Nutritional Yeast

Here's a picture of a new cooking ingredient I came across in the bulk section of our local co-op. A little research helped me find out more about nutritional yeast, which is not the typical yeast you think of because it is inactive- thus it won't cause the rising action that regular yeast will. Nutritional yeast has a very distinctive and savory taste, often described as cheesy.

So when I read it would tasty cheesy, I thought about mac and cheese. I love mac and cheese, so I thought I should see what a healthier version might taste light. So this weekend I put it in the meal plan, and it came out good. Is it exactly like homemade mac and cheese? No, but it is still good and tasty in its own way. The recipe I used had some spices (basil, oregano, paprika) that I normally would not put in regular mac and cheese. I even used pasta made of quinoa and kamut to make it even healthier (packed with protein). Here's what it looked like:


More Information on Nutritional Yeast

-Contains high levels of B-complex vitamins, which helps humans manage stress levels and aid in cell metabolism.
-B Vitamins help support a good metabolic rate, protect against pancreatic cancer and keep skin glowing.
-Popular with vegans and vegetarians because B12 is difficult to obtain outside of animal products.
-Contains folic acid and essential fatty acids.
-It is a complete protein.

Possible Uses:
~Sprinkled over popcorn
~Sprinkled on baked potato with Greek yogurt
~Season chicken or fish
~Add to bread dough for cheese flavor (not a substitute for regular yeast)
~Sprinkled on salad
~As 'cheese' on a pizza
~Mac and Cheese (see above)
~Anything you can think up really!

Let me know if you try it out.

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