it would have casein in it....I'll have to check that out next time I'm at the store. I can't believe hemp shows up in drug tests! that would be a bummer to find that out the hard way

[Juliebove]

hmm, I saw the Say Cheeze and didn't read the label because I figured it would have casein in it....I'll have to check that out next time I'm at the store. I can't believe hemp shows up in drug tests! that would be a bummer to find that out the hard way

Well, I'm not convinced that it does. I tried looking it up online and apparently hemp oil does show on drug tests. I couldn't find anything on the seeds. But husband is all freaked out about it and won't try it.