Cashew based with lots of pine nuts and my special Italian sun dried tomatoes throughout. A fabulous combination of Italian seasonings makes this a favorite.

The Mediterranean flavors in this recipe evoke memories of my cottage on a hill overlooking the sea. I would sit in the sun next to a big corner window, looking out over the flower garden and beyond. An aura of timelessness captured my days. I caught myself forgetting to listen to the chiming of the tower clock in the town below.

I would sit at my antique round oak table there by the window dreaming up all sorts of new and interesting recipes while the fragrance of dehydrating seasoned tomatoes filled my small abode. This creation has always captured the essence of summertime for me.

The next thing to be done was simply to put on a pair of sandals, walk down the stairs to the market, buy whatever I needed to pair with my cheese, and enjoy the sunset.

Kelly’s Pine Nut Cheese

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 4 hours in filtered water)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
¾ tsp. onion powder
¾ tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. Himalayan sea salt
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
½ cup almond milk
½ cup Kelly’s sun dried tomatoes
½ cup pine nuts

Directions:
Place the cashews, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and almond milk into a Vitamix and blend until creamy smooth.

Directions:

Choose the molds that you are going to use. Place them on two plates and set aside.
Place 1 cup filtered water and 1 ½ tsp. agar powder into a pan. Turn on the heat to high and whisk constantly while heating. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes continue whisking during this procedure. It is done when it resembles heavy thick glue.
Note: Moving quickly is imperative at this point in the recipe because the agar sets up rapidly once it begins to cool down. Also note that when it is time to add the agar to the cheese, turn the blender on the lowest speed possible. Once the agar is mixed in, turn the blender off and quickly add the sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and basil. Hand mix with a spatula. When evenly mixed pour into the molds. Cover them with saran wrap and place into the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Garnish each mold with some Kelly’s sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and a piece of parsley.