Parma!

By: Jamie Steinberg

Parma! is a vegan Parmesan hailing from Southern Oregon. Made with a handful of raw ingredients, this new creation is preservative-free, additive-free, Non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and even Kosher certified. We had the opportunity to try this product for free, which was suggested to be used on roasted veggies, soup, salads and much more. Sadly, we found the taste unappealing and thus felt that this “cheesy without dairy baggage” lacked that flavor that to makes Parmesan cheese such a tasty addition to dishes.

Parma! was founded by Shannon Schnibbe and has been in business since 2004. When Schnibbe realized that food was responsible for making her ill, she took on the challenge to find alternatives that were sensitive to her new dietary needs. While in Santa Barbara, Schnibbe was introduced to the raw food movement by David Frees that was begun by Ann Wigmore. This led to her exploration of vegan and raw foods and, eventually, taking a trip to Hawaii where she established “Eat in The Raw.” It was at this time that she started bottling a cheesy vegan, lactose-free creation that would become Parma!

Parma! is made up of nutritional yeast, raw walnuts, Himalayan salt, organic sunflower seeds and organic hemp seeds.  The nutritional yeast is highly valued as it offers B complex vitamins, minerals and is a source of protein. Additionally, it offers the umami flavor that resembles the taste of cheese. The organic sunflower seeds are packed with protein, fiber, vitamin E and all B vitamins. It possesses anti-inflammatory benefits that help to reduce asthma and arthritis. Thanks to the raw walnuts, Parma! packs Omega 3 oils. These are what your body needs for many of your metabolic processes. The hemp seeds also have the perfect ration of Omega 3’s and Omega 6’s that aid in skin health, help to produce energy, offer immune support and many other heath benefits.

The “Better Than Bacon” and “Chipotle Cayenne” option was suggested to be sprinkled on buttered or oiled popcorn. We also got to sample Original and Garlicky Green. We boiled a nice plate of pasta and made some delicious tomato sauce. We were then all set to add a bit of both to our plate. Unfortunately, it didn’t taste anything like Parmesan cheese. The texture was not like a normal Parmesan cheese either. For those of us who are fortunately to be without food allergens, we have to sadly add this this product falls short of being a suitable substitute for the real deal. However, we can certainly understand those who do prefer to use this product as an alternative.

While we can’t recommend Parma! based on their taste, we certainly commend them on their wonderful health benefits. We applaud Schnibbe for her efforts to find an additional option for something many of us love to sprinkle on a meal or salad. For those at least interested in trying this product for themselves, you can head to eatparma.com.