Straight after my review of Gena’s new book last week, I have another book you’ll want to add to your vegan cookbook collection – DIY Vegan!
This book is truly up my alley. While I get giddy about all of the exciting new vegan products entering our stores, my own journey with vegan cooking began with the basics. So, I will always be drawn to making things from scratch. It’s not always easy with three kiddos. There’s a lot I don’t make from scratch, but I love knowing how to make certain foods like nut cheeses, granola, nut butters, plant milks, and sauces. You will find recipes for these… and oh-so-much more in DIY Vegan!
DIY Vegan is one of those “essential” books you’ll want in your kitchen. For those of us that don’t have access to specialty products like vegan cheeses, or who want to make milks and nut butters from scratch because they are cheaper or have better flavor, or because we can customize the flavors and ingredients. If this is your kind of vegan cooking, this is your kind of cookbook. Nicole and Lisa use easy-to-find, whole food ingredients to make recipes including plant-based milks, nut butters, home-ground flours, ice creams, sauces, and snack foods.
This is the first published cookbook by Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman. However, their work is well-known and cherished in the vegan community. They have worked on two ebooks together, and Nicole was also the photographer for my PP15 ebook and for Plant-Powered Families. They both have popular vegan blogs, and are two of the most compassionate people I know. Truly, they are a gift to the community and this book is a gift to us plant-based home cooks.
Lisa and Nicole have offered to share their recipe for Buffalo Mozzarella. I made it over the weekend, and even though the recipe mentions a couple of steps, it was still quite easy to make! I used my Blendtec with the twister jar to make this recipe. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can still make this since the cashews have been soaked and will blend fairly smooth. However, if you are thinking of investing in a rambo blender, look at the Blendtec, and pick up a twister jar too.
Give it a whirl, kids, and enjoy this smooth and mellow vegan mozza!
Buffalo Mozzarella (from DIY Vegan)
Missing that summer salad staple, composed of stacks of sliced tomato, creamy mozzarella, and bright, bold basil leaves? The wait is over—vegan mozzarella is here. This recipe makes what seemed impossible undeniably easy. Sure, it takes some time to prepare, but think of it as a B plot: a few minutes of effort here and there in between your life’s A-plot adventures (work, sleep, play). When it’s time for the exciting culmination, your mozzarella will be ready to star in a Caprese salad, amid roasted vegetables or thinly sliced atop a classic Neapolitan pizza. Makes 4 balls, about 1/3 cup each.
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for 6 hours
½ teaspoon probiotic powder
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup agar flakes, or 2¼ teaspoons agar powder
1. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
2. In a blender, combine the cashews, probiotic powder, and 1/2 cup water and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a clean tea towel, and set aside to ferment for 24 hours.
3. In a blender, combine the fermented cashew mixture, nutritional yeast, xanthan gum, and salt and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. In a small saucepan, whisk together the agar and ⅔ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking often, for 10 minutes until all the agar has dissolved and the liquid begins to thicken.
5. In a shallow medium bowl, combine the blended cashew mixture and the agar mixture. Whisk until the agar mixture is completely incorporated.
6. Transfer the bowl to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
7. Divide the cheese into quarters. Put each portion on a square piece of plastic wrap. Pull the corners of the plastic wrap together over the cheese and twist to form the cheese into a tight ball, just like the classic buffalo mozzarella shape. Return to the fridge to chill for an additional hour or two before slicing. Store any leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reprinted from DIY Vegan. Copyright © 2015 Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin.
That’s not all… Lisa and Nicole have offered a giveaway of DIY Vegan for you, enter below!
Jeanne Smith says
I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe, looks like a good one!
Cindy says
I would love this book!
Cindy says
I would love to add this book to my treasured collection. Can’t wait to try this recipe. THANKS!!!
jacquie says
sounds like a fantastic book. I keep saying I want to make my own cheese but never get around to it – this would help;
Corrine says
We would love to add this to our vegan cookbook collection. =)
Lydia Claire says
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Liane says
I am excited to see this book and try out the recipes. Hope I win it! Been following Lisa’s mom’s Posts about it for a while!
Georgina collins says
This sounds like an amazing book. I agree with you, Dreena, doing your own food and going back to basics is the best.
