Finding the right cheese, especially one you are sharing with friends and family, can be tricky; and let’s be honest, some miss the mark. So, we hunted down some of the best artisanal vegan cheeses that you’ll feel confident serving to vegans and non-vegans alike at your next shindig.

The great thing about all of these non-dairy cheeses is their ingredient list–void of any fillers, additives, soy or gluten–so these are about as ‘clean’ as you can get. They also make for a great gift and are all available for purchase online, so you can easily send them directly to that chef, vegan, or veg-curious person in your life.

Wendy’s Nutty Cheeses

For more than 25 years, Wendy of Wendy’s Vegan Kitchen has made vegan offerings using all organic and non-GMO ingredients, choosing cashew and soy for the base of the Wendy’s Nutty Cheeses vegan dairy products. With delightful flavors like Garden of Eden and Fig and Fennel, these gorgeous and tasty treats will be the perfect embellishment for any vegan charcuterie board, or a showstopping centerpiece to a Springtime picnic.

Wendy also offers private classes in the Hudson Valley and Tri-State area for those who would like to learn how to make delicious vegan fare from a professional.

Wendy’s Nutty Cheeses are available on the brand’s website or on Vegan Essentials.

Treeline Cheese

Treeline’s soft ‘cheese’ spreads will steal the show on your next cheese board. While not exactly reminiscent of a cheese wheel since they are more like a creamy spread, their flavor is spot on and one of the favored items in our taste test. Treeline’s made from fermented cashew nuts, and as a bonus, they also contain a healthy probiotic, known as L. Acidophilus.

The Scallion Soft French-Style is a clear winner. With a creamy consistency and smooth texture, it is quite honestly perfect. The spreads come in little containers that you can flip upside down on a tray for a nice display. All Treeline cheeses and spreads are natural, without any added preservatives, stabilizers, gums, or thickeners. Plus, they are pretty easy to find in-store with nationwide distribution.

Available nationwide at Kroger and select Whole Foods.

Reine

Reine makes small-batch artisanal cashew-based ‘cheese’ rounds out of Ventura, California. This is a ‘cheese’ you will be 100 percent confident to put on a display; and trust, vegan or not, your guests will go back for seconds. Reine has perfected its fermentation process and consistency while using high-quality, organic ingredients free of soy, GMO, dairy, and gluten.

They have eight flavors to choose from, but at the top of the list is the Fauxgonzola, which was the top pick from all the ‘cheese’ rounds in our test. It’s made with organic blue-green spirulina (which research suggests has antioxidant and inflammation-fighting properties) and its blue striations make a beautiful display. Some other recommended flavors are the Trufflehound, and the Chipotle Cheddar.

Available online and select retail locations in Southern California.

Vromage

Since 2009 Vromage Founder Youssef Fahouri has been perfecting his cheese recipes—which are secret by the way. Made from a variety of nuts and seeds, the cheeses were so good he opened the first dairy-free cheese shop in LA in 2014. Of all the brands, Vromage might be the one that is most reminiscent of a dairy-based cheese.

There are many eclectic flavors, all coming in different shapes and sizes. While you can’t really go wrong with any of them, the Pepperjack and Mozzarella are both impressive. You also might recall the name, Vromage, since Prince Harry and Meghan Markel had the cheeses served at the royal wedding.

Available online and at Vromage cheese shop in West Hollywood, Calif.

Did we miss any great vegan, artisan cheese brands? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Best Vegan Artisan Cheeses for Your Holiday Cheese Board appeared first on The Beet.

Cheese is one of the main things that keeps people from going all the way vegan. In fact, research from The Vegan Society found that dairy (especially cheese) was one of the top “barriers to veganism related to habit or taste.” Fortunately, years of innovation within the plant-based cheese space have led to a ton of great products, and a category growing double digits year over year and is expected to reach $7 billion in sales globally by 2030.

Why You Should Avoid Eating Dairy

Milk is the top source of saturated fat in the traditional American diet, according to Lee Crosby, R.D., nutrition education program manager at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Traditional boxed mac and cheese is prepared with powdered dairy cheese mixes and dairy milk, making your typical box of macaroni damaging to your health.

One study published in BMC Medicine found that dairy is associated with a significantly higher risk of breast cancers. Those who drink a quarter cup of milk per day show a 17 percent higher risk of breast cancer. Another study found that milk consumption is even more dangerous for men. Loma Linda researchers found that drinking milk increases the risk of prostate cancer by 60 percent.

The dairy industry often encourages consumers to keep eating cheese and milk products, claiming milk is necessary for good athletic performance. However, consuming dairy is linked to increased inflammation, making it harder to breathe, delaying recovery times, and causing joint and muscle pains.

“Dairy is an inflammatory food, and athletes are constantly fighting inflammation to repair broken-down muscles and get back to training,” Dotsie Bausch, Olympic medalist in cycling and executive director of Switch4Good, said, adding that once she abandoned dairy, her recovery time dramatically shortened, so she was able to train at the same high-intensity level more often. “If you’re inflamed, you’re not at your best, and until you ditch dairy, you don’t know your true limit.”

The Best Vegan Boxed Mac and Cheeses

Now, you can choose a healthier option for lunch. There are plenty of boxed mac and cheeses available, so we taste-tested the top brands to let you find what brand is best for you.

Annie’s Organic Vegan Cheddar Mac

Annie’s has a couple of vegan flavors and since this was the only one available at Whole Foods I went for it. The preparation method was classic boxed mac – cook the noodles in boiling water, as they draining, heat up some non-dairy milk and stir in the sauce powder. The powder clumps up but nothing a little vigorous stirring can’t fix. All reviewers agreed that while not a super-powerful taste, this cheddar mac could definitely pass for the real thing. Where Annie’s lost points in our book were for the noodles, which were a little thin and slippery.

Calories 250

Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1.5g

Protein 8g

Daiya Deluxe Cheezy Mac

As a plant-based cheese innovator, we had to try Daiya’s mac and cheese. It got points for having a gluten-free noodle made from brown rice. The cheese sauce came in a pouch that makes for easy prep. Once the noodles are done cooking and drained, simply add in the cheese sauce, mix and enjoy. The noodle was great but the sauce had an overpowering flavor. For future iterations, we would definitely add some pasta water or non-dairy milk to thin out the sauce a bit.

