The new school year has started and with the return of the pack lunches I’ve been working on new, tasty, easy and healthy meal options. I try to cook bigger batches for dinner so the boys can have leftovers for lunch the next day, but some days there isn’t much left, the fridge is empty and I feel a bit uninspired – that’s when a sandwich is a lifesaver. This cream cheese is tofu rather than cashew based as British schools are generally nut free (due to allergies) and is really very easy to make. All you need is a food processor and 5 minutes to wash and chop the herbs / tomatoes. It tastes great on its own, but you can add sliced avocado, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, whatever you fancy really. Goes without saying that it makes a perfect pack lunch for any adult as well or why not serve it as an amuse bouche on small slices of toasted bread or crostini the next time you have guests. All the taste without any of the saturated fat you’d get with dairy cream cheese.
What you need:
For the garlic & herbs option:
200g tofu (firm to medium, no silken tofu) – quartered
3tbsp fresh chives and basil – washed and chopped
1 garlic clove – quartered
1½ tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1½ tbsp apple cyder vinegar
1tsp olive oil
Salt to taste – I use approx. ¾ tsp
For the sundried tomato option:
200g tofu – quartered
4-5 sundried tomato halves – cut into small pieces
1½ tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1½ tbsp apple cyder vinegar
1tsp oil from the sundried tomatoes
Salt to taste
How you do it:
Simply add all the ingredients* to your food processor and blend until smooth, adding a little more oil or a tiny dash of soy milk or water if it’s a little too dry.
Taste and add more salt if necessary.
*Optional: For a little special touch you can hold back a tbsp of herbs / sundried tomato pieces and stir them in by hand once the cream cheese is done.
