Recipes to Make You Say, “YES!” to Vegan Cheese

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My mom, my blogger friend, Mike, and countless others have told me that they can’t go vegan because they could never give up cheese. I get where they’re coming from – I was there. I found, however; that giving up cheese was easier than I imagined it would be. Sure, it was hard at first, but once I discovered how to make wonderful sauces, cheese-free pizzas and other cheese replacements it was a cinch (and delicious too!).

I’ve been perfectly content without cheese, but a few weeks ago my sister mentioned that a vegan cheese shop, Peace Cheese, opened up in San Diego. I thought this was strange because I didn’t think it was possible to make really good vegan cheese. Online, however; their cheeses – like Cashew Glow and Pumpkin Sun – looked tasty.

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“Pumpkin Sun” – Vegan Cheese Alternative to mild Cheddar by PeaceCheese

I have yet to make the trip to San Diego to check out Peace Cheese (I will soon!), but they’ve awakened me to the possibility that great vegan cheese exists. What’s funny is that once I opened my mind to vegan cheese, I started noticing tempting recipes on blogs I follow. How did I miss these for the past two years?

So now I’m embarking on a new phase of my veganism, I’m getting cheesy with it! I’m gonna start making artisan vegan cheeses so that the next time someone tells me, “I can’t go vegan because I can’t give up cheese,” I’ll simply stuff their face with a cheese I’ve made and smile.

If you want to “get cheesy” with me, check out these great recipes.

Recipes to Make You Say, “Yes!” to Vegan Cheese

Baked Cashew Cheese

Emma, from Coconut & Berries calls cashews, “the magical nut!” One look at her Baked Cashew Cheese has me convinced that she’s right. Also check out Superfoodista’s remake of this recipe.

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Baked Cashew Cheese

Cashew Coconut Cream Cheese

Annie from an Unrefined Vegan always wows me with her luscious recipes, and her Cashew Coconut Cream Cheese is no exception. Just imagine this stuff on a bagel!

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Cashew Coconut Cream Cheese

Quick and Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

If you want vegan cream cheese in a jiffy, try Welcome to Abby’s Kitchen’s Quick and Easy Vegan Cream Cheese.

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Quick and Easy Vegan Cream Cheese

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

I found lots of recipes for vegan Parmesan. The one pictured below is from Veggiful.com and is made with cashews. Since a lot of the cheese recipes I’ve found use cashews, I was also excited to find The Passion for Compassion’s recipe made from almonds.

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Vegan Parmesan

15 Minute Grate-able and Melt-able Vegan Cheese

Leave it to Poppy from Bunny Kitchen to make what she calls, “a fast, simple vegan cheddar style cheese”. Also check out matchamochi’s version of Poppy’s recipe.

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15 Minute Grate-able and Melt-able Vegan Cheese

Macadamia Nut Brie

The hardest cheese for me to give up was brie, but I guess I never had to. Just look at this Macadamia Nut Brie from Vegged Out. If I bring this to a party, I bet I’ll never get told, “I can’t give up cheese,” by anyone ever again.

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Macadamia Nut Brie en Croute

Tofu Ricotta

Here’s a simple Tofu Ricotta recipe from Girl Eats Greens.

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Tofu ricotta

Cashew Mozzarella

No need to skip the cheese on pizza, just whip up this Cashew Mozzarella.

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Pine Nut & Chives Cheese Ball

This festive cheese ball is perfect for a dinner party or for a holiday gathering.

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Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

I just discovered that my blogger friend Sophie has some wonderful vegan cream cheese recipes like her Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese.

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For more recipes, check out Two Broke Vegans Vegan Cheeses.

If you’re feeling lazy…

If you don’t want to bother with making your own cheese, Celeste from Compassionate Tummies recomends Door 86 Vegan Cheese. They can be ordered online. And check out this Review of Vegan Cream Cheese Brands. Also check out 2 Broke Vegans Vegan Cheddar Cheese Review.

I’ll close with a cheesy smile 🙂

Pumpkin Sun Vegan Cheese photo by Yelper, Reenie V.

