Cheese balls are a crowd favorite–especially in the fall and winter months. But they’re not always the healthiest option on the table. Take a crack at making your own updated version–replacing cheese with cashews. It’s a perfectly easy, lactose-free alternative for the upcoming holidays.
Ingredients
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours or overnight
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon miso paste
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried basil or dill
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Handful of finely chopped raw almonds or pine nuts, or handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, for topping
Instructions:
- Rinse and drain the cashews. Place in a food processor, and process on high speed until crumbs form. Add the yeast, miso paste, garlic, lemon juice, basil, and onion powder, and mix on high speed to make a smooth paste. Season with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Transfer the mixture to a cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth around the mixture, forming it into a ball, and twist the top, squeezing out as much moisture as possible.
- Tuck the ends of the cheesecloth underneath the ball, and place it in a colander.
- Suspend the colander in a larger bowl, and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 2 hours, until the liquid no longer drips and the ball holds its shape.
- Sprinkle the nuts on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball, and roll in the chopped nuts until fully encrusted. Serve with crackers.
Recipe reprinted from Cut the Sugar, You’re Sweet Enough: Cookbook. For more recipes perfect for the home cook, pick up your own copy on Amazon.com.
LPL Tracking #1-05199765
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