Calories 290

Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3.5g

Protein 4g

Goodles Vegan is Believin’

Goodles’ Vegan is Believin’ instantly transports you back to your childhood. This easy-to-prepare, creamy Mac and Cheese reminds us of Kraft Classics but because it’s made with cashew nut cheese, it’s a whole lot healthier. Just one serving of the Vegan is Believin’ contains 12 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. As far as taste goes, the cheesy sauce does have a subtle nutty taste but if you like cashews you may actually enjoy that. However, the vegan “cheese” mix needs a little more spice, in our opinion, so add your favorite hot sauce to give this lunchtime favorite a little kick.

Calories 260

Total Fat 3.5g, Saturated Fat 0g

Protein 12g

Howl Deluxe Spicy Chipotle Kashoo Mac and Chef

Never being one to turn my nose up at the addition of a little heat, I expected to like Howl Deluxe’s Spicy Chipotle Mac, but overall this one was a disappointment. While the chipotle spice gave it a nice touch of heat, it wasn’t enough to overcome the tart taste of the sauce. Even when we thinned it out slightly with almond milk there was still a funky taste that not everyone will love.

Calories 250

Total Fat 4.5g, Saturated Fat 0.5g

Protein 10g

Modern Table Vegan Mac

And the winner is Modern Table! For starters, Modern Table’s Vegan Mac Classic Cheddar Style was one of few gluten-free options available. They use a very cool spiral noodle made from lentils, rice, and peas that would be hard to guess were gluten-free. It highest protein of any of the macs we tried at 16g per serving. These noodles also cook slightly faster than typical wheat noodles, only requiring about 6 minutes for a nice al dente bite. The flavor was very tasty but not too powerful and is as good as the real thing.

Calories 300

Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 15g

Pastabilities Organic Vegan Under the Sea Mac n Cheese

When I see mac and cheese with fun shapes on the shelf, chances are I’m going to get it. The under-the-sea shapes like starfish and seahorses, make it perfect for young children (or a big kid like myself). Flavor-wise, Pastabilities scored in the top half of all products tested. It was on the lighter side, but definitely very tasty. The shapes were not a favorite of one of our (Grinch-like) testers, but the others found them fun and with a satisfying texture.

Calories 300

Total Fat 2.5g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 10g

Upton’s Naturals Original Ch’eesy Mac

Upton’s wins for the most innovative cooking methods. I was skeptical when I saw that the noodles were pre-cooked since a shelf-stable pre-cooked noodle just didn’t seem right. But both taste and convenience turned me into a fan. You can cook these in either the microwave in only a minute, though I chose the stovetop. Simply add the noodles to a lightly greased frying pan, with the packet of liquid cheese sauce, and mix it all together. Pro tip: break up the noodles in the package to save yourself any rogue noodles flying out of the pan. It took only 5-6 minutes to cook and it came out with a wonderful golden brown crisp on the noodles. The cheese sauce was pretty solid overall, with a good cheesy flavor. It had a bit of a smoky flavor and aftertaste.

Calories 270

Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 10g

Upton’s Naturals Ch’eesy Bacon Mac

Now I know you’re thinking it’s unfair that I tried two products from one brand and not any others. But the fact of the matter is, I saw Upton had an option with “bacon” in it and I was curious. All reviewers agreed it tasted like the real thing. Everyone loved the crispy cheesy texture and wish there was more of the cheese sauce. The seitan bacon adds a nice extra smoky touch and additional texture.

Calories 270

Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 1g

Protein 10g

Final Thoughts on Vegan Mac Taste Test

So in sum, the clear winner for me was Modern Table. Despite having to follow the more time-intensive “traditional” method, it had the best combination of texture, flavor, and nutrition. In a close second was Upton’s Naturals product with their crispy cheesiness, followed by Pastabilities and the fun-shaped organic pasta. With all this said, this is but the first step in my lifelong journey to find the greatest vegan mac and cheese. And a tasty first step it was.

For all the Beet Meters, check out the best vegan products.

The post We Tried All of the Best Vegan and Dairy-Free Boxed Mac and Cheeses appeared first on The Beet.

So, we hunted down some of the best artisanal vegan cheeses that you’ll feel confident serving to vegans and non-vegans alike at your next shindig. The great thing about all of these non-dairy cheeses is their ingredient list – void of any fillers, additives, soy, or gluten–so these are about as ‘clean’ as you can get. They also make for a great gift and are all available for purchase online, so you can easily send directly to that chef, vegan, or veg-curious person in your life.

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Jule’s Foods

Jule’s Foods somehow found a way to impersonate the traditional Brie, one of the most beloved cheeses of them all. There is nothing quite like that hard exterior with a creamy interior. Jule’s cashew-based version does not disappoint. While it is discernible from the dairy-based version, its mild, nutty flavor is quite smooth. They come in two flavors, Cashew Brie and Cashew Truffle Brie. If you love truffle, go for the latter. While some may find the truffle overwhelming, if you’re a fan of the flavor it will be tough to stop eating!

Available online and in select retail locations.

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Treeline Cheese

Treeline’s soft ‘cheese’ spreads will steal the show on your next cheese board. While not exactly reminiscent of a cheese wheel since they are more like a creamy spread, their flavor is spot on and one of the favored items in our taste test. Treeline’s made from fermented cashew nuts, and as a bonus, they also contain a healthy probiotic, known as L. Acidophilus.

The Scallion Soft French-Style is a clear winner. With a creamy consistency and smooth texture, it is quite honestly perfect. The spreads come in little containers that you can flip upside down on a tray for a nice display. All Treeline cheeses and spreads are natural, without any added preservatives, stabilizers, gums, or thickeners. Plus, they are pretty easy to find in-store with nationwide distribution.

Available nationwide at Kroger and select Whole Foods.

