6/14/10

Real Cream Cheese



Happy Monday everyone! I hope you are all doing well today.

Some of my blogging friends may have noticed my recent absence from commenting on your blogs. I had to step away from the computer several times lately because my computer is loading reallllllllly slooooowww.

It takes almost half an hour to load many blogs and even after waiting I sometimes cannot comment, or the comment disappears! Until I can figure out what to do about this situation, I hope you will forgive my lack of comments. I still love you all, and am trying to keep up with you even though Google reader no longer updates for me either:) Is anyone else having these problems, or am I the lucky one? :)

Looking on the bright side, I am grateful that I can still post on my blog. And, I now have more time to have fun in the kitchie!

A recent recipe I enjoyed was Poemomm's Real Cream Cheese.

I noticed it was posted on Raw Freedom Community, and it is also on Gone Raw. This is a very easy, fermented nut cheese. I made about half the recipe, using 2 cups of macadamia nuts, approx. 1 cup of water, and 4 gelcaps of probiotic powder(approx 1/2 a teaspoon of powder measured).

*Since goneraw.com has sadly become undependable I am posting the recipe for cream cheese:
 

Here are a few pics of making the cheese, the method is about the same with any fermented nut cheese:

Blended nuts, water and probiotic

Scoop out into cheesecloth or large paint strainer bag (double thickness).

Squeeze cloth tight(do this over the sink...hehe)

Place wrapped cheese into a strainer placed in a bowl to catch whey drips

I used a small open spring-form pan ring with the base on top to press evenly. The weight is a jar of coins.

At this point, I wait a day or two for the nut cheese to ferment. After it is done to taste, I put the unwrapped nut cheese back into a small spring-form to shape it and refrigerate for a day until firm. Sometimes I like to add herbs, salt or spices at this point to mix it up a little. I just love this raw cheese! Thanks to Poemomm for posting this wonderful recipe!

I also made Poemomm's Basic Brown Bread.

**Link may not work, so I am now posting the bread recipe :

 
 I used a crust cutter to shape the slices. Click here if you would like to see my step by step raw bread making tips:)

It was perfect for making cream cheese and jelly sandwiches.

I always loved cream cheese and jelly, and I was so happy to find a healthy raw version. Next time I will try Poemomm's version with cherries as the jelly....yummmm! Thank you Poemomm! The bread is fantastic!

Have you ever tried cream cheese and jelly?


Here is a simple jelly recipe:

1 cup fresh fruit
1/2 cup pitted dates

note: I have made this with equal parts fruit and dates, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.

Blend together until smooth, store in refrigerator several days in a covered jar. This makes a sweet jam that kids just love! Of course you can try blending any other fresh fruit, or any soaked dried fruit (and water if needed) for different flavors. I really love goji jam:)

While there was still some cream cheese left, I filled some mini sweet peppers and a few jalapeno peppers with it and topped it with some eggplant bacon.

I always seem to have plenty of that eggplant bacon around:)

I also mixed in some garlic and herbs to make a boursin flavored cheese. This made one of the best poppers ever!

Hmmmm...with Father's Day coming up, maybe you can make some poppers for poppa:)

28 comments:

Lauren said...

Oh my goodness! Everything looks amazing! Those poppers look just like the ones I reviewed from Pure Market Express! What an awesome appetizer! Love it!

Patinaware said...

I was dealing with the same SLOW thing online ~ what a pain! It's working great now...
Jamie said i was in need of more RAM; so he went out on Saturday and bought me what i needed. It's not cheap ($80 - for my pc needs), but it sure beats buying a new computer!

Websites will always be adding new programs and such, so we will ALWAYS need to keep up; which will cost us until our computers die.

Try going to Norton's Security site and see if you can run a diagnostic check. That should help.

Good luck!

Patinaware said...

forgot to add ~ the recipes look really good!
thanks 4 sharing!

bitt said...

sorry bout the computer problems. technology--love it when it works, hate it when it doesn't!

i love fermented cheese and we were wondering how to get it to be more firm. now we have an answer! thank you!

veggie wedgie said...

Seriously everything looks amazing! Especially the cheese and the bread! I really need to make this.Thank you for the wonderful post.

Tash said...

Wow, all of this looks so good, I'm drooling a bit over my keyboard...these are so going to be some of next things I make. Thanks for posting! x

evergreen said...

Thanks for the sweet comments, everyone!

@Lauren...TY, your post about Pure Market Express must have been on my mind when I made these:)

@Stormy...thanks for linking to this post on your blog, you are a sweetheart:) Thanks for the computer advice too!

Hi bitt!... the hubs surprised me tonight with a new connection... I am so happy!!!

@veggie wedgie...Poemomm has posted some incredible recipes, I hope you get to try them!

@The Raw Butterfly...I hope you like them as much as I do:)

Nelly said...

wow i am totally impressed!!!!

thanks for sharing the step by step with us...i would love to make cheese, but i am still a little scared off...

but thanks for making it look a and sound a little easy!!!

you're amazing...i love all of your recipes!!! you have a beautiful talent!!!

