A Note for Anyone Who Thinks They Crave Cheese:

I always hear from omnivores and vegan hopefuls that giving up cheese would be the hardest part of going Vegan for them. I completely understand! I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and cheese was everywhere! I said that exact thing but you know what? I’ve been happily Vegan for 20 years and not once have I ever missed cheese!

The secret is this: You are NOT REALLY craving cheese, as in, cheese, the curd made from cow’s milk. There’s no way that the human body is going around craving a food that is intended for growing baby cows into larger cows! Cows have four stomachs and are huge grazing animals that weigh about 1000 pounds! They’re very different from us, structurally.

I don’t know anyone with the goal to grow into a cow-like body, yet so many people are feeding themselves with the very things that will!

What are you really craving then? It’s all about two ingredients – SALT and FAT. Of course we crave those things — they’re building blocks of the human body!

To get the cheesy effect you crave, you can combine any of many different salt sources (Braggs Liquid Aminos, Tamari, Soy Sauce, Coconut Aminos, Himalayan Salt, Sea Salt, Miso, etc) with any of many plant-based fat sources (Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Cashew Butter, Avocado, Coconut Oil, Coconut Butter, Coconut Milk, Olive Oil, Soy Curd aka Tofu, Flax Oil, etc).

Adding a few key herbs and spices can further duplicate certain cheesy flavors we know and love. But remember, these are added flavors, and not naturally occurring in cow milk curd. Flavors are by-products of the earth and plants, and they’re good for you. By becoming self-aware of what it is we’re really craving, we can leave those cows alone!

Thank you for your interest in compassionate eating! ♥ Meghan