Faux Velveeta/American Cheese

There are many things that go missing when your diet requirements change. Some things, I can do without. Some things, I must keep, in some form or another. I LOVE Mexican food, and not having cheese dip and tortilla chips as an appetizer, was just unacceptable. So here we go. This recipe yields a cheese that is similar to Velveeta. The main “cheesey” flavor comes from nutritional yeast.

Nutritional yeast, not active or instant, it is an inactive yeast. It offers a complete protein and vitamin B complex, making this cheese far more nutritious than american cheese. It’s strong flavor can take some getting used to, but when used correctly it is a healthy, natural and cost effective cheese flavor substitute.  In this case, adding Rotel, to create Chile con Queso is an excellent complement to the cheeses’ flavor. With the addition of quinoa flour, this cheese sauce is packed with protein.

Amount               Ingredients

1 cup                    Nutritional Yeast

1/3 cup               Quinoa flour

3 Tbls                   Cornstarch

1.5 tsp                  Sea salt

1 cup                    water

1 cup                    Coconut milk, unsweetened So Delicious

1/3 cup               Clarified butter or Ghee or butter substitute

Steps

1. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large sauce pan

2. Add water, whisk into a paste

3. Place pan over medium heat

4. Stir constantly while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes

5. Whisk in the coconut milk

6. Stir constantly until sauce thickens and begins to bubble

7. Remove from heat

8. Whisk butter in

9. Pour into dish or mold

10. Chill completely in order to solidify

I used 3 of these 2oz portions (I used a silicone mini cupcake mold, it made 15 each). Then added 2 Tablspoons of Rotel with green chiles. I stirred it, then heated it up until melted, and stirred it again until smooth. Served with corn Tortilla chips.