About celestedimilla

Hey there. I’m Celeste, California girl, writer, psychotherapist and burgeoning plant-based foodie.
This entry was posted in Daily Life, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

107 Responses to Recipes to Make You Say, “YES!” to Vegan Cheese

  1. dhbg says:

    We’ve made Somer’s vegan brie en croute several times. It is a HUGE hit at parties!!!! And crazy delicious!!!!

    • Thanks SO much for sharing that!! I’ll make it for the next gathering I go to for sure. I can’t wait to see the look on people’s faces when I tell them, “Yes, this is vegan.” Have a wonderful weekend! Celeste 🙂

  2. What a fantastic and inspiring post Celeste! Cheese definitely is one of the reasons for not going vegan!

    • It’s one of the “biggie” reasons that people give for not going vegan (it’s one that kept me from going vegan for a long time!). But, it’s not really about denial, but rather about learning a new way to cook. I really, really don’t miss cheese at all. Of course, I’m looking forward to including some of these vegan alternatives into my diet. Have a wonderful weekend Sonal!! Celeste 🙂

  3. Poppy says:

    What a great post Celeste! I’m so glad your are embracing your vegan cheesiness! So many gorgeous recipes here, a few I’ve been wanting to make and some I’ve not seen before. And of course, I’m honoured that you have included me in your line up!! Thanks lovely and I hope you fall in love with good vegan cheese!! 😀

    • Hey Poppy!! I had to include your recipe girlfriend – I love that it’s quick and easy and that it melts!! Melting is a huge plus, it’s just not cheese to me if it doesn’t melt. Before I went vegan I used to use cheddar cheese almost everyday, so I’m sure your recipe will become a staple in my house. Have a wonderful weekend chica!! Celeste 🙂

  4. i made a baked almond feta cheese ball for my retreat this weekend and it was one of the hugest hits of the meal plan. i had many guests that were not vegan and they all said that with a cheese like that there’s no reason they couldn’t eat that in place of it and if stuff like that was available they’d be purchasing it. i assured them it was extremely easy, as i only like things that are simple and quick, with the least amount of work and ingredients and they were shocked when i told them how to do it and looked forward to making it themselves. it was amazing!

    • Ooo, that sounds wonderful!!! Like you, I only like things that are simple and quick, so that sounds like my kind of recipe. I just checked out the post for your retreat and it looks like it was a wonderful weekend. I hope you have a great weekend this weekend too! Celeste 🙂

      • thanks celeste!! yes, we had a fantastic time and i loved sharing easy and yummy vegan and raw vegan recipes with the group, many of which were not vegan. and i loved seeing how much they enjoyed it and were interested in making changes in their lives. have a great weekend yourself!!

  5. M-R says:

    Rivettingly interesting ! Thanks so much for this – I’m one of those who can’t do without her cheese (unless …) !

    • Sometimes I’m still amazed that I’m vegan, because I never thought I’d give up cheese (or all dairy, for that matter). So I get how you feel. But giving up cheese isn’t really about denial, it’s about discovering alternative (and just as good!) foods and new ways to cook. Even my husband will tell you that we eat much better now than before we went vegan. I’m not trying to put pressure on you to change, I’m just saying. Anyway, thanks so much for your comment and have a wonderful weekend! Celeste 🙂

