nutritionalyeast flakes......

They're used in a lot of vegan recipes as a cheese substitute. As @MorgueBabe mentioned, they have lots of B12, which tends to be lower in a veg-based diet, hence the need to supplement.

Allow me to introduce you to the dressing that will change your life: Yumm Sauce. It has a good dose of nutritional yeast in it for those all important B12s, but I find that this more saucy application is more palatable than straight nooch. Yumm Sauce comes from a chain of vegetarian restaurants, Café Yumm, that started in Eugene, Oregon. It's intended to go on rice bowls (a combination of rice, beans, and fresh veggies), but I've been known to squirt some onto sandwiches, dip veggies straight into it, use it to top plain yogurt or cottage cheese, use it as the mayo for deviled eggs, spread it between crepes or into omelets...yeah. It basically has a taste that's kind of like a cheesy hummus with a backing of lemon and curry.

If the sauce is too thick for your liking when you first make it, thin it out with a little more water. It might also thicken when standing, so you may have to add a little more water after a day or so. It seems to keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge (at least) if you keep it in a squeeze bottle.



HOMEMADE YUMM SAUCE

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grape seed or canola oil
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans
1-2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (sometimes I double this amount or add another teaspoon of turmeric)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cilantro

In a small measuring cup, mix together the water and lemon juice. In a separate small measuring cup, measure out the appropriate amount of oil. Set both aside.

In a blender or food processor, process the almonds, nutritional yeast, garbanzo beans, garlic, salt, curry, oregano, and cilantro together until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With the machine running, add the oil mixture in a steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until the sauce is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer the sauce to a clean bottle or jar, cover, and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

NOTES: You can use 1/2 cup ground almond meal (instead of grinding your own almonds), but it will increase the caloric value. You may also prefer to use 1/2 cup garbanzo beans and 1/3 cup tofu for the whole can of garbanzo beans.

YIELD: About 22 ounces. Serving size 2 tablespoons.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: 78 calories per serving, 5 grams carbs, 6 grams fat, 2 grams protein, 110 mg sodium, 0 grams sugar.