When Doug and I were vegetarian (still eating dairy), folks would us, “So do you eat cheese?”

“Well of course! (What moron would give up cheese?) It doesn’t hurt the animal!” was our automatic response.

We took the children to a sustainability fair downtown at the Convention Center a little over ten years ago. A table that held PETA brochures and sweet looking young people was there. We smiled and said we were vegetarian too! They gave us vegan ice cream and a brochure. No lecturing, no horror stricken faces. In that brochure I saw outlined the horrors that sweet, docile animals endure. Standing chained most of the day. Babies whisked away from them. Babies as veal. Three year old dairy cows becoming meat. We had to rethink our cheese not hurting anyone.

We went vegan for a few years after that. Did you know that cheese has the same chemical reaction in your brain as heroin? That explains a lot, doesn’t it? I could never give up cheese! is such a common phrase. Now we know why.

So we started our own dairy farm. Goats frolicked around the back yard and Doug went out to milk twice a day, our granddaughter by his side. It was all idealistic and wonderful. Until we had to snatch the babies away. They cry for each other a hundred yards away, hidden from each other. The females will become milkers, the males? They go in the freezer. Elsa got mastitis so bad she vaulted me over her back to keep me from milking her. We won’t talk about trying to get them bred! No one can call me a naive vegan.

The health problems from dairy most specifically are respiratory. Asthma, upper respiratory infections, and coughs are caused or worsened by dairy. Brain fog, inflammation, and skin problems are caused by dairy because our body produces mucous and other defenses against milk created for the strength of a new born baby of a different species.

Okay, well that is all well and good and disheartening, but what about my cheese addiction, right? I have three cheeze sauces with variations that are going to make you forget about greasy cheese. These are made from cashews, and with the addition of seasonings, we are going to create three amazing sauces that can be poured over pizza, fries, nachos, baguettes, or used as dip at the Superbowl party.

First, soak 1 cup of cashews in water for 2 hours. Drain and rinse.

Mexican Cheeze Sauce

In a high powered blender combine:

1 cup of soaked cashews

1/4 cup of enchilada sauce

4 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon of New Mexican red chile powder (optional: you know me and my New Mexican chile!)

1/2 teaspoon each: sea salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder

1 cup of hot water

Blend until well combined.

Variations: You can put this deliciousness in a fondue pot or mini-crock pot, maybe add some salsa or green chilies for a game day dip with tortilla chips.

Use 1 Tablespoon of sriracha or other hot sauce instead of enchilada sauce for more kick.

Italian Cheeze Sauce

In a high powered blender combine:

1 cup of soaked, drained cashews

2 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon each: sea salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder

1 cup of hot water

Blend until smooth. Pour over pizza, potatoes, macaroni, or into soup.

Variations: For something fancier, make truffle cheese by adding truffle salt instead of sea salt and a few drops of good truffle oil.

Change up the seasonings. Add more if you wish. Fresh basil would be amazing in this in the summer. Or dried Italian seasoning.

Pour into a fondue pot and serve with toasted bread and crudites.

Smoky Cheddar Cheeze Sauce

In high powered blender combine:

1 cup of soaked, drained cashews

4 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast (located in any well stocked store. A great source of B12)

1/2 teaspoon each: smoked salt, sea salt, pepper, paprika

a few shakes of liquid smoke

1 cup of hot water

Combine well until smooth and creamy and ready to pour over noodles with mushrooms, or toast, or fried potatoes, or dip crackers into it or make it a dip or pour over Barbecued veggie meats! Oh my, I’m starving!

We just don’t need the milk from another creature and I feel strongly that our food comes with its own karma. There is a reason so many illnesses are caused or exasperated by animal products. Save a cow, calf, and have your cheeze too!