Vegan novices perusing a recipe often encounter nutritional yeast in the ingredient list and slam on the brakes. I know I did — mostly because I didn’t know what it was and, well, mystery yeast kinda sounds gross. But be not afraid. This nifty ingredient, referred to by many vegans as “nooch,” is your friend in two ways: 1) it’s chock-full of B vitamins and other nutritional yummies, and 2) it adds a nice cheesy umami to a variety of recipes. (Note though that B12 does not naturally arise in nutritional yeast. Some brands are fortified with it and some aren’t, so check the label if you want to use nooch a a source of B12.) It tastes kind of like pungent, savory breadcrumbs to me. You will find nutritional yeast appearing most often in things like savory marinades, seasoning pastes, soups, and vegan cheeses. For some reason, at the stores where I find it, it comes in preposterously large containers for an ingredient you only use a few tablespoons at a time, but it lasts a long time at room temperature, so no big deal (unless space is a premium for you). You may also be able to find it in bulk bins, which would enable you to customize the amount you want. Given its flavor and nutritional profiles, I’m not sure why it isn’t a more mainstream ingredient. Anyway, go forward and nooch with confidence, Booksmarters!