Cashew "Cheese" with Miso and Coconut Oil

Cashew "cheese" with miso and coconut oil is a savory fermented cashew product that is a nice replacement for dairy cheese.

We don’t consider miso to be raw. Soybeans are generally heated during the production process since green beans of all types contain the glycoprotein phasin, which is toxic for humans. Phasin inhibits the absorption of nutrients in the intestine, causes hemagglutination (clumping of the red blood cells), and in larger amounts can destroy the intestinal villi. Heating processes (e.g., cooking and roasting) destroy phasin and make soybeans and soybean products such as tofu, miso, and tempeh edible for humans. As a result, even unpasteurized soy products are not actually raw, but are instead cooked products that have been “revived” through the process of fermentation.

This information should help you understand why we label this recipe as vegan cooked food even though it is listed as raw food in the cookbook it comes from.

Fermentation: Fermenting is the process in which microorganisms convert organic compounds into alcohol or organic acids. The method presented here takes place in the absence of oxygen and is called lactic acid fermentation. The product is fermented anaerobically so that the electron receptors (here O₂) are not present. This means that the microbes have to use other metabolic processes to break down organic substances and produce energy, which causes a change in the taste. These processes also generally extend or change the shelf life or storage conditions of the foods in question. This is why this type of preservation was commonly used before refrigerators had been invented.

People now eat far fewer fermented foods, especially those that have not been pasteurized (in factories). However, raw fermented products are especially important for good health — as well as a large number of enzymes and vitamins, they also contain beneficial lactic acid bacteria, which has a positive effect on our intestinal flora.

Misconceptions about vitamin B₁₂: It is a common misconception that fermented products are a source of vitamin B₁₂. Lacto-fermented foods, for example, sauerkraut and tempeh, contain small amounts of B₁₂ but these are primarily inactive B₁₂ analogs. They do have biochemical similarities, but our body cannot use or convert these analogs.

Soaking time: It is best to soak the cashews 3–4 hours (raw foodists have differing opinions here) in order to ensure a better consistency and activate the nuts. This process reduces the levels of phytic acid in nuts (and legumes), which is important because phytic acid binds to minerals in the gastrointestinal tract and as a result these cannot be metabolized. In general, cashews are relatively soft nuts and, if necessary, the soaking step can be left out or shortened. The consistency of the sauce or other recipe you make will still be smooth and creamy.

Storage: The “cheese” can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Herbs: The author recommends garnishing the cashew “cheese” with herbs such as rosemary or basil before serving.

Using leftovers: After you have made the cashew “cheese” once, you can make the recipe again using 2 tbsp of the fermented cashew “cheese” in place of the miso.