Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is a popular vegan food product. It has a cheesy, nutty, and savory flavor and is often used to give vegan food a cheesy flavor. Nutritional yeast is said to boost energy, protect against cell damage (aka cancer) and lower cholesterol. It’s typically fortified with Vitamin B12, so it’s a great vegan source of B12.

Some simple ways to incorporate nutritional yeast into your diet include:

• Use it as a popcorn topper
• Sprinkle it over soup or pasta
• Mix it into your homemade hummus
• Add it in as you cook up some scrambled eggs

One of the most common things to do with nutritional yeast is to make a cheese sauce. Here is a Vegan Cheesy Pasta Recipe:

• 1 cup pre-cooked pasta
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. flour
• 2/3 cup nut/soy milk (unflavored, unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• Optional: 1/2 tsp. mustard
• 1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS: 1.) Cook pasta according to package, prepare sauce while the pasta cooks 2.) Heat the oil over low heat then stir in flour to make a paste. 3.) Slowly add in the nut/soy milk and heat, stirring frequently, until semi thickened. 4.) Then stir in the nutritional yeast, mustard, turmeric, garlic and salt. 5.) Heat for a minute or two, then stir in cooked pasta. (Adjust seasonings to taste.) Serve & enjoy!

Here is a great Vegan Butter Recipe:

• ⅓ cup room temperature refined coconut oil
• 1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 3 tbsp aquafaba (**liquid from a can of garbanzo beans)
• ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• Pinch of salt (to taste)
• Pinch of turmeric powder (for color)

DIRECTIONS: 1.) Add aquafaba and vinegar together and blend until it begins to get frothy & thick (for best result use an immersion or high-speed blender). 2.) While blending, slowly drizzle in the coconut oil and then olive oil. Continue blending until it thickens to a mayonnaise consistency. 3.) Add in nutritional yeast, turmeric, and salt until combined and smooth. 4.) Store in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight to firm. 5.) Use on toast, on corn on the cob, or in any other way you would use butter. (makes about 1 cup)