  6. How awesome is this!!! I looks so forward to all the beautiful creations! Thanks for the post!

  7. Reblogged this on Tania Marie's Blog and commented:
    Love these! I can’t wait to try a few of these vegan cheese recipes out to include with the recipes I know myself that are tried and true. I made a vegan baked almond feta cheese ball for my retreat this weekend and it was one of the hugest hits of the meal plan. I had many guests that were not vegan and they all said that with a cheese like that there’s no reason why their cheese “cravings” wouldn’t feel more than satisfied with it and if stuff like that was available in stores, that they’d be purchasing it. I assured them it was extremely easy to make, as I only like things that are simple and quick, being somewhat lazy in the kitchen unless I have the time and feel inspired, and that take the least amount of work and ingredients. They were all excited when I told them how easy it was to make and looked forward to making it themselves. I have to say, not being a huge cheese person myself, nor did my body ever resonate with milks, creams and the like in any way) I suddenly had a new found liking for cheese from the vegan cheese recipes I’ve made. Not only are they healthier, but I am not contributing to animal cruelty – so that aligns with my personal spirituality, I’m helping out the environment – which is important to me as a caretaker of the Earth, and am supporting awareness of other options that can be helpful in aligning with the vibration people are interested in embodying, as they make shifts in their life. I’m not a huge fan of cashews, but I have found that almonds can easily replace them in most recipes, or several other nut combos you may like for that matter. Be creative! I sure was this weekend. My mom and I were laughing a lot when making things for the retreat, as we were just tasting and testing as we went along based on what felt good to add. So the baked cashew cheese in this post can be made as I did with almonds if you too have allergies to cashews, or simply don’t like them. Thank you Celeste for sharing more recipes I’ll be excited to try. We’ll have to share notes when we make them. 😉

  8. Wow, love this collection of recipes Celeste! And some great finds for new blogs I must check out!
    It’s been less than a year that I discovered vegan “cheese” and I am still amazed, definitely by the characteristic of cashew and that it’s so easy to make a cheese-like product with it. I have seen Poppy’s recipe a while back too, looks yummy, I must try it sometimes. Thanks so much for the mention to sweet friend! 😉
    hugs & have a lovely weekend!
    Sylvia

    • Hey Sylvia! I don’t know why it took me so long to discover homemade vegan cheese. Maybe I’ve ignored them because I thought they wouldn’t taste good, I don’t know. I’m really excited to have discovered them now, however. Thanks so much for reading – I appreciate it. Celeste 🙂

  9. Now I’m intrigued, especially by the cashew coconut cream cheese. Will have to give it a try.

  10. Reblogged this on The Passion For Compassion and commented:
    For my lovely friends who have asked me about cheese: here’s a great compilation of vegan cheeses put together by Celeste at her fabulous site- ‘Honk if your Vegan’.

    • Thanks SO much for the reblog – I appreciate it! And thanks also for the Almond ‘I can’t believe it’s not cheese’ Parmesan. It looks like such a great recipe! Have a fab weekend! Celeste 🙂

  11. stacilys says:

    I looooooooovvvvve nuts. They are an everyday part of my diet. I would love to try some of these cheeses out some time. Thanks for sharing all these recipes Celeste. I’ll be doing some browsing.
    🙂

    • No wonder you’re a little nutty (hehe – just kidding). I love my nuts too and eat more than my share everyday. I’m looking forward to trying some of these nutty cheeses – they look so good. Have a great weekend! Celeste 🙂

  12. Wild Juggler says:

    So many choices, thanks for sharing, Celeste!

    • Hehe – sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the great recipes I find on blogs. There’s just not enough time to make them all. I wish I knew more vegans in my area, because it would be fun to do a vegan potluck dinner. Thanks so much for reading and for all of your support – I appreciate it! Celeste 🙂

  13. Cheryl-Lynn says:

    This does look so delicious. I may dream about it…could never get used to the rubbery fake cheese…may give this a try. Thank you somuch for sharing.

    • I’ve never been a fan of the commercial non-dairy cheeses, but these recipes look so much better than those. Thanks so much for your comment, and enjoy your cheesy dreams. Celeste 🙂

  14. Yum! A definite yes to vegan cheese. I’m visiting San Diego in a few months. Will definitely check out Peace Cheese!

    • I’m so glad you’re gonna check out Peace Cheese. I hope to get there soon too. I read that they make cheese platters, which will be great to bring to gatherings at my sister’s house (she lives in San Diego). Have a great weekend! Celeste 🙂

  15. Marfigs says:

    Thanks for putting all this in one place! Ever since eating vegan blue cheese last week I’ve been mulling over the scant choices I could find to make my own cheese again, but I’m definitely loving this variety you’ve found – even inspired to have a cheese and homemade cracker snack platter at our next game board night 😀

    • I wish I could come to your board game night! Anything to sample your vegan cheese and homemade cracker snack platter – my friends and family just don’t make stuff like that for gatherings I go to. Oh well, I suppose I can make the platter and bring it. Or, I could go to Peace Cheese in San Diego and pick up one of their vegan cheese platters. Ooo, I’m rambling, you’ve just got me fantasizing about vegan cheese platters (hehe). Have a lovely weekend chica! Celeste 🙂

  16. They all look fab, I’m going back for a look at all of them! Let us know when you try making some xx

  17. BEAUTYCALYPSE says:

    OMG. are those for realz?
    the last picture is a killer!

