1 cup cashews (unsalted), soaked (water and ½ tsp salt for soaking)
½ cup almonds *SEE NOTES
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2,5 tbsp lemon juice (juice of one small lemon)
½ tsp garlic flakes
½ tsp good quality salt (e.g.Himalayan)
½ cup water
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Greek salad with vegan feta cheese
8 medium red tomatoes (about 1,5 cup chopped tomatoes)
½ medium cucumber (about 1 cup chopped)
½ small red onion
3 tbsp small capers
½ half of vegan feta cheese square.
Salad dressing
1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: freshly baked bread.
Instructions
Vegan feta cheese: Soak cashews in a jar / bowl filled with warm water and salt for 2-4 hours (or more).
After soaking, drain and rinse cashews.
Preheat oven to 390F/200C.
Blend almonds into almond meal.
Add all ingredients except olive oil into a blender or food processor and blend/process until completely smooth.
Add olive oil to the liquid cheese mixture and mix with a spoon.
Line two small baking tins (I used 5" x 5" / 12,5 cm x 12,5 cm) or one big one with parchment paper.
Pour or spoon liquid cheese mixture into the baking tins and smooth the surface with a knife or spoon. NOTE: If you can't get all of the cheese scraped from the blender, you can blend it with some water and use the liquid as a cream in pasta sauces or other meals.
Bake cheese in the oven (390F/200C) for 30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and firm.
Greek salad with vegan feta cheese: Chop tomatoes and cucumbers into big chunks.
Slice red onion into thin slices.
Add tomato and cucumber chunks, red onion slices and small capers into a shallow serving bowl and mix gently.
Cut ½ of vegan feta cheese into large cubes and put on top of salad.
Salad dressing: Whisk oil, oregano and pinch of salt in a bowl.
Add salad dressing on top of greek salad with a teaspoon. You don't have to use all the dressing, just enough for all the elements to be coated in a little olive oil and oregano. You can use the rest of the salad dressing as a dip for your bread.
Add freshly ground black pepper on top of salad.
Enjoy salad with freshly baked bread!
Notes
Preparation time of 2 hours is the inactive preparation time of soaking cashews. Active preparation time takes no more than 30 minutes.
*I use almonds which I have activated: I soak raw almonds (with skin) for about 12 hours in a jar filled with warm water and salt (1/2 tsp or more, depending on the amount of almonds). After soaking I drain and rinse the almonds well and place them on a baking sheet. I dehydrate the almonds in the oven (lowest possible temperature) until the almonds are completely dry. This takes about 12-18 hours.
Recipe by My Berry Forest at https://www.myberryforest.com/greek-salad-with-vegan-feta-cheese/