Ellen Kanner has written a terrific book full of wonderful, flavorful recipes that are all vegan. She writes for the person who is using some prepared or canned food. This makes the book perfect for those putting a toe in the vegan waters. And for those who have eaten a vegan diet for some time, it offers new recipes with available ingredients that can pull you out of the dinner doldrums.

Ellen Kanner

Vegan Pimento Cheese (from Miami Vegan, with permission)

8 ounces raw cashews soaked overnight*

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 pimentos—canned or jarred workfine—plus a little of their juice

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (about a teaspoon)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper totaste

optional adds:◊splash of hot sauce or pinch cayenne

1/2 teaspoon white miso◊

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

•Drain and rinse cashews. Pour into a food processor and whiz or pulse until you’ve got a thick paste.

•Add remaining ingredients: nutritional yeast for cheesiness, apple cider vinegar for the littlest bit of acidic edge, paprika to deepen flavor, turmeric for a little bit of earthy funk and to nail that adorable pale orange shade, pimento—you cannot make pimento cheese without pimento

•Blitz it all together for 3–5 minutes or until it’s luscious, totally smooth with no graininess from the nuts, and you’ve achieved that particular pimento cheese shade

.•Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and taste. Add any optional ingredients—the miso, hot sauce, and/or garlic powder. Season with sea salt and fresh pepper, and taste again for balance

.•Serves 4 to 6

* Got nut allergies? Substitute 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds for the cashews