Nacho Chili Cheese Log

This Nacho Chili Cheese Log is easy to make, doesn’t require any special ingredients or equipment and can be ready to eat in under an hour.  It’s a perfect appetizer or addition to any happy hour spread.

Texture: creamy and smooth on the inside with pieces of chopped onion and sundried tomato scattered throughout. Crunchy on the outside.

Flavour: salty & savoury, intense, sharp, spicy, garlicky and with hint of oaked white wine

This cheese can be rolled into two logs, or a ball and it’s a perfect addition to cheese plates. Or if you’d rather, you can forgo the nachos and just slop the mixture into a tupperware and store it in the fridge for an easy sandwich spread.

This log is really easy and you only need 9 ingredients plus olive oil for frying and  salt + pepper for seasoning. First you quick soak the cashews for 20 minutes, then mix them with all other ingredients, season with salt and pepper and the base is done. After that you crush some tortilla chips onto a plate, roll the cashew mixture into 2 log shapes and then roll the logs in crushed chips. It’s that easy!

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Nacho Chili Cheese Log

Makes 2 logs or 1 ball

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• 1 1/4 cup cashews
• 3.5 tbsp dry white wine
• 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 6 large cloves of garlic
• 1/3  cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (preferably dry. If in oil, dry them with paper towels first and get as much oil off as possible)
• 1 red chili pepper (or 2-3 dried chilis. Adjust to your preferred level of heat)
• Olive oil for the frying pan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Handful of tortilla chips, crushed

Directions 

1. Soak the cashews in boiling water for 20-30 minutes  or until they feel soft.
2. Chop the onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and chili into small pieces and and put them in a frying pan with about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the onions turn golden brown (10-12 minutes).
3. Drain the cashews and put them into a food processor with the white wine, coconut oil and nutritional yeast. Mix until the mixture is very smooth. The consistency should be quite thick.
4. Spoon the cashew mixture into a small bowl. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. You need quite a bit of salt if you want a flavour similar to real cheese.
5. Using a spoon, stir the onion mixture into the cashew mixture.
6. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes
7. While the mixture is in the freezer crush some tortilla chips and spread them out evenly on a plate.
8. Take the cashew mixture out of the freezer and use your hands to shape it into two logs.
9. Roll each log in the crushed nacho chips. You may need to add more chips after the first one is done.
10. Place on a covered plate and refrigerate for an hour or more. You can also eat it right away but it will be softer. Both ways are good!

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Macadamia Nuts + 10 Minute Herb & Cheese Scones

Pumpkin soup is always a crowd pleaser. This rustic, thick and creamy concoction paired with warm, fresh-from-the-oven scones  is the ultimate comfort food

This soup is silky smooth, and loaded with bold pumpkin flavour. It’s an easy-to-make, basic soup turned gourmet meal with the addition of salty, toasted macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkle of homemade parmesan cheese. Macadamia nuts are good enough as is, but toasting them releases hidden flavours and adds a whole new burnt, smoky salty, and rich dimension that complements the soup perfectly

The scones are cheesy and buttery and infused with rosemary, thyme, basil and sage. They’re perfect for dunking and smothering in pumpkin soup or just slathering with butter and eating straight from the oven. I made two versions. One with a gluten free flour mix and one with spelt flour. The gluten free version was more flaky and crumbly while the spelt version was a little bit denser and held together better, but both were equally good.

Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Macadamia Nuts

• 2 medium size carrots
• 1 red onion
• 1 medium size apple
• 1 medium size Hokkaido pumpkin or other type of pumpkin
• 420 mL almond milk or other milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp ground almonds (almond meal)
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful of macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Wash and peel the carrots, onion and apple. Cut them into small cubes and place them on the baking tray.
3. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes and cut the skin off. Put the pumpkin on the baking tray with the apple, onion and carrots.
4. Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes or until everything is soft
5. Take the vegetables out of the oven, and using a blender, food processor, or hand mixer, mix the vegetables with the milk, olive oil,  and almond meal. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. If you’re going to eat the soup right away, transfer it to a pot on the stove and heat it over medium heat until it reaches desired warmth
7. Put the macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds into a small frying pan without oil, and toast them over medium heat. Watch them carefully and move them around once they start to turn brown so that all sides toast equally. This takes about 5 minutes
8. Sprinkle the nuts and seeds over the soup along with some homemade parmesan cheese

10 Minute Herb and Cheese Scones

Makes ~8 scones

• 2 cups whole wheat spelt flour (or gluten free flour mixture)
• 1/2 cup buttery spread
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup non-dairy cheese shreds
• 8 large sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup almond milk or other non dairy milk
• Chopped fresh herbs: ~2 tbsp each of chopped fresh rosemary, basil and parsley.
• 1 tbsp each freshly chopped or dried sage and thyme

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder
3. Cut in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture
4. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined
5. Form the dough into 8 balls and place them on the baking sheet
6. Press them down with your hand or a fork so that they are slightly flat
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown

Chewy Carrot & Sunflower Seed Crackers + Canapés

 It’s that time of year when pool parties, bonfires, and warm summer bbqs are replaced with indoor get togethers and that means that instead of simply grabbing something frozen to throw on the bbq we’re faced with the task of coming up with more weather appropriate dishes to serve.

