Vegan Quesadillas + Homemade Coconut Milk Cheddar

Are you ready for some melted. yummy, delicious vegan cheese?

This stuff is legit. It has all the yummy properties of cheese with none of the stomachache :D

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Look at it! Just sitting here looking at it makes me want to gobble gobble gobble.

I also submitted this to allergy free wednesdays! Make sure to check it out there! UPDATE: This has been featured by the lovely Tessa the Domestica Diva over on allergy-free wednesdays!

Now vegans or lactose or casein intolerant people can have their cheese AND ENJOY it!
This is a doubled recipe. You can feel free to halve it with great results. I like it doubled because then during the week, I can make macaroni and cheese, melted tuna sandwiches, grilled cheese polenta, and so on and so farth. You make ask tuna? Alas, I'm not vegan. At least half of my recipes are so make sure to check the kitchenette link above. Big Blue Eyes and I are highly sensitive to dairy and have eliminated it from our lifestyle. I do admire those who eat a vegan lifestyle and because we eat only sustainable, farm-grown meat or wild game, we also eat a lot of vegetarian meals which minus the dairy and eggs equals vegan.

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Remember this? This stems from that recipe, which was more of a coconut milk mozzarella.

These are also gluten-free because we used brown rice tortillas from Trader Joe's. You can feel free to use corn tortillas! I also used white balsamic vinegar from Trader Joe's. I have used no other kind of vinegar so I can't vouch for their taste. However Erin from Olives from Dinner uses coconut vnegar. You can order agar flakes from amazon or azure standard and vitacost (here's a $10 credit to use on your first purchase.)

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 Coconut Milk Cheddar (UPDATED)
Ingredients:
2 cans coconut milk (full fat, thai kitchen brand prefered)
3 T agar flakes *(see notes below if using agar powder - I primarily use powder now)
1 t white balsamic vinegar
4 T tapioca starch
1 t smoked paprika
1/4 t liquid smoke
2 t sea salt
1/4 c nutritional yeast flakes (optional but definitely gives it more cheesy-ness) - UPDATE
Pinch of turmeric (for more authentic cheese color - optional)

1. Boil coconut milk until no longer seperated. Add white balsamic vinegar, agar flakes, and salt. Boil gently for 15. * (no need to boil 15 minutes if using agar agar powder)
2. Add remaining ingredients, one at a time. Whisking all the while! Cook another 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove from pan and put in greased, flat-bottomed glass dish or parchment paper lined loaf pan.
4. Let cool two hours. You can also stick in fridge when cool and use the next day. Slice and enjoy! (If it's refridgerated, you can actually grate it. It's a little slippery though and easier to just slice).

*UPDATE (please read): Agar agar powder (available on amazon) speeds this wonderful process of vegan cheese-making. With the agar agar powder, you don't have to boil it nearly as long. Use only three teaspoons with the powder. After you add the vinegar, agar agar powder and salt to the milk mixture, let it get a good boil then add all the remaining ingredients one by one whisking all the while. Remove from heat and Place in container.

For quesadillas, add coconut oil to pan and warm the quesadilla while layering slices of cheese one half, fold over when tortilla is warm enough to move easily. Cook on both sides to get a crispy and delicious texture! The cheese willl melt perfectly!