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Reine

Reine makes small-batch artisanal cashew-based ‘cheese’ rounds out of Ventura, California. This is a ‘cheese’ you will be 100 percent confident to put on a display; and trust, vegan or not, your guests will go back for seconds. Reine has perfected its fermentation process and consistency while using high-quality, organic ingredients free of soy, GMO, dairy, and gluten.

Reine has eight flavors to choose from, but at the top of the list is the Fauxgonzola, which was the top pick from all the ‘cheese’ rounds in our test. It’s made with organic blue-green spirulina (which research suggests has antioxidant and inflammation-fighting properties) and its blue striations make a beautiful display. Some other recommended flavors are the Trufflehound, and the Chipotle Cheddar.

Available online and in select retail locations in Southern California.

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Vromage

Since 2009, Vromage Founder Youssef Fahouri has been perfecting his cheese recipes—which are secret by the way. Made from a variety of nuts and seeds, the cheeses were so good he opened the first dairy-free cheese shop in LA in 2014.

Of all the brands, Vromage might be the one that is most reminiscent of a dairy-based cheese. There are many eclectic flavors, all coming in different shapes and sizes. While you can’t really go wrong with any of them, the Pepperjack and Mozzarella are both impressive. You also might recall the name, Vromage, since Prince Harry and Meghan Markel had the cheeses served at the royal wedding.

Available online and at Vromage Cheese Shop in West Hollywood, California.

The post The Best Gourmet Vegan Cheese Brands for Your Cheese Board appeared first on The Beet.

This month, Nobell secured a $75 million Series B funding round from venture capital firms Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and Downey Jr.’s own Foot Print Coalition Ventures [FPCV]. The investment round put the company’s total valuation at $100 million, giving the company resources to begin its widespread production and distribution. Before this month, the company hosted its Series A funding round in 2019 where it initially raised $25 million. The total support will give Nobell Foods the foundation to change both the plant-based market and the dairy market in general.

“Given the stresses, our planet faces from population growth and climate change we need to find new ways to feed the world. Many fine folks are working to harness the power of plants, but substitutes for some foods, like cheeses, rarely mimic the delectable distinguishing characteristics convincingly,” Downey Jr. said. “Magi Richani and her Nobell team are putting the eco in queso…milking a crop instead of a cow. FPCV wholeheartedly supports the product and believes its quality.”

Nobell Foods claims to be able to make any type of cheese product with its cruelty-free casein products. The company will be able to replicate consumers’ favorite cheese and dairy products without using cow, goat, or other animals’ milk. Richani also highlights that the company’s production methods will reduce carbon emissions by 90 percent when compared to conventional factory farming. Nobell Foods aims to redesign dairy production to remove animal cruelty in food production, but also to facilitate a sense of environmental consciousness among consumers.

The start-up revealed that it will begin with reproducing mozzarella and cheddar cheeses for its flagship product line. The company is expecting that its product will enter the market sometime next year. Consumers will soon be able to find Nobell’s animal-free cheese at restaurants, including pizza shops, across the United States. Richani believes that her method will be able to combat factory farming, providing the world with a cheaper and more sustainable method of producing cheese.

“​​Plants are the cheapest way to make proteins, and if we can change their profile so they’re making any protein we want, we can compete with a cow,” Richani said. “Cows are commoditized at a large scale and dairy is subsidized by the government. And we can still compete, and not just compete—eventually, we can undercut that price structure, because of the fact that we’re working with plants.”

Nobell Foods joins a growing list of companies that believe that casein proteins and cultured development will define the future of food. San Francisco start-up New Culture designed a method to grow casein proteins through a proprietary process, where the protein clusters are kept in fermentation tanks to make cheese. New Culture expects that its commercial debut will happen in 2023, starting at San Francisco Bay pizzerias and eventually the national market.

Another California-based company Perfect Day uses animal-free whey to replicate cheese instead of the casein proteins. The startup produces dairy-identical whey proteins by inserting cow DNA into microflora, fermenting the product to create a base for dairy substitutes. Perfect Day has developed several dairy products using this method including ice cream, cheese, and milk.

20 Athletes Who Went Vegan to Get Stronger

1. Novak Djokovic: Number one tennis champion in the world

The number one tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, went plant-based more than twelve years ago to enhance his athletic performance and win more matches. In recent interviews, he has credited going vegan with helping him rise from third place in the world to first in the world because it helped clear his allergies. Before changing his diet, Djokovic had searched for cures to the breathing issues that cost him matches and focus which caused him to struggled during his most intense matches. The allergies used to make him feel like he couldn’t breathe and would be forced to retire from competitive matches as he did in Australia. “Eating meat was hard on my digestion and that took a lot of essential energy that I need for my focus, for recovery, for the next training session, and for the next match,” he said. Djokovic emphasized he does not eat foods that require a lot of digestion, especially in the morning, when he needs all of his energy for training. Instead, he starts the day with hot water and lemon, then celery juice, and some superfood supplements.

2. Tia Blanco: Professional Surfer and Beyond Meat Ambassador Read More: 20 Who Athletes Swear by a Plant-Based Diet to Boost Performance

Tia Blanco won gold at the International Surfing Association Open in 2015 and credits her success to her vegan diet. Blanco reports that a vegan diet helps her stay strong and she enjoys eating different forms of vegan protein like nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. The professional surfer was influenced by her mother, who is a vegetarian and grew up in a veggie-forward household, Blanco has never eaten meat in her life, which made the plant-based switch much easier. And speaking of making things easier, Blanco has an Instagram cooking page called @tiasvegankitchen where she shares her favorite simple vegan recipes so all of her fans can eat like their favorite professional vegan athlete. In addition to her home-cooked meals, Blanco recently became an ambassador for vegan company Beyond Meat and now she posts Instagram stories and highlights of her favorite meatless meat recipes.

