Name: Pimiento-Nut Cheez Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup rolled oats; 3-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/4 cup roasted bell pepper; 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion; 2 tsp garlic powder or 1-2 garlic cloves; 2 cups water; 1 cup cashews; 1 15.5 oz can cannellini or Great Northern beans ((optional))

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

I have to admit–I’ve had a real love affair with cheese for a very long time. Anything smooth and creamy gets my mouth watering. Cheese over pasta, over potatoes, in a salad. I’ve been hooked for ages. But as I began learning about whole food plant food and all the benefits it can offer (including a slimmer me), I’ve been on the quest for a low-fat plant-based cheese sauce.

My first attempt was a nutty sauce with roasted pimientos to give it a cheddar color. But all those nuts can add up to a thick waistline and even higher cholesterol. If you’re at your ideal weight and not battling any lifestyle diseases, a nut-based cheese sauce won’t matter. But if you need to lose a few pounds, this is the cheese for you. We served it at our last New Start cooking class and it got thumbs-up from all our club members. I guess I’m not the only one with a love affair with cheese. One reason I like it more than my old stand-by is the stretchy gooeyness (I hope that’s a word) that we’ve come to expect in a cheese sauce.

And what’s even better–it’s quick and easy, perfect if you’re a busy mom like me. Just add the following ingredients to your blender, process it for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Add the sauce to a medium pan, cooking over medium heat. Stir occasionally. It will only take a few minutes before you will see a thick, creamy and gooey cheese right before your eyes. It doesn’t take long, so stay close to your pan. Remove from the heat and serve immediately over a baked potato, vegetables or baked chips.

Print Recipe

Pimiento-Nut Cheez Sauce

A tangy sauce that is cheezy in taste and texture but minus the fat.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 cup

Author: Sue Gilmore

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
3-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1/4 cup cornstarch
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup roasted bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp garlic powder or 1-2 garlic cloves
2 cups water
1 cup cashews
1 15.5 oz can cannellini or Great Northern beans (optional)

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to your blender, process it for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Add the mixture to a medium pan, cooking over medium heat. Stir occasionally. It will only take a few minutes before you will see a thick, creamy and gooey cheese right before your eyes. It doesn’t take long, so stay close to your pan. Remove from the heat and serve immediately over a baked potato, vegetables or baked chips.