Whether you’re celebrating an occasion, having friends over just because or just have a bowl of hummus waiting to be dipped into, these carrot and sunflower seed crackers are just what you need!

Salty

Chewy

Seedy

100% healthy

Flour-free

Oil-free

This isn’t your traditional crispy and crunchy cracker but more of a soft and chewy version similar to a flatbread. They’re loaded with fiber rich carrots and tons of seeds. Perfect for munching on straight from the bowl or for dipping.

And if you need something a little fancier to serve your friends and family you can easily jazz these crackers up by topping them with some avocado, herbs, and sun dried tomatoes for instant, bite-sized appetizers!

           Carrot & Sunflower Seed Crackers

Makes 30-35 crackers

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 2.5 cups grated carrots
• 4 tbsp ground flax seeds
• 1/4 sesame seeds
• 3/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• Optional-  I like to eat these crackers plain but if you want to add some more flavour you can try either:
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 clove of garlic and some chili flakes for more of a kick
• sesame seeds,poppy seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and extra sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Grate your carrots and set aside
3. In a food processor, process the sunflower seeds into a fine powder. Add the carrots, flax seeds, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and any optional ingredients and process until everything is combined
4. With the food processor running, slowly add the water in a thin stream. The mixture should be thick, but moist enough to spread.
5. When everything is well combined, spread the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet so it is about 1/4 inch thick.
6. Sprinkle on any seeds that you’re using as toppings and press them into the dough with your hand.
7. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut into bite sized squares (it’s easier if you do this before baking)
8. Bake for 40 minutes or until the crackers are dry and crispy

Canapés three ways – to turn these crackers into fancy litte appetizers just top them with one of the following combinations or come up with your own

• Spread the cracker with a layer of tahini, and top with a piece of sliced avocado, a leaf of basil and a couple slices of chili pepper
• Or: spread the cracker with mashed avocado and top with 1 or 2 sun dried tomatoes and chopped chives. This is my favourite!
• Or: Spread the cracker with mashed avocado and top with 3 or 4 pieces of sliced cherry tomato and a basil leaf.

Hummus, baba ganoush, pesto, or vegan cheese shreds would also make great toppings!

 

{You’d Never Believe It’s Not Real Cheese} Garlic and Sun-dried Tomato ‘Cheese-Ball’

As the name says, this Garlic and Sun-dried Tomato Cheese Ball (or white wine, garlic, onion and sun-dried tomato cheese ball for a more descriptive name) is so good that you’d never know it’s not real cheese. Or at least you wouldn’t care because this copycat version made with cashews and white wine is so creamy, delicious and flavourful that you won’t miss the original version at all.

It has a creamy, cheesey texture, and is infused with [alot of] garlic, chilis, sun-dried tomatoes, and onions. Every bite is a rich explosion of flavour, and the hardest part is trying not to eat the whole thing in one sitting. It’s impossible, so make more than one!

 

This recipe takes a bit of time and forethought, but it’s super easy and involves minimal effort. The actual active working time in the kitchen is under 30 minutes and the rest is just waiting around for things to soak and chill. The cashews which form the base of the recipe need to soak for 1.5-2 hours before you start, but once that’s done, it comes together really quickly.

It’s also very easy to customize. Once you’ve made the base you can try different add-ins to make a different style/flavour ball each time.

This is a perfect treat for a late afternoon, summer-time wine and cheese picnic and also a great recipe to take as an appetizer to a party or just to enjoy at home on a weekend afternoon. Sit out in the backyard, pour a glass of wine, and enjoy this with crackers, carrots, bread, or pretzels.

Garlic and Sun-dried Tomato Cheese-ball

Base

• 1 1/4 cup cashews
• 3.5 tbsp dry white wine
• 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

Add-ins

• 1 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large green onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 6 large sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not in oil)
• 1 red or green chili pepper (optional, but delicious!)
• Sliced or finely chopped almonds
• Olive oil for the frying pan
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

1. Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a small sauce pan with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and let the tomatoes cook for 10 minutes.
2. With a fork, take the sun-dried tomatoes out of the pot and set them aside.
3. Put the cashews into a big, glass bowl and pour the hot, sun-dried tomato infused water from the saucepan over them.
4. Let the cashews sit in the water for 1.5-2 hours
5. 20 minutes or so before the cashews are done soaking, chop the onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and half of the chili into small pieces and cook them with about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat until the onions turn golden brown.
6. Put the cashews, white wine, coconut oil and nutritional yeast into a food processor and process until the mixture is very smooth. The consistency should be similar to a very thick hummus
7. Stir the frying pan onion mixture into the cashew mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Transfer into a small bowl and freeze for 20 minutes
9. While the mixture is in the freezer, wipe out your frying pan and pan fry the chopped almonds, stirring often, until they start to turn darker brown (about 5 minutes)
10. Chop the other half of the chili and spread the almonds and chopped Chili evenly on a large plate
11. Take the cashew mixture out of the freezer and with your hands, mold it into a ball.
12. Roll the cashew ball in the almond and chili mixture, pressing the nuts in if necessary
13. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more. (You can also eat it right away but it will be a bit softer)

Notes

• If you only have oil packed sun-dried tomatoes that will work too and you don’t need to cook them. Then just soak the cashews in plain hot water