  18. April @ Simplify Your Health says:

    Great Post! I have actually not made vegan cheese yet! Strange since I am always in the kitchen! I have made a vegan cheese ‘sauce’ which was delicious. This is great inspiration. My husband really loves cheese so maybe I can tempt him with some of these lovely recipes! Will definitely try Poppy’s 🙂 He still eats meat sadly 😦 but we don’t buy dairy products as my daughter and I don’t eat dairy. He is learning to go without or he gets cheese from the farmers market. I do confess to loving, and missing cheese, but apart from the ethical issues, dairy doesn’t agree with me. I also noticed after I cut it out that I had no PMT symptoms, at all. None. From a health perspective, nuts have been a hot topic on the Cornell Uni Plant Based Nutrition course I am doing, with most agreeing with Dr Esselstyn, Doug Graham etc that we should severely restrict nut, seed and avocado consumption. I don’t agree with this myself, and have not seen any evidence that those following a whole food plant based diet, and consuming regular amounts of nuts, have increased or substantial risks of diseases of affluence such as heart disease or high cholesterol etc In fact, I have seen the opposite. Many studies on vegans and vegetarians show a distinct health advantage. I also blogged about nuts a while back. I personally believe there is too much focus on the fat content of nuts, or the perceived “anti-nutritnets” in them ( oh how I hate that term) and less focus on the fact they are extremely high in many minerals that are typically lacking in a western diet. And of course, we should be looking at foods in their whole for, not as a sum of its nutrient parts. Thanks yet again for some wonderful inspiration.

    • I’ve heard that many of the plant-based gurus are big on restricting nuts. I’m with you on not believing this is necessary. Not to mention that I don’t think I could follow a plant-based diet without nuts. They’re what I use to make all the sauces for the loads of veggies I consume each day. I doubt that I’d eat as many veggies if I wasn’t topping them with delicious sauces. And my health has dramatically improved since I went plant-based, so I must be doing something right. Oh, and I wanted to let you know that I just checked out your post on nuts. It was a great post – very informative! Have a great week! Celeste 🙂

      • April @ Simplify Your Health says:

        Yes, I think a lot of plant based or vegan diet followers say the same thing. I’ve had my blood cholesterol checked before and it’s been fine. Until I see strong evidence stating otherwise, I’ll keep eating them! Thanks for checking out my post 🙂 have a great week too!

  19. Celeste, I also make my own vegan cheese for my illness as well, I learned a lot from all the bloggers and you as well, thanks! Can you give me some advise from this ‘red Leicester cheese’? http://matchamochimoo.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/vegan-grated-cheddar-cheese/

  20. I was JUST talking to my son about his co-worker. She asked how I make cashew cheese. (I only did it once). I’m going to send this link her way!! All in one…how to make the different cheeses! Great! Thanks Celeste!!

  21. cinnabar50 says:

    Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes. Vegan Cheese does add the extra something that many of us miss.

  22. Whoop! Let’s get cheesy! I adore homemade nut cheeses and cheesy sauces, though it’s kind of strange as I really wasn’t a cheese fan before going vegan! How cool is it that a vegan cheese shop has opened?!
    Thanks for sharing my recipe. I hope you get to try it some time 😀

    • That’s funny that you didn’t discover a love for cheese until you started eating vegan cheeses. Oh, and my pleasure for sharing your recipe – it looks amazing!! Celeste 🙂

  23. Ralph says:

    Hi Celeste 😀 Yes !! (I always say yes 😉 ) This post has definitely not cheesed me off as I enjoy cheese especially from you my friend. What I variety of vegan cheeses ? Do they taste of cheese ? Hugs. Ralph xox ❤

    • You always say, “Yes!” – really??? What if someone asked you if you wanted to jump off a cliff? I suppose always saying “Yes!” makes life more exciting. Anyway, I haven’t tasted any of these cheeses yet Ralph, but I’m anxious to. Have a fab week!! Celeste 🙂

  24. Lauzan says:

    Funny I saw your post just after having read this article: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/how-to-overcome-your-cheese-cravings-with-recipes/
    Thanks for all these suggestions! I love Poppy cheddar…!