3. Steph Davis: World Leading Professional Rock Climber

Steph Davis has been vegan for 18 years now and says, “there’s nothing in my life that hasn’t become better as a result, from climbing and athletics to mental and spiritual well being.” Davis has competed on some of the most challenging verticle routes on the planet –like Concepcion (5.13), which is known to be one of the hardest pure climbs anywhere. Davis holds the third overall ascent and is the first female to ever make the ascent of the route. Davis described it as her “most technically demanding climb ever.” Davis explained why she went vegan eight years ago when she partnered with PETA. “What can we do to start making changes in a positive way? And if it just so happens that changing our lifestyle leads to environmental benefits, health benefits, economic benefits, and positive social change, then all the better. One thing I’ve learned is you don’t have to do or be anything you don’t want to be, and you can change anything in your life just by starting to do it. It’s you who chooses who and what you are, by the things you think and the things you do.” She goes on to add, “no one says you have to become a “perfect” vegan overnight. But why not start making small changes and see how it feels? I believe it’s the small choices people make that have the biggest power to change, and nothing is more simple yet also more far-reaching than changing how and what you choose to eat. We’re all here for a short time, in the end, and living a well-intentioned and compassionate life seems like what ultimately matters the most, the only real goal that I aspire to.”

4. Venus Williams: Tennis Great

Tennis champion Venus Williams swears that making the switch to veganism was one of the factors that helped to improve her performance and get over an auto-immune disease. The tennis star went vegan back in 2011 when she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease with a range of symptoms from joint pain to swelling, numbness, burning eyes, digestive problems, and fatigue. She chose to eat plant-based to recover to her formerly healthy self, and it worked so she stuck to it. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion recovers faster on a plant-based diet now, compared to how she felt back when she ate animal protein. When you have an auto-immune disease you often feel extreme fatigue and random body aches and for Venus, a plant-based diet provides energy and helps her reduce inflammation. The Beet reported on Willaim’s diet and what she normally eats in a day to stay healthy, fit, and win more matches. Talking about her favorite dinner meal, Williams adds, “sometimes a girl just needs a donut!”

5. Mike Tyson: The First Heavyweight Boxer to Hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF Titles

Mike Tyson recently said he is “in the best shape ever” thanks to his vegan diet. The boxing legend then announced he’s getting back into the rings after 15 years, to fight against Roy Jones, Jr. in California later this fall. Tyson went vegan ten years ago after dealing with health complications and in the wake of having cleaned up his life: “I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe.” Tyson said, “I had high blood pressure, was almost dying, and had arthritis.” Now, the 53-year-old powerhouse is sober, healthy, and fit. “Turning vegan helped me eliminate all those problems in my life,” and “I’m in the best shape ever.” His new trainer agrees: Watching Iron Mike’s speed during recent training sessions, observed: “He has the same power as a guy who is 21, 22-years old.”

6. Chris Paul: The NBA’s Newest Vegan Who Was Influenced by The Game Changers

Oklahoma City’s point guard Chris Paul decided to ditch meat and dairy and was asked join on as a co-executive producer for the popular documentary, The Game Changers. For breakfast, Paul enjoys oatmeal with plant-based milk and nut butter. For lunch, he fuels up with pasta or brown rice with Beyond Meat sausage, grilled vegetables, and a curry sauce. His chef told USA Today, “The main thing is, we try to keep it as light and clean as possible for his normal routine, with organic ingredients. Anything that can minimize body inflammation. Chris is always worrying about what he can and can’t eat.” So far it appears he’s getting it right. In an exclusive interview with The Beet’s Awesome Vegans columnist Elysabeth Alfano, Paul said eating a plant-based diet helps him keep up with players half his age.

7. Colin Kaepernick: Former (future?) NFL Player and Social Activist

In 2016, Kaepernick made the switch to veganism with his longtime girlfriend to recover from a series of injuries that had him down for the count. The Beet recently reported on how this dietary switch has allowed Kaepernick to stay strong and healthy. Now, he’s in the gym building muscle and looks fitter than ever. But will he be picked up? The professional football player claims that a vegan diet makes him feel “always ready” to perform his best on the field.

8. Cam Newton: New England Patriots’ Newest Quarterback is Vegan

Cam Newton just replaced Tom Brady, who also follows a mostly plant-based diet, as the New England Patriot’s QB, after having made the plant-based switch back in March 2019. The NFL Star first decided to ditch meat and dairy to recover quicker from injuries when he learned that a plant-based diet is proven to help reduce inflammation. “I’ve seen such a remarkable change in the way my body responds to the food that I eat,” Newton told PETA for his recent partnership for a new campaign called, “Built Like a Vegan,” proving that you don’t need to eat meat to be strong. Newton enjoys a meat-free burger on a pretzel bun, heavy on pickles and sauce. He adds: “People often ask, ‘How do you get your protein?’ I just say, ‘I get it in the same way you do, but it’s fresher and cleaner.’ ” Newton shares how to do it: “My advice to a person who wants to become vegan is to eat on schedule. If you can eat on a schedule, you won’t miss [a meal or crave meat] or think anything different, and you’ll be alright.”

9. Elijah Hall: American Sprinter Training for The 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Elijah Hall says about his vegan diet: “Going vegan was the best decision” he has ever made. Hall holds records in the indoor 200 meters and was training for the Tokyo this summer when it got postponed by a year due to the pandemic. Hall said “the effects that it’s having on my body are amazing. Becoming a plant-based athlete has opened many doors to my health and my training.” We predict he’ll only get faster in the next 11 months and break records, come home with golf and be the world champion in 12 months.

10. Morgan Mitchell: Omplyian Sprinter Who Won her First Title at 2014 Australian National Championships

Five-years ago, Morgan Mitchell went vegan and it made her faster, leaner and happier. Last year she was featured in the plant-based athletes documentary The Game Changers and said, “Being vegan has helped me immensely. I don’t feel sluggish like I did when I was eating meat, and my recovery from training really took off. It felt like an overall cleanse for my body, and I started seeing greater results on the track.” Now Michelle is committed for the planet as well. “Ultimately helping the environment and not contributing to animal cruelty was a big thing for me, too. That was my initial reason for going vegan, and the rest of the benefits were just added bonuses.” Mitchell describes what she eats in a day for enhanced performance and more energy to win sprints. “I like to make sure I have three different types of protein in there. I use tofu, beans, and mushrooms, along with spinach, vegan cheese, and hash browns,” she says. “I also love to add Beyond Meat for more flavor, which is a great source of plant protein as well. That usually keeps me full for the better part of the day,” she told Well + Good.

