Vegan Almond Cheese: As Good as They Say?
I turned on the TV this morning and watched an episode of a show on the Food Network that shows you amazing, decadent, guilty-pleasure type meals from all across the US.
This was a mistake because it got me really hungry and also enticed me to make myself a breakfast inspired by the meals on the show.
So I decided to make myself an omelet with tomatoes and jalapeno jack style cheese.
The catch was that this cheese was made from almond milk.
Gluten and lactose free, and with no cholesterol, GMO’s, saturated fats or preservatives, this cheese purports to be the healthiest form of cheese. This type of vegan cheese also has a low sugar content. It only has 70 calories per one ounce serving, half of which are derived from fat.
Almond milk in a smoothie is something I can do and enjoy doing, but I was taken aback by this product in my refrigerator.
Cheese made from almonds?
But I decided to give it a try. I sliced up the block and put some to melt on my omelet. I also took some to try “raw.”
To say the least, I did not like this cheese on its own. The almond milk did not make for a pleasant taste, nor did it have enough creaminess to offset the peppers in this pepper jack cheese.
When the cheese was melted on the omelet, however, it did taste better, but not great. This might have been due to the other flavors in the omelet like tomato, onion and garlic, but all in all it did taste better, but not great.
This brand’s packaging claims that the cheese melts great. I would say that it melts well. It becomes gooey, but quickly solidifies when it begins to cool.
Overall, the heat from the cheese added a nice layer of flavor to the omelet. I balanced this out by serving the omelet with fresh and cold peach slices to add some sweetness to the dish. This pairing really revived my breakfast.
I am the type of person who will eat cheese straight from the packaging. I don’t need crackers and wine or for it to be melted on a burger. I will simply eat it. However, this almond milk jalapeno jack style cheese is not a type of cheese that I will be eating straight from the package. I will finish the package, so as to not waste the food, by trying it in different dishes, but will not be purchasing it again.
I like to consider myself a cheese connoisseur, and I found this cheese to be moderately acceptable.
Since I’m not lactose intolerant and although I appreciate the health benefits almond milk cheese offers, I’ll continue to indulge in dairy cheese.