Chloe toscano says
This looks amazing! Dreena, I blindly follow all vegan advice/tips/recipes that you hand out. I love hearing these recommendations from you because I know that they will always be fantastic.
Gillian says
This book looks so great! And I’m very excited to try this recipe; I have the Miyoko Schinner vegan cheese book but I cannot freaking get the rejuvelac to work. This sounds much more approachable. =)
Tina says
Can’t wait to try this ‘mozzarella’ for my caprese salads and would love to win the book and try more great recipes!
Gail pickens-barger says
Would love this book. This would complement my uncheese cookbook that I have, and to have the basics in the home! Thanks!
Austin Rideout says
Three of my favourite vegans and ladies! Love all of you! 🙂
Janna says
This looks like a great cookbook…I would love to try it.
Sferd says
Would love to learn how to make more cheezes!
Heather D says
I have this in my wishlist but would love to win a copy! My house is all about DIY and homemade goodies.
Valerie W. says
Looks like a great book, thanks for the chance!
lynn clayton says
i love to cook and i love vegies and vegan recipies
Tabby72 says
I love doing things from scratch too, and this looks like a fabulous book to have!
Elaine says
The first ingredient is cashew nuts. Sounds great but…..Many of us have allergies to nuts. I so wish nut-free versions would be included for all those recipes using nuts! Thank you for including a few versions in Plant-Powered Families.
Sue says
Thanks for sharing.I think Ii will finally buy agar and probiotic capsules. Looks like a fun weekend project! Thanks for all the time you devote to the blog; you are appreciated.
Lina says
Before being vegan, I always loveeed a good piece of cheese. Now that I am vegan, I am always looking for ways of doing a good cheese substitute. This looks great and better yet: simple ingredients that you can find anywhere! A+
Jennifer says
Looks like a creative and fun book!
Kelly h says
Love to make everything from scratch! To be able to make vegan caprese for my husband might sway him to more vegan dishes.
Babs says
Would love another cookbook!! It’s my entertainment, next to cooking! Thanks for the recipe!
Miriam says
Would love this!
Julie says
This book combines two of my favorite things: DIY projects and vegan food!
Jessica Eagle says
Thanks for that wonderful giveaway Dreena. It is really appreciated. This book sounds really interesting and full of good things to always have on hand. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll try it for sure.
Ariel says
Need this in my life!
Angie says
I would love to have this book! Also looking forward to giving this recipe a try.
Kim says
I can’t wait to try this! It looks so simple and soooo good!
Marianne says
This recipe and the book sound amazing!
Simona says
Well I was always a huge mozzarella fan, can’t wait to give this a try!
Michelle novak says
Looks AMAZING!!! Cannot wait to try!!! Thank you!!
Nicole says
Hi Walt. Yes, you can find probiotic in powder or capsule form at your local health food or supplement store. It’ll be near the supplements, sometimes refrigerated. If you buy them in capsules, just break open the capsules and use the powder.
Elle says
Will vegan mozzarella melt? I’m new to vegan cheese and excited to try it! 🙂
Michelle says
I am slowly trying to make most of my food from scratch, I’d love to have this book. The recipe looks great!
Amy says
I thought caprese salad was a thing of the past. Not any more!
Courtney says
I love making things from scratch like this–what a great giveaway!
Walt says
This recipe looks tasty! Am I correct in thinking that probiotic powder is something one could find in a health food store or maybe a co-op?
Katie says
Sounds really yummy! I’m hoping to meet the authors at an upcoming event in Toronto!
McKenzie says
I’ve always been nervous of making my own vegan cheese, but this doesn’t seem too complicated! I’ll definitely be trying
Malgorzata says
Mozarella looks great! I will try it.
beth c says
this cheese looks amazing! i can’t wait to try it out! i just started researching vegan cheese recipes after trying an amazing cashew-based vegan cheese at the local natural food store (treeline foods cheese). yum!! i would love to own this recipe book, as well! i am always on the lookout for delicious, easy recipes for the family (the husband & kiddo aren’t vegan but will eat what i make if it’s good!) 🙂 thanks for the opportunity to win one!
Sheelagh says
I am so excited to try this recipe! I’m always on the hunt for non-dairy cheese recipes and this one looks great!