11. Lewis Hamilton: Formula One Driver Who Credits His Vegan Diet For Allowing Him to Be Victorious

“We were taught that eating animal products was good for us but we’ve been lied to for hundreds of years,” said Lewis Hamilton. The Beet reported on Hamiltion’s vegan diet quoting The New York Times that he credits his new plant-based diet with making the difference in his career. Hamilton gave up processed food and animal products for vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, because of his strong compassion for animals, for the benefit of the environment, and his own health. Hamilton isn’t the only vegan in his family. His dog Rocco is fully vegan and Hamilton says he’s “super happy” on Rocco’s very own IG post. Earlier this year, Hamilton gave up his private jet because he said it’s a big pollutant and aims to live a sustainable lifestyle. Back in February, he started a line of sustainable clothing with Tommy Hilfiger at London Fashion Week.

12. Patrik Baboumian: Arguably The Strongest Man in The World

Featured in The Game Changers for his elite strength and his superhuman ability to lift a car, Patrik Baboumiam is one of the strongest men in the world and also happens to be vegan. Baboumian lifted 358 pounds in the 2009 German log lift nationals. Back in 2014, Baboumiam partnered with PETA in his campaign “Want to be Stronger” describing powering yourself with plants and how you can build muscle without eating meat. One of his 2019 PETA campaigns showed him posing with crossed arms and leaves in his mouths with the text: “The world’s strongest animals are plant-eaters: Gorillas, buffaloes, elephants and me.” Bahoumiam’s diet consists of a dairy-free shake for breakfast with 8 grams of protein and 0 carbohydrates. For lunch, he enjoys vegan sausage, falafel, low-fat oven fires, peppers, and more grilled veggies. He normally eats 250 grams of carbs and 90 grams of protein just for lunch. Dinner includes vegetables cooked potatoes, and tofu. If you want to eat like Boubanian, he reports his food diary on his blog BarBend.

13. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Former Proessional BodyBuilder, Producer, The Game Changers, and former Governor of California

Here’s a guy who has worn many hats: Bodybuilder, Terminator, California Governor, and now vegan and advocate for the plant-based lifestyle. Arnold Schwarzenegger ditched meat and dairy and has proven that you don’t need to eat animal products to be strong, healthy and reverse symptoms of heart disease. Now 73, he had a pulmonary valve replacement 1997 due to a congenital defect and underwent emergency open-heart surgery in 2018 to replace the valve again. He then changed his eating and fitness habits and now extolls the virtues of plant-based eating for the environment as well as health reasons. He is a producer of The Game Changers (a movie with many masters) and an advocate for going vegan for health, the environment and the sake of animals (he posts on IG with his pet donkey and miniature pony, both household dwelling animals). Schwarzenegger said last year: “Right now, seven million people are dying every year. That is alarming and everyone in the government has the responsibility to protect the people…. 28 percent of the greenhouse gasses come from eating meat and from raising cattle, so we can do a much better job.”

14. Scott Jurek: Named One of The Greatest Ultra-Marathoner’s Of All Time Read More: 20 Who Athletes Swear by a Plant-Based Diet to Boost Performance

Jurek is an extreme ultra-marathon runner who has won the Hardrock Hundred, the Badwater Ultramarathon, the Spartathlon, and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (you get the idea). Jurek has been vegan for almost two decades, after easing into it by cutting out meat in college, he slowly stopping seafood and finally giving up all animal products once he realized that eating this way made him feel healthier and happier. To run such an extreme amount of miles, you need to fuel your body with plant-based foods that will give you enough energy and carbohydrates to go the distance. The goal is to eat 5,000-6,000 calories of plant-based foods daily. Jurek outlined his plant-based diet in an interview with Bon Appetite. Instead of waking up to a hot cup of coffee to boost energy, he prefers to drink tea and a green smoothie with spirulina or chlorella and a host of other ingredients. He adds bananas, frozen pineapple slices, or mangoes, brown rice and pea protein, (for protein) to rebuild what’s lost in training. This is not just any smoothie.

15. Alex Morgan: USA Soccer Star, Plays for the Orlando Pride of the NWSL

Soccer star, Alex Morgan is one of the beloved members of the USA National Team that won the World Cup and has shown that the female players deserve to get equal pay as their male counterparts by the US Soccer Federation. She is also an animal rights advocate and longtime vegan, having given up meat when she decided that “it didn’t feel fair to have a dog, and yet eat meat all the time,” referring to her adorable pup Blue. Morgan aims to eat 90 grams of plant-based protein daily to stay fit and lean, especially for her workouts and on the field. Morgan admitted that breakfast was difficult because “a lot of the things I love like pancakes and French toast had dairy and eggs.” But now she enjoys oatmeal with nut butter and berries, smoothies, rice, quinoa, veggies, black beans, protein shakes, Mediterranean food, Impossible burgers, Mexican beans, and sauteed veggie burritos, she told USA Today.

16. Paul Rabil: Pro Lacrosse Player: A Vegan Diet Helped Alleviate His Sciatica

Paul Rabil who played for the Boston Cannons and the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, ditched meat and dairy after his 2019 season ended and revealed he’s now “officially” vegan on YouTube. “At first [switching to a plant-based diet] was to help solve some pain and trauma that I was going through. Over the last two years, I’ve had two herniated discs…. and that has led to a ton of shooting pain down my legs, its called sciatica,” Rabil explains the purpose of his diet switch. He adds: “I’ve tried to a lot of things; I’ve had a number of cortisone shots; I’ve done physical therapy for two years. And I reached a place where I was thinking ‘okay maybe I can solve this with nutrition because a lot of our pain stems from inflammation. Within a few weeks, I started noticing a lot of alleviation so I started focusing and doubling down more on veganism”

17. Hannah Teter: 2006 Olympic Snowboard Gold Medalist

Hannah Teter won Olympic gold and silver in the halfpipe and is also a seven-time XGames medalist. She changed her diet after watching the documentary, Earthlings when she discovered how “horrible” factory farming is. After a strict vegetarian diet, Teter liked the way she performed and believes that her diet helped her win gold at the 2006 games. She now considers herself “plant-based” and in an interview with the Huffington Post, Teter said, “I feel stronger than I’ve ever been, mentally, physically, and emotionally. My plant-based diet has opened up more doors to being an athlete. It’s a whole other level that I’m elevating to. I stopped eating animals about a year ago, and it’s a new life. I feel like a new person, a new athlete.”

