As I've experimented with my diet over the years I've had a complicated relationship with cheese. Who doesn't LOVE the taste of cheese?? Especially when melted in a grilled sandwich, between layers of a buttery quesadilla, or spilling over the edges of a hot slice of pizza... Y-U-M.
The taste of cheese is pretty awesome, but my digestion and skin get a little off when I eat too much of it. It's actually one of the most common allergens and as we age we lose the ability to digest lactose as well as we did when we were younger. I like to save my cheese consumption for special occasions and stock our fridge with grass fed, raw milk cheese for the family.
I had gotten use to life without cheese when I made an amazing discovery: nutritional yeast! It's an inactive form of yeast made from sugarcane and beat molasses and is packed full of nutrients. The look of it will throw you, as its yellow, flaky and powdery, looking more like a condiment than anything resembling cheese. The flavor is savory, cheesy and nutty, making it a popular cheese substitute in the vegan community as well as a great thickener in sauces and dressings.
Nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamin B6 and B12, floats, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, selenium, and zinc. It's a good immune booster, has antiviral and antibacterial properties, can improve digestion, and is great for your hair, skin and nails. It's easy to see why it's been granted superfood status!
I'll be honest, at first I found the appearance to be off-putting. Once I gave it a shot I realized why it was so popular with vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. Even if you tolerate dairy well, nutritional yeast is a great way to get tons of beneficial nutrients without loading up on excess calories.
Nutritional yeast can be enjoyed in a variety of ways where you would regularly use cheese. It can be sprinkled on pasta and salads, mixed in mashed potatoes and soups, and even sprinkled on popcorn.
I've had it twice this week mixed in ho-hum meat & veggie dishes and it took the flavor up a notch and impressed the whole fam! The first was a grass-fed ground beef and cauliflower rice mash (think cheesy hamburger helper, but healthy!) and the second was on roasted broccoli with pecans. I loved it so much I have the recipe to share with you here.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE
Roasted Broccoli & Pecans
Ingredients:
4 cups Broccoli (cut into florets)
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/3 cup Pecans (chopped)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the broccoli florets on the baking sheet and season with olive oil, nutritional yeast and sea salt. Add the pecans and mix well.
Cook the broccoli in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss the mixture and cook for 10 minutes more or until the broccoli is slightly browned.
Remove from the oven and divide between plates. Enjoy!
One more time, in case you missed it above, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the recipe with an easy-to-read-and-save PDF.