<3

La Mama Naturale' said...

Mmm, yummy! Hope your technology issues get resolved quickly. Such a bummer. I must try this at some point. It looks dynamite. I'm with Nelly- you have beautiful talent. :)

Anonymous said...

Wowsers! look at that creamy cream cheese and a sammie to boot! Me wants one! You are so talented...you rawk girl! xoxo

Anonymous said...

Your food always looks so beautiful and I really do crave bread so I must give this version a go :-)

kelli said...

poppers for poppa...what a great idea!=)

i LOVE cream cheese and jelly. i will definitely be trying these recipes. i'm also going to be on the look-out for those bread cutters. adorable - just like you!

xoxo

HiHoRosie said...

Uh, yummy! I'm moving next door k? hee hee! Seriously, all looks good and so easy. I loved cream cheese and jam so no doubt I'd love this. Actually, I've had raw vegan cream cheese by Dr. Cow that was uber good but hey, I could make it myself for way cheaper and get so much more!

Oh and the reader thing, I remember Nelly saying something about having issues with it too. I'm horrible about using the reader so I can't say a whole lot about it. :( Hope everything works out but if not, we'll keep seeing you here posting drool-worthy photos and recipes. :D

Unknown said...

Why thank you! I am equally as impressed/in love/drooling over your eggplant bacon popper and cheeze. yum yum yum!

A microwave cart? that's rough!

Girl on Raw said...

I've just posted about your blog on my facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Girl-On-Raw/249588360767?ref=search

Love it!

Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty said...

wow... lovely blog!!

I just did a 10 day raw food course, so I am super interested in other raw foodie blogs, so I'll definitely be reading your blog now!!!!!!!

THANKS!!

Jessica

evergreen said...

Nelly, thank you for the kind words:) The cheese is so easy, don't be afraid!

Thanks Leslie, you are so sweet! The hubs hooked me up with road runner now, so it is much better:)

Hi Pam...Thank you, my friend:)

Hi Antony:) TY...This bread has a nice soft texture:)

@kelli...Luv ya, girl:) The crust cutters are sometimes in the bread isle at the supermarket.

Hey Heidi! A little birdie told me you got a special delivery today:)

Thanks Alysha:) Yes I had a very tiny space for a while!

Hi Robyn:) Thanks so much for posting on facebook:) I should get a page there one of these days!

Hi Jessica...Thanks so much for your interest:)

Carissa said...

This cream cheese looks so good! If I have probiotic pills with powder inside can I use that powder? Would that work? Great blog! I am following you now! Check out my blog and follow too if you like :) elilaiann.blogspot.com

evergreen said...

Welcome Carissa:) I checked out your blog, and I am thinking about having your lovely blueberry chia pudding for breakfast tomorrow!

The probiotic I used was in gelcaps. I opened up 4 of them, and they measured about 1/2 a teaspoon of loose powder. The original recipe called for more, but in some of the comments on gone raw, people said it worked with even 1 "pill". Hope this helps:)

Carissa said...

Thanks that does help. Ok, I making some tomorrow on my day off. I have mac nuts in the freezer :) Thanks for checking out my blog too!

Jackie (Peaces of Earth) said...

hey our stuffed peppers kinda match, how funny. ;)

And, WOW!! Poemomm's Real Cream Cheese brings me back! I used to spend the majority of my days drooling over recipes on Gone Raw then the rest creating them. :) I've definitely made her brown bread too. So good!! I haven't been over at there in forever, but this brings back happy memories of my raw transition (I'm no longer 100%).

Live Life Alive said...

Fantastic Post! I have a raw boyfriend who LOVES peanut butter and jelly and I have a feeling he would jump for joy over this cream cheese and jelly recipe. ;) I'll have to try this soon!

One question though, what exactly is probiotic powder and where you do acquire yours?

evergreen said...

Hi Jackie...your matching stuffed peppers look incredible:)

Poemomm has some great recipes still posted at Gone Raw!

@LiveLifeAlive...I made an almond butter and jelly sandwich yesterday!!!

The probiotic powder I used is acidophilus. It is a dietary supplement used to promote digestive health. Probiotics are known as friendly bacteria:)

I don't remember exactly where mine came from, but you should find them anywhere vitamins are sold, in the refrigerated case or on the shelf with the vitamins:)

HiHoRosie said...

Hey Evergreen - your little birdie told your right! hee hee! I got the book and am starting to delve into it...Reading that is. I have yet to decide which recipe I want to do first. :) I'm so excited! Thanks again!

Julie Lynn said...

oh yumminess! I am going to add this recipe to my summer party foods list. Girl! you rocked it again! =D

Julia said...

Oh. My. Heck. I love (loved) cream cheese & jelly! I really need to stop being such a wimp about making things because this is literally making my mouth water!

Also, thanks so much for your comment yesterday, it really was great to know that it's not just the green that people come for!

Jenny said...

oh wow, that cream cheese and jelly idea is so genius... sounds absolutely delicious...

Isle Dance said...

OHMYGOSH!! I love cream cheese SO much and now I don't have to suffer, ever again, without it!!

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