If you were around in the 70s and early 80s, the words 'nutritional yeast' might bring up some uncomfortable food memories: brick-like multi-grain loaves, sprouted salads that looked ready to crawl off the plate, the dastardly carob. But please, give yeast a chance. These marigold-colored flakes, often sold in bulk in health food stores, are inactive yeast grown on molasses then pasteurized and dried. Nutritional yeast's nutty, savory taste makes it popular among vegans, who sometimes use it to make faux cheeses. It also adds an umami flavor to soups, stews and gravies and is sometimes used as a popcorn topping.
Having read so much about nutritional yeast's cheesy flavor on vegan blogs, I became determined to try it out for myself. I picked up a small baggie from the bulk bin at Whole Foods, which cost less than a quarter. That night I made popcorn, drizzled it with lavish amounts of butter, then added salt and a good handful of the yeast. It was delicious - cheesy, rich, sort of earthy. Totally addictive. I'm going to try it in some vegetable soup next time.

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6-09-2008 @2:13PM Alex Falk said... I just wonder, do Vegans know that by eating yeast, they are ending many lives, even the nutritional yeast had to die so they could eat.
Plant's are alive too.
And just because we have no way to quantify or define it for plants and yeast, does not mean that they do not feel pain.
In fact, as far as I know, there is only one truly Vegan Friendly food out there.
Other Vegans. :-)
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6-09-2008 @2:55PM Jeannette said... @Alex
Most vegans don't have issue with eating something that was 'alive'. It has to do with the treatment of and presumed dominance over the animals which many people do eat.
And besides, there are plenty of vegans, like myself, who do so primarily for health reasons.
YUM Nutritional Yeast!
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6-09-2008 @3:30PM Lucky said... I am a huge fan of nutritional yeast and I use it as a base for a nice vegetarian gravy. Yummy!
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6-09-2008 @3:38PM alexis said... you can't walk into a movie theater here in portland without walking past the nutritional yeast.
try it on your eggs, too!
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6-09-2008 @9:03PM Red Icculus said... I like to use it in veggeroni (seitan pepperoni):
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/04/veggeroni-seitan-pepperoni.html
I do food and gardening things at http://red-icculus.com
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6-10-2008 @2:42AM Fred said... I've recent become a convert, and sing the praises of N.Y. to all my friends here. Since I'm lactose intolerant, this great on pasta, and burritos. Strangely enough, I'm not a popcorn fan, so I have yet to try it there.
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6-10-2008 @10:13AM Gobo said... I got turned on to yeast on popcorn at the Red Vic movie theater in San Francisco. Seemed like a wacky hippie thing... but it was delicious!
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6-12-2008 @9:38AM Adriane said... I keep hearing about nutritional yeast and how great it is, especially on popcorn. I was in a healthfood store last week and- ooo! There is was in all it's glory. I opened the bulk bin lid and WHAM, I was smacked with a very unpleasent odor. So unpleasent that I decided to forgo my choice. I know there are a lot of stinky-but-delicious foods out there, and that I should try it before I nay say...but dang. Someone please tell me it doesn't TASTE how it SMELLS???
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