White Bean Pesto Spread

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I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say, “I’d go vegan but I just can’t give up cheese.”   Sure it’s tough to give up cheese.  I feel your pain. I used to eat a lot of cheese. All dairy products contain casomorphins, fragments, derived from the digestion of milk protein caseinthat actually have an opiate effect. Can you say “addictive”?  It has to be because cow’s milk is designed by mother nature for baby cows to grow up to be big cows and bulls. But even calves don’t eat cheese. Cheese is super concentrated milk fat so it has more casomorphins and yes, that means it’s REALLY addictive.

When you think about it, what other species, when old enough to eat solid food, continues to drink the milk of another species?  Most people, if offered a glass of human milk or dog milk, would refuse to drink it, right?  Yet, we’ve been conditioned into thinking drinking cows milk or eating goat cheese is normal.  We don’t need milk. We’re not calves. And once you begin to learn all the wonderful, healthy ways to get that umami flavor (found in cheese and other savory foods), you really won’t miss it. Learn about the wonders of white miso and nutritional yeast. And try out this recipe the next time you need a tasty spread for crackers or veggies.

Skip the dairy and use beans to make this creamy “cheesy” spread.  It’s super easy to prepare in your food processor and healthy too. The spread above is pictured on my gluten-free tart.

White Bean Pesto Spread

2 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup vegan pesto
1 Tbs white miso paste
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/8 cup water
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Place all ingredients into food processor with “s” blade. Blend until smooth and creamy. Spread over crackers or use as a sandwich or wrap spread.  Store in refrigerator.

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One Response to White Bean Pesto Spread

  1. Jenny says:

    mmmmm that spread sounds delicious!

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