18. Nick Kyrgios: Professional Tennis Champion Ranked 40 in The World

Djokovic is not the only tour player to go plant-based. Nick Kyrgios shared that he does not eat meat anymore because of his strong compassion for animals. During the time of the Australian wildfires, the Aussie native explained: “I’ve been passionate about animal welfare for some time now. I don’t eat meat or dairy anymore. That’s not for my health, I just don’t believe in eating animals.” “I tried a vegan diet a couple of years ago but with all the travel I do, it was hard to stick to it. Since then I’ve managed to make it work, and I’ve been vegetarian for quite a while. “Seeing the footage of these animals suffering from the fires only reinforces why I’ve chosen this diet. When I see these terrible photos, I can’t comprehend eating meat.”

19. Matt Frazier: Ultra-Marathoner Credits Vegan Diet For Breaking Personal Records

Matt Frazier has run 27 ultra-marathons in his career so far and continues to write about the endurance strength of being a vegan athlete in his personal blog, which he started 11 years ago: No Meat Athlete. The Beet recently interviewed Frazier about his vegan journey and how to be a successful athlete on a plant-based diet. When asked about the first time he ditched meat Frazier replied, “I had already cut 90 minutes off my first marathon time. I was still 10 minutes away from the Boston Marathon qualifying time. I had plateaued, and I was not sure how I was going to find 10 minutes. [Plant-based eating] was what I was missing. That’s what it took. The other big noticeable difference to me [after going vegan] was I stopped getting injured. Injuries had always been a big part of my running journey. When I became vegan, it was around the time I ran three 50-milers and a 100-miler. I didn’t have any injuries. If it’s done right, [plant-based diets] can really help you recover faster.”

20. Michaela Copenhaver: Professional Rower, World Record Holder, 10,000m Indoor

Rowing is grueling. It’s known as the toughest endurance sport in the world. The world record-breaking female rower, Michaela Copenhaver went vegan in 2012 for ethical reasons, she told Great Vegan Athletes. “Initially, I just wanted to eat more vegetables. Those things are super good for you, and they’re delicious. Being vegetarian and vegan made me more conscious of how many servings I was getting a day (or not).” When she switched from vegetarian to vegan it was almost accidental: “I was traveling for a regatta in the fall of 2012. I had been vegetarian for 1.5 years already but relied pretty heavily on dairy and eggs. While I was traveling, I was bouncing from couch to couch and had no way to safely store dairy or eggs—so I decided to try a week without them. I felt great, and it wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought. I’ve been vegan ever since.” Now it’s a value system: “Once I stopped eating and using animals, I felt I could finally address a question that had been bothering me for a long time—what right do we have to exploit other creatures? Now, I understand that we have no right, and my motivations are primarily ethical.”

The post Robert Downey Jr. Backs New Eco-Friendly Vegan Cheese Company appeared first on The Beet.

When you find the perfect alternative, it becomes easier than ever to stay on track with your healthy eating habits and lower inflammation in your body. The best way to ensure you’re choosing the healthiest dairy-free cheese is to make your own from scratch, with fresh and natural ingredients without the preservatives – like this vegan queso fresco recipe.

This cheese is creamy, smooth, light, and tastes just like the real thing, if not better. Before you start this recipe, prepare the nuts by soaking them overnight, or for 12 hours, to soften the texture. We also provided a helpful step-by-step video on how to create this delicious, Spanish-style masterpiece.

Recipe Developer:  Broke Bank Vegan, @brokebankvegan

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Rest Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes

Vegan Queso Fresco

Serves 15 people

Ingredients

• ½ cup blanched almonds, soaked ($1.25)
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked ($0.86)
• 2 tbsp white vinegar ($0.02)
• 3 tbsp refined coconut oil ($0.42)
• ½ tbsp nutritional yeast ($0.12)
• ¼ tsp onion powder ($0.01)
• 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
• 2 tsp agar powder ($0.10)
• ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp water ($0.01)

Instructions

1. To begin, soak the almonds and cashews in room temperature water for about 12 hours, or overnight.
2. After they’ve soaked, drain the nuts and place them in a high-speed blender or food processor with vinegar, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, and water.
3. Blend for approximately 2-10* minutes, or until the mixture is smooth (stop to scrape down the sides a few times). Lastly, add in the agar powder and blend until combined.
   Set the blender aside while you heat a small saucepan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Then, transfer the cheese mixture into the saucepan and bring it to a low boil while stirring constantly.
4. Once the mixture is lightly boiling, turn the heat down to simmer and continue stirring constantly for about 3-5 minutes, or until it thickens. Note: The cheese should start to set soon after you remove it from heat. If it does not, simply add it back to your saucepan and simmer for a few minutes longer.
5. Working fairly quickly, transfer the cheese mixture to a parchment paper or cheesecloth-lined bowl or mould**. Cover and let the cheese chill in your fridge for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
6. Serve this vegan queso fresco on top of sopes, black bean soup, tacos, and more!

Note:

• * The blend time will vary depending on the quality of blender or food processor you’re using.
• ** We use a bowl with a flat bottom for our cheese mould, but any ramekin or heat-safe bowl you have will work.
• The agar powder needs to get to 85-90 degrees C/185-194 degrees F in order to activate and set properly, which is why the cheese mixture has to be simmered.
• Optional ingredients are not reflected in the price or calories of our recipes.
• We calculate nutritional information for our recipes with Cronometer.
• Recipe cost calculations are based on ingredients local to us and may vary from recipe-to-recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Based on 1 serving

Amount per Serving
Calories 76

Fat 7.1 g

Saturated Fat 2.9 g

Trans Fat 0.1 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Sodium 155.7 mg

Potassium 67.5 mg

Carbohydrates 2.5 g

Fiber 0.8 g

Sugar 0.4 g

Protein 1.9 g

The post Recipe of the Day: Watch How to Make Vegan Queso Fresco appeared first on The Beet.

