Nutritional Yeast - Who, What, Where, How and Why?

Who:

Everyone should be eating nutritional yeast! It's a nutritious, delicious and low-calorie way to add protein and fiber to your meals.

What:

Nutritional yeast is different from the yeast that makes bread rise. It's an inactive yeast that is dairy-, soy- and gluten-free, and it is a great source of complete protein, as well as the B complex vitamins.

Where:
You can buy nutritional yeast just about anywhere these days. Whether you get it online or in your local health food store, in powder or flake form, make sure that you store your yeast in a cool, dark place.

How:
Nutritional yeast's nutty, almost cheesy taste has made it a favorite for vegan dishes that call for a cheese flavor.  Add it as an ingredient to soups, mashed potatoes, pasta. Sprinkle it on salads or popcorn. Are you making dessert? Try adding just a bit of nutritional yeast for a more complex flavor. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, you can find hundreds of fabulous recipes that use this golden food.

Why:
Why not? It's delicious, good for you and easy to find! Now, go eat some yeast!

Acorn Squash Croquettes - Vegan and Gluten Free

Every Thanksgiving, we have a get-together with friends and family, every one of whom has their specific likes and dietary preferences. This year, I decided to create a new recipe that could take the place of stuffing, which usually contains bread, that could be enjoyed by people who are avoiding gluten. And, as an added bonus, it's also a vegan recipe that uses nutritional yeast! 

What?

Nutritional yeast is the best-kept secret superhero of the vegan world. My next blog post will be about all the wonderful reasons you'll want to add nutritional yeast to your diet. But, until then, let's just agree that it is a great source of vitamins and has a wonderfully cheesy taste.

These croquettes make a delicious side dish. The measurements below are approximate, so add more or less according to your preference. You should eat the croquettes immediately after cooking, as they don't keep well. 

Acorn Squash Croquettes

serves 2-3 people

1 acorn squash

1 tablespoon avocado oil (or grapeseed oil)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cut the acorn squash in half. Using a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.

Acorn Squash Ready for the Oven

Brush the inside of each half with the avocado oil and sprinkle with the pepper, sea salt and turmeric. Bake until cooked, about 45 minutes. You will know that the acorn is done when you can easily insert a fork into it.

While the squash is baking, mix the following ingredients together:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped

fresh juice of 1/2 small lemon

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

Let the squash cool just enough to be comfortably handled.

Croquettes Rolled in Yeast and Ready to Be Fried

Use a spoon to remove all the meat from the squash and mix it well with the prepared seasonings above. 

Over low heat, melt enough coconut oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan (I use an iron one). While the oil is heating, lightly rub some coconut oil on your hands and roll the acorn squash mixture into small balls. Cover a large plate with nutritional yeast and roll each squash ball in the yeast to coat it completely. Fry the balls in the pan until lightly browned on one side, then roll over to brown the other side. Serve warm.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

-Tamera