Updated 11-29-19: This is the version I like the most and tastes more like cheese sauce than the original recipe. (I took a screenshot of the original and posted it at the end). Changes made: I halved the recipe, included more seasonings, increased salt, and reduced cornstarch ratios. This is super-yummy. I made nachos last night: corn chips, this cheese sauce, chili beans, salsa, green onions...they all loved it!
Updated 6-23-21: Ground chia seeds is more user-friendly than cornstarch. I added cumin and chili powder, too. Yum!
Gluten-free, nut-free, fat-free, non-dairy, good fiber, nutritious.
This makes at least 3 cups and is around 455 calories for all 3 cups!
(1 c oats = 300 cal, 1/4 c nut'l yst flks = 70 cal, 1 T cornstarch = 35 cal, 6 oz bell pep = 50 cal)
Compare this to dairy cheddar cheese sauce: 1,320 calories for 3 cups (plus saturated fat, high sodium, casein, and other undesirable content like hormones, pus, blood. It also has no fiber.)
Equipment needed: high-speed blender is optimum (although others have used a regular blender/processor then heated mixture in pan on stove)
Ingredients: (conversion verified with my kitchen scale)
1 cup (95 g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (19 g) nutritional yeast flakes
1 T (9 g) cornstarch chia seeds, ground
2 tsp (5 g) onion powder
2 tsp (10 g) salt {2 may be too salty. Try 1.5 next time. 1 tsp not enough imo} (or 1 tsp Braggs)
1/2 tsp (? g) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (? g) smoked paprika
1/4 tsp (? g) curry powder
6 oz. (150 g) Roasted Red Bell Peppers in water (from jar)
1/2 T (7.5 mL) lemon juice
1/8 tsp (0.88 mL) liquid smoke
2 cups (0.5 L) warm water (I microwaved it for 1:40 minutes)
edit add:
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp chili powder (1/4 is pretty spicy)
Directions:
(If you have a larger jar of roasted bell peppers like I did, measure out 6 oz and include liquid, just enough to cover the peppers).
-Put all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender with the ability to cook food
-Blend on high for about 2 min 45 sec (if your water is cold, blending will take a lot longer)
- - Stop blending once the sauce begins thickening and motor changes noise. It will continue to thicken as it cools
-Transfer to a large container that can hold at least 3 cups
To re-heat:
Jill suggests to put the desired amount in a microwavable container and put 2-3 tablespoons of water or plant milk on top. Don't stir it in, just let it sit right over the cheese sauce so the top doesn't over-heat and get gummy. Example reheat time: 1/4 cup sauce for 1 min at 80% power. Stir after heating.
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| Nachos: I added chili powder to the cheese sauce So goooood! |
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| Cheesy pasta- Yum! |
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| Oats, roasted bell pepper, nutritional yeast flakes, corn starch, water, liquid smoke, lemon juice, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, curry powder, happy cow |
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| To thin for mac-n-cheese, I added plant milk but didn't stir until after heating in microwave |
Something else I didn't know:
Consuming dairy can increase breast cancer risk as much as 50% (link). There's also an increased risk of prostate cancer as well as a possible connection to Type 1 diabetes (link).
The good news:
We do not need animal milk to survive. Our health is better without dairy. (And the cows and planet are better off without the dairy industry).
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| This is a screenshot of the original blogpost of Jill's original recipe. It's a good foundation to use and customize. It's really thick, which might be good if you are going to slice and reheat it in a sandwich or quesadilla (I haven't tried either, yet). I mostly use it as a sauce. I figured if I'm going to keep thinning it anyway, I might as well not make it so thick to begin with. I may even reduce the cornstarch more down to 3/4 T. |