    • Hey Lauzan! I just checked out the article you shared and it’s a good one!! Poppy’s cheddar seems to be a popular recipe, I’m gonna have to try it soon. Have a fab week! Celeste 🙂

  25. Vegan cheese is da best!! That baked concoction looks fantastic! Appreciate you including my cream cheese, girl!

  26. I’m totally there with you. In fact, when I went vegetarian I said that’s as far as I could go because I couldn’t live without cheese. Oh the naive things we say. I hear it all the time and have to laugh. It really is no big deal to give up dairy. Actually I think I read somewhere that there is a legitimate ingredient in cheese that makes you continue to crave it, like nicotine in cigarettes. Once it’s out of your system it’s like nothing ever happened. The only cheese I’ve made is a baked cashew cheese and it was wonderful. I’m also a big promoter of Door 86 Vegan Cheese. You can order from them online.

    • Hey Celeste! Thanks so much for sharing about Door 86 Vegan Cheese – I’d never heard of them before. I just checked out their website and their products look fab!! I added their link to this post so others can discover them as well. Have a great week chica! Celeste 🙂

      • Sure thing. Although I did catch an update from them that they are currently sold out and are reworking their selection so they aren’t taking orders at the moment. Have a happy meatless Monday!

  27. VegCharlotte says:

    Great roundup! I think it’s important to know people can make their own vegan cheese, as there are some really yummy recipes and they are soooo much better than Daiya! I’d like to throw out that Alicia C. Simpson of Vegan Comfort Food fame has the best vegan macaroni and cheese recipe I’ve tasted!

    • Hey there Catherine! I’ve been vegan for two years and the vegan cheese thing is new to me. Anyway, thanks so much for sharing about Alicia Simpson’s vegan macaroni and cheese – I’m gonna look that up! Have a fab week! Celeste 🙂

      • VegCharlotte says:

        I think the vegan cheese thing is actually pretty new to everyone … we had Daiya, but only in the last couple of years have people been experimenting and coming out with these really awesome recipes we can actually make at home! These recipes all look delicious and inspiring!

  28. ive got my eyes on Somer’s brie for quite sometime now..never got around to doing it. Thanks for the reminder:)

  29. olg716 says:

    I am not vegan (mostly) because of cheese! I try not to consume too cheese though. Vegan cheese (such as Daiya & Go Veggie) just doesn’t do it for me. I’ve tried! Thank you for posting this! Can’t wait to try one of these recipes. =]

    • I’m so happy that I inspired you to try vegan cheese – yea!! Cheese is a toughie for most of us to give up, but I’m living proof that it’s totally doable. Have a fab week! Celeste 🙂

  30. Hi Celeste,
    I enjoy cashew sour cream and make it sometimes to top thick creamy soups and Chili. I like the recipe for the nut Brie and will try it, I think, the next time I have guests for supper. Thanks for all the recipe research that you do!

  31. laurasmess says:

    Oh my gosh. This looks amazing… every single photograph has got me drooling! I definitely eat normal dairy cheese on a regular basis but I wouldn’t turn my nose up at any of these alternatives. I definitely want to give that macadamia brie a go! Great round up Celeste xx

  32. They look fantastic! Hmm, I will have to look into vegan cheese. 🙂

  33. Thanks so much for rounding up all these recipes, Celeste! I’ll have to bookmark this one – and I can’t wait to see what other cheeses you come up with. My vegan ricotta has become a staple around our house, and I agree, it is a lot easier to give up cheese than I thought. I’ll also have to give a heads up to my vegan aunt in LA about the cheese store in San Diego! Thanks for the tip!