Andrea says
I think this looks good but I will admit that o haven’t really made things like this and m super nervous about it. I have no clue how to make seitan or use tvp to make things
Anne says
This looks fantastic. Can’t wait to try!
Emma says
I love making vegan “cheeses!”
Kelly twomey says
I cannot wait to try this and to have a copy of this book. Love Lisa and Nicole! Their newest book looks incredible. A true must-have, staple for a vegan kitchen.
Iris says
Guess I need to add agar-agar to my shopping list -looks amazing!
Sonya says
Thanks for sharing – it looks great!
Susan l. says
I need some DIY recipes, this sounds great!
marie says
Wow, that looks amazing, I would love to try this recipe and I would LOVE to win a copy of the book (I never win anything :-))
mia says
This book looks so lovely! I would love to enter the giveaway if you are accepting entries from outside the US and Canada. (I am in Australia). Thank you so much <3 <3
yye says
This recipe looks great! This cookbook is just the kind that vegan households need!
Jennifer Manriquez says
Wow! That mozzarella looks amazing, and sounds just wonderful. I can’t wait to try it!!
JeriP says
I have a Blendtec. Now I can make mozarella cheese?! Thanks for this info and your blog.
angela DB says
so pumped!
Leslie Greene says
That mozzarella looks amazing. Can’t wait to try!
Honey says
Yum! I make almost all my own vegan cheese, but I haven’t yet tried one with fermenting. I need to!
Nicollette D says
This recipe looks great. I can’t wait to try it with my beloved Blendtec, Eric.
Marina says
This would be great on pizza!
Bitter and Murky says
That mozzarella sounds yummy!
Samantha says
Wow, who knew vegan mozzarella could be fairly easy to make! Love DIY recipes!
Amanda Hunter says
I LOVE DIY recipes. They always taste better than the fake stuff.
Linda says
I’ve wanted to try cooking vegan for a while. This would be a good book to start with.
Courtney Howard says
I love that the recipe uses pretty common ingredients — I am going to make it. Looks incredible! Hooray for delicious vegan foods! Thank you!
Karen says
That looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Mie says
That cheese looks delicious. I haven’t found any store-bought chunk of mozzarella cheese that I liked, and have almost given up on it, although the cashew cheese in your cookbook has been saving my life!!! I love the addition of probiotic powder to the recipe, yet, it’s all very simple. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
Joanna A. says
This looks amazing! I’m definitely going to try this!
adam says
Recipe seems very doable.
Looking forward to the DIY book!
flora brown says
Awesome! As I venture into the world of cultured vegan “cheese” I am wondering: are all probiotic powders the same? Are there certain brands or types that are better than others?
Suzy says
When I initially put my comment in, I noticed just as it was being submitted that I had omitted a letter in my e-mail address. I fixed it in this one. Thanks!
Miet says
I am so looking forward to that book!
Suzy says
It sounds so good, and I like that there aren’t a huge number of ingredients. I was wondering if tapioca starch would be a good substitute for the xanthan gum, to give it a bit more stretch? And I’m wondering about the probiotic powder, too; I have no idea where to find that, and am wondering how essential or not it is? Thanks!
Shira says
Looking forward to this cookbook! I also don’t have much time to DIY stuff, but I definitely aspire to!
Marie says
I want that “cokobook” real bad!!!
Kate says
I’m always interested in new recipes and new cookbooks, especially when they’re free! How does this cheese taste? I’m surprised there’s no lemon juice in the recipe. I’ll give it a whirl!
Casey says
This looks so amazing! I miss Mozzeralla still (not really any other cheeses), and this has piqued my interest! Must try!
sue hegle says
Oh my word! this looks amazing! Cant wait to try it. Can you tell me what is this probiotic powder? Can I use the filling in a probiotic capsule?
Sandra Smith says
What is the purpose of the probiotic powder, and can you make it without?
Lisa Selby says
This looks so good! I would love to try making this. Was it a hit with your family, Dreena? Thanks so much!
Nicole Selah Destrampe says
Thanks for the chance to win and sharing this recipe I can’t wait to try it!! did you try baking it on a pizza?
Angela Marie says
This recipe looks so good! I have had other vegan cheeses, but never a mozzarella one.