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Tag: appetizer

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Herb-Coated Cheese

Herb-Crusted Cheese

Herb-Crusted Cheese

Why go to the market to buy cheese when you can make it at home! Using a few probiotics, you can create a smooth and flavorful herb-crusted cheese wheel. This plant-based and dairy-free cheese is a great alternative and simple appetizer for any party. Your family or guests will surely be impressed when you pull this out of the fridge!

Herb-Crusted Cheese

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients 

Cheese:

3 cups Vitacost organic cashews, soaked overnight 8-10 hours 

4 capsules New Chapter Probiotic All-Flora

1/2 cup filtered water

1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Herb coating:

3 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

3 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1-1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

1/4 tsp. Spicely Organics Ground Black Pepper

Herb-Crusted Cheese

Directions

  1. In a bowl, cover the cashews with water for about 9 hours (or overnight). Drain and rinse the cashews. Set aside.
  2. In a blender, add the cashews, probiotic powder (from the capsules), and water. Blend ingredients until smooth in texture.
  3. Using two cheese clothes layered in a colander, pour the mixture into the lines colander- folding the cheesecloth on top.
  4. Place this in a warm spot to culture for roughly 24-36 hours.
  5. Mix salt into the cultured cheese and stir to combine. Press mixture into desired mold and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  6. Roll the cheese carefully in the herb mixture.
  7. Serve with your choice of crackers, veggies, or fruit.

Herb-Crusted Cheese

Chef’s tip: For maximum flavor, roll the cheese carefully into the herb mixture and refrigerate for a few hours to let flavors meld. 

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Twice Baked Potato

Twice Baked Potato

Twice Baked PotatoThese twice baked potatoes are a great side dish to any meal and even warm up well the next day for lunch. They are filled with fresh herbs, vegan cheese, and a homemade “bacon” as well as tasting amazing! The silky smooth and creamy texture of the potato being blended and baked makes this fancier version of a baked potato that much more special.

Twice Baked Potato

Yields 5 servings

Ingredients

5 potatoes

1/3 cup plain almond milk

2 Tbsp. Earths Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese

1/4 cup mushroom “bacon” (see below for recipe)

1 tsp. Vitacost Himalayan Pink Fine Salt

1/4 tsp. Spicely Organic Ground Black Pepper

Pinch of smoked paprika

Mushroom “bacon”

1 Portabello mushroom, sliced

1 tsp. smokey flavor

1 Tbsp. Vitacost Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of Vitacost Himalayan Fine Pink Salt

Pinch Spicely Organics Ground Black Pepper

Twice Baked Potato

Directions

Bacon:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In bowl, drizzle oil over sliced mushrooms.
  3. Add salt, pepper and smoke flavor. Mix until evenly coated.
  4. On baking sheet, evenly arrange mushrooms.
  5. Bake 10-15 minutes.
  6. Flip mushrooms and bake for another 10 minutes or until brown and crispy.

Potato:

  1. On a baking sheet, place potatoes and set into the 400 degree F oven you preheated for the mushroom bacon.
  2. Allow potatoes to bake for 1 hour. Remove form oven and set aside to cool so you can easily touch it.
  3. Cut 1/3 of the way down from the top and scoop out the middle portion, careful not to break the skin. Place the potato into a mixing bowl.
  4. Add butter, almond milk, chives, garlic, cheese, “bacon”, salt and pepper to taste, mix until well incorporated and smooth.
  5. Scoop or pipe back into the potato shell. Instead of throwing out the top portion you cut off, you can use that by placing it at the bottom of the potato. This will also give you an illusion of over stuffed potatoes.
  6. Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until top is golden brown at 350 degrees F.
  7. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and chives on top.

Chef’s Tip: I let the potatoes cool down in the oven after baking for an additional 5 minutes since I did not use any tin foil around my potato, this helped soften them up a bit further.