  34. Yes yes YESSS! I have been thinking about making a baked cheese lately, sounds so yummy!

  35. Ann says:

    Yum! Great collection of vegan cheese recipes.

  36. diahannreyes says:

    As someone who loves cheese- I would love to find some vegan cheese that is just as tasty.

    • Hey Diahann! You might want to check out Door 86 Vegan Cheese. I’ve never tried them, but you can have their products shipped to you. I’m probably gonna give them a try soon. Have a great week! Celeste 🙂

  37. What an amazing round-up! Thank goodness for cashews, these little miracle nuts. 🙂 🙂

  38. Lab Rat says:

    I stumbled across your blog by seeing you in my “other bloggers follow this” section. I’ve been trying to find a good, versatile vegan cheese recipe, so I’m going to have to try some of these out!

    I also found one recipe that does NOT use cashews (since cashews are pretty expensive), yet makes an AMAZING nacho cheese sauce. I originally found it on Veggie on a Penny, but then tried it out and blogged about it myself. 🙂 You can find it at my wordpress blog, Roma for the Soul. Happy eating!

    • Hey there Lab Rat! I just checked out your nacho cheese sauce (not to mention a lot of your other recipes!) and it looks wonderful. I love your blog!! Celeste 🙂

      • Lab Rat says:

        Thanks for stopping by! I feel more motivated to keep blogging now. I’m going to have to try out some of your cheese recipes!! 🙂

  39. Tamara says:

    I now have so many tabs up for recipes I want to try…

  40. Mike Lince says:

    Wow, your story created quite a wave of interest and some terrific responses. Since you mentioned my name right at the beginning, I figured I had better wade in here and put my cheese where my mouth is, or at least let you put your cheese where my mouth is. These recipes look mouthwatering and delicious. I can hardly wait to put into practice some of your ideas. When I finally make the whole leap to a vegan diet, you will no doubt be famous as one of the influential forces that contributed to the growing movement to plant-based eating.

    Now I have to ask. Since I did not see attributions on the photos in your story, did you take those photographs? I would like to think you are becoming skilled in the use of that fancy camera you bought. 🙂

    We think of you often, Celeste. Just yesterday Florence mentioned visiting with you and Paul in a SoCal vegan restaurant (or 2 or 3) will be a highlight for us when we return to the states! – Mike

    • Hey Mike! Thanks for chiming in here. These recipes do look amazing, and the photos too. None of the photos are mine. I linked to the blog posts the recipes came from, but maybe I wasn’t clear that the photos also came from these posts. In any case, I don’t think my food photography has improved much. I have been taking more scenery photos, however; and I’ve been getting some nice shots. I’ve got a lot of photos that I want to share on my blog, but I never seem to get to it.

      Anyway, we would love to do some vegan restaurants with you guys any time. We’ve been noticing more and more vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants opening up in our area. I can’t wait to try that vegan cheese shop in San Diego. Have a great week! Celeste 🙂

  41. Sophie33 says:

    I still can eat real cheeses but these vegan adaptations look also very appetizing! A few, I have tried already & the rest of them are on my to make-list! ooh yes! x

  42. reocochran says:

    Yummy! These look certainly very delicious, Celeste! I had for a very good snack last night some vegan cheese. I also ate fresh broccoli and hummus with artichokes and spinach in it. I did not check the ingredients but I did feel ‘righteous’ for a moment! smiles, robin

  43. Reblogged this on My Vegan Heart Blog and commented:
    This is such an amazing resource for vegan cheese from my friend Celeste that I had to reblog. Enjoy.

    • Thanks for sharing Ivonne! I think cheese is a way to win lots of vegan converts. So many people tell me they can’t go vegan because the can’t give up cheese. Well, they don’t have to! 🙂

  44. Vegan Cheese rules. I cannot even stand the smell of cow’s milk cheese. Yuck!

    I am going to reblog this.

  45. Reblogged this on newveganblog and commented:
    Cheese Please!!!

  46. Thanks for your great post! I don’t want ‘cheese’ very often but when I do it’s great to know I can still be vegan while doing so!!

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