Lemon Rosemary Cashew Cheese

As far as raw nut cheeses go, this is the winner. I have been playing with different recipes for cashew cheese for some time and this was by far the easiest and tastiest of all. I could not stop eating it. It's kind of a cross between a ricotta and a hummus. This was inspired by the talented Belle Gibson of Only Belle. I recently downloaded the app she designed for apple devices called The Whole Pantry. It's filled with incredible plant based recipes, really beautiful photos and a wealth of information on super foods and nutrition. Her story is very moving and will no doubt leave you feeling inspired too. Her Instagram feed is amazing. You should start there. Anyway, this 'cheese' can be eaten and flavored so many ways. You will find yourself putting it on everything. Experiment!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw, organic cashews
2 cups filtered water
1|2 teaspoon sea salt

Soak the cashews in this brine for at least 7 hours but preferably overnight.
Drain and rinse them. Add them to a blender or food processor with the following ingredients and blend until smooth, about 2 or 3 minutes.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
chopped Rosemary
freshly minced garlic or powder
onion powder
salt + pepper
minced chilies or cayenne if you like it spicy

Serve with toast points, crackers or chips. Stuff mushrooms with it or serve it with raw vegetables. Spread it on sandwiches or make little appetizers with artichokes and peppers.
There are many optional embellishments here such as dill, basil, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers and so on. I think it can easily be made Italian style and used in lasagna or pasta.
If you have a nut allergy, you can also make this with sunflower seeds. Store covered in the refrigerator.

ENJOY!