We have all experienced the time when you bite into your grilled cheese or scoop your spoon into your french onion soup, and the melty, gooey, cheese stretches across your plate or bowl. There’s no question that this is an extremely satisfying picture-worthy moment that will make everyone’s mouth water.

How to make dairy-free cheese sauces and dips?

First, choosing the right cheese isn’t as easy as it seems. There are so many different vegan cheese options at the grocery store, it can be overwhelming. But if this is not your first rodeo and you can’t live without vegan cheese (like many of us), you probably found your favorite store-bought version that does the trick but is still not as good as this homemade vegan cheese sauce. If this happens to be your first time introducing non-dairy cheese to your taste buds, you can’t go wrong with a homemade recipe that tastes just like the real thing, is healthier for you, and cheaper to make at home.

Because all vegan cheeses are made with ingredients like nuts, nutritional yeast, and other cheese-like substitutes, they don’t always melt the way you want them to. Some vegan cheeses work better for a cold deli sandwich or a charcuterie board, but when you want that stringy pull-apart texture, we have the best homemade vegan cheese sauce that caters to all your wants in the perfect grilled-cheese sandwich. This recipe doesn’t include any unwanted preservatives and is extremely low in calories.

This vegan cheese sauce is made with raw cashews, non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, smoked paprika, mustard, and salt and pepper. Most of these ingredients you probably have on hand but they are all easy pantry staples that you will use often, especially when you try this cheese sauce for the first time.

Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce with Nutritional Yeast Recipe

Serves 3

Ingredients

•  1 ½ Cup Raw Cashews
•  1 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk, unsweetened
•  ¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• ½ Tsp Onion Powder
• ¼ Tsp Turmeric
• ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tsp Salt
• ¼ Tsp Pepper
• 1 Tsp Mustard

Instructions

1. Soak the raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes
2. Drain your soaked cashews and add them to a blender with the rest of the cheese sauce ingredients.
3. Blend until completely smooth. If you want your sauce to be a little bit thinner, blend in a splash of non-dairy milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

The post Homemade, Dairy-Free Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce Recipe appeared first on The Beet.

But as people become more educated and science reveals that plant-based foods can support a more healthful body, more people than ever are empowered to ditch dairy for good. There are also more cheese replacements than ever making it easy and convenient to adopt satisfying alternatives. But people often wonder: Is vegan cheese bad for you? When it comes to what you determine is best for your health and overall lifestyle, here are the facts so you can make your own informed decision.

Why is dairy cheese unhealthy?

Before we explore vegan cheese, let’s talk about dairy cheese and why you might even consider a dairy-free alternative. There has been extensive research about dairy consumption tied to cancer, Type-2 Diabetes and various other diseases. When published in 2004, Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s book “The China Study,” and paper, Dairy Protein Causes Cancer, provided shocking revelations based on over two decades of research that showed casein, the protein in animal dairy, increased growth of cancer cells. In addition, a study published by the National Cancer Institute found that women who ate the highest amount of cheese had a 53 percent increased risk for breast cancer due in part to dairy containing growth hormone, shown to be a factor in hormone-driven cancers. Also, a large portion of the population is lactose sensitive and suffer from GI tract distress after consuming dairy. People report having better digestion, and a general feeling of better gut health when eliminating cheese from their diet. These are just a few of the evidentiary-based reasons dairy cheese can be considered unhealthy and can do more harm than good in the body.

Is vegan cheese a healthy dairy-cheese alternative?

Plant-based (or vegan) cheese products have come a long way in the last ten years. While technology and cell-based agriculture are just starting to replicate the proteins that give cheese that melty, stretchy texture and rich taste, most on the market today are made from nuts, seeds, and soy, and can be a suitable dairy alternative. Many vegan kinds of cheese are also fortified with essential nutrients like B12 and plant-based vitamin D, ensuring they are also nutritious. Ingredients that vegan cheese is made from—like nuts, soy, vegetable protein, and seeds—are deemed healthy components of a balanced diet. A study published in the Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases Journal found that a diet containing plant-based protein, fiber, and nuts both improved blood pressure and lowered cholesterol.

But not all plant-based cheese is created equal. While you might be tempted to reach for the first vegan cheese you see on a shelf, you’ll want to check the ingredients as many tend to be high in sodium and saturated fat. One thing to pay attention to is vegan cheeses that are made with oil. Commonly, coconut oil is used as a base for plant-based cheeses, however, note that these tend to be high in saturated fat. While there is some debate over the impact of coconut oil on the body, it’s arguably better than fat in dairy cheese since it contains Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) which are more easily available to the body as an energy source. At the end of the day, it’s still a saturated fat, so be watchful of how much you consume.

The simpler ingredients in vegan cheese, the better

Today you can find many high-quality vegan cheeses that are very simple, made with a cashew-nut base—a commonly used nut in vegan cheeses since its taste is neutral—and contain few ingredients void of oils and other fillers. If you are looking for minimal intervention products, choose a vegan cheese with a clean, short ingredient list like cheeses and spreads from Misha’s Kind Foods, Reine Vegan Cuisine, and Three Girls Vegan Creamery to name a few fan favorites.

If you get creative, you might be able to forgo vegan cheese altogether and opt for other ingredients. It can be helpful to understand the flavor profile you are trying to replicate with cheese, and perhaps see if there is a whole-food alternative first. “Umami is a deep ‘fifth flavor’ that you find in dairy, especially in aged cheeses,” explains Katie Simmons is a Personal Chef based in Chicago, and certified in plant-based nutrition. “Umami comes from glutamates. These glutamates can also be found in plant-based foods like nutritional yeast, soy sauce (or tamari), fermented foods, and mushrooms. Cooking with these ingredients will help add umami flavor, without the dairy.”
At the end of the day, vegan cheese can be a good alternative to dairy cheese. With no carcinogenic animal proteins, growth hormones and saturated animal fat, vegan cheese is a safe and healthy option. You can also consider finding spices and flavoring, like nutritional yeast, that might help add some cheesy flavor especially if you are leaning to a more whole-food plant-based diet. In moderation though, eating plant-based cheese can be an enjoyable part of a balanced diet.

