A lot of people have been asking me what Daiya is, or what I use as my cheese substitute. I know I make a lot of recipes that might look like they're full of cheese, but of course they're not! (This is a totally vegan blog after all.) There is this amazing new product out there called Daiya, and it is truly wonderful! Even before I was vegan, I have always been lactose intolerant. Therefore, my dairy intake was already very minimal.

Now, I have found Daiya, and it is the greatest thing since... well, since not being able to eat real cheese.

As their website says, "It shreds, melts, stretches, and tastes delicious." This is very true. I have been able to make any recipe with Daiya that calls for traditionally melty cheese. It actually melts and gets all nice and gooey, like how you want cheese to get on Pizza for instance.

And it's completely vegan!! Not to mention it's also soy-free and gluten-free for anyone who has those limitations as well. It comes in three flavors: cheddar, mozzarella and pepperjack; so you're pretty much covered in any kind of recipe that calls for cheese. My favorite is using it for pizza and macaroni and cheese. Click on the links below for my versions of the two:

Vegan Cheesy Pizza!

Vegan Mac and Cheese!

Even those are my favorite Daiya meals, I've also used it to make other amazingly delicious cheesey meals like:

jalapeno poppers,

stuffed shells,

tostadas,

AND burritos, and quesadillas!

It's a super healthy, vegan option if you still want something to be "cheesey."
Look! Here's the list of ingredients for the cheddar flavor:

Filtered water, tapioca and /or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), annatto, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral).

Not too scary right? I know it's a lot of ingredients, but they are mostly all natural ingredients, and in my opinion, I'd rather eat some tapioca powder and coconut oil than cultured cow enzymes. I'm just saying. And as with all processed food, moderation is the key! Obviously, you wouldn't eat the stuff for every single meal, but if you're jonesing for some cheesey pizza than by all means, get some Daiya and have some pizza!