The post Are Vegan Cheese Alternatives Better For You Than Dairy? appeared first on The Beet.

Her daughter Choyce joins her in the kitchen as they cook an easy, hearty mac and cheese. The ingredients include potatoes, butternut squash, vegan butter, vegan cheese, vegetable broth, cashew yogurt, and noodles. The cashew yogurt is unique to Brown’s recipe and used to make that thick cheesy sauce everyone loves. Brown is known for packing her dishes with tons of flavor and the same goes for this recipe. To season, she uses garlic powder, garlic and herb seasoning, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness. Brown reveals her mom’s secret to adding heat to this mac and cheese is a hint of paprika.

The mac and cheese was the star of this episode, but Brown also offered some encouraging advice for anyone stressing about eating plant-based with their family this Thanksgiving. Think about everything you can’t have because that list is small. You can have every vegetable,  fruit, grain, seed, and nut but the most important thing [is to take it] one day at a time and don’t be hard on yourself,” said Brown.

Brown shared how she balances her vegan and nonvegan meal, “If they are going to still eat meat, it’s going to be one meat but every side will be vegan. That way we can all still eat together.”

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Brown quickly rose to fame after displaying with her soothing voice and creative cooking skills through bite-sized TikTok videos. Ellen Digital Network teamed up with Brown for a series, All Love With Tabitha Brown, on the online video steaming “Ellentube.”Ellen Digital Network is providing Brown a platform for fans “to get a dose of the social media sweetheart’s unique voice, innate kindness, and uplifting nature.”  The series features Brown answering video messages from fans asking questions about cooking, parenting, relationships, and self-care.

Brown’s rise to fame was all thanks to her daughter pushing her to make a Tik Tok.

Fans quickly fell in love with Brown’s personality and impressive cooking skills. Brown went vegan in 2017 after experiencing chronic back pain. She first became famous when she tasted her first vegan version of a BLT, which had tempeh, lettuce, tomato and avocado from Whole Foods. She posted her amazed, joyful reaction on Facebook, which ended up having 50,000 views after one day. This led to her daughter convincing her to make a Tik Tok and one month later, Brown had already reached one million followers. Now she has 4.5 million followers.  

All Love With Tabitha Brown is only three episodes on, but it seems everything Brown makes turns to gold. Upcoming episodes are set to feature comedians Tiffany Haddish, Ellie Kemper, and YouTube star Bretman Rock. The EDN, as the network is known, will focus on content that has the core values of kindness, humanity, and optimism.

The post This Vegan Mac and Cheese Will Make Everyone at Your Table Happy, From Tabitha Brown appeared first on The Beet.

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In a press release, Field Roast gives customers an idea of what they can expect from the flavor profiles of these new dairy-free options.

• Chao Smoked Original Slices – Chao Creamery’s Smoked Original Slices have the sharp bite and smooth texture you love in the Creamy Original Slices with a smoky finish that will take your next sandwich to a whole new level.
• Chao Spicy Original Slices – Chao Creamery’s Spicy Original Slices have a hint of sharp jalapeño and a creamy texture that melts like a dream.
• Chao Creamy Original Block – Chao Creamery’s Creamy Original Block has a sharp, savory bite and a creamy texture, making it a delicious addition to any meal.
• Chao Creamy Original Shreds – A tasty dairy-free addition to any dish, hot or cold. Sprinkle onto your salad, melt into your plant-based omelet, or just eat it straight out of the pouch!
• Chao Mexican Style Blend Shreds – Chao Creamery’s Mexican Style Blend Shreds combine our Creamy Original and Tomato Cayenne shreds to create a sharp, cheesy flavor with a nice kick of spice.

“We took the fan-favorite Chao Creamery Creamy Original and expanded it into new flavors and forms that give consumers even more flavor potential in the kitchen,” said Dan Curtin, President of Greenleaf Foods. “These products are unlike anything else that exists in the dairy-free cheese category. It’s a taste that only Chao can deliver!”

You can expect these new Chao varieties and flavors to start to pop up on shelves at 1,000 Walmart locations and will be available at Kehe and UNFI. Meijer, Hannaford, Food Lion and other U.S. retailers in the coming weeks with an SRP of $5.99.

For more dairy-free cheese, check out The 10 Best Vegan Cheeses That Taste Like the Real Thing, where Chao cheese tops our list at number one.

The post Field Roast’s Chao Cheese Adds Five New Vegan Varieties appeared first on The Beet.

Plant-Based Cheese Market to Reach $2.5 Billion by EOY

Transparency Market Research, a market intelligence company, published a report that predicted the overall growth of the vegan cheese market, expecting it to reach $2.5 billion before 2021, and increasing to $7 billion by the end of 2030.

It is well documented that dairy consumption can lead to many health risks and potentially cause a lot of illnesses. Many people find that in their effort to be healthier, plant-based milk and butter were easy to switch to, while cheese tends to be the most difficult to give up.

Better Vegan Options Will Help Consumers Switch From Dairy

With the growing cheese market, there will be a wider variety of plant-based cheeses as well as more options to choose from for personal taste preferences. The expanding variety of dairy-free alternatives will help more people to ditch dairy for good, which not only benefits consumer health but also the environment and animal welfare.

“Climate change, mounting concerns related to animal cruelty, and health are some of the leading factors that are driving the vegan movement worldwide. At present, veganism is at its peak and the trend is likely to continue in the near future,” the report says.

The key players in the market contributing to this growth include fan-favorites Violife Foods, Daiya, Kite Hill, Miyoko’s Creamery, Follow Your Heart, Parmela Creamery and Field Roast. Brands continue to surprise consumers with different innovations of nut or plant-based “cheeses” that taste just like the real thing.

For more on the best dairy-free cheeses, check out The 10 Best Dairy-Free Cheese and The Best Dairy-Free Shredded Cheese.

The post Global Vegan Cheese Market Expected to Reach $2.5 Billion by 2021 appeared first on The Beet.