Nothing says the festive season like cocktail parties, appies, and festive Cheese Balls. Am I right?
Slightly retro, mostly delicious and a star of the communal sharing table, might I introduce you to the “healthy” Smokey Cheddah Cheese Ball.
This not only packs a powerful 1,2 in the fact that it’s plant based but that it also has some natural fermented foods that not only give a wonderful flavour, but also give your gut a jumpstart at health too. Oh and unlike some cheese recipes, this is fast and easy and absolutely foolproof. The only thing to do in advance is soak your nuts!
I included some favourite brands that I use in regular daily life that will not only make it easy to find and make this recipe, but also keep it healthy. Non of this sponsored shtuff… just sh#t I love and recommend to clients. Specifically Prana bio and Farmhouse Culture
K, lets get to it.
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup Raw ALmonds (soaked)
1/4 cup + 2 tbls Gut Shot Natural Flavour
2-3 Tbls Nutritional Yeast
1 tsp Garlic Powder
Sea Salt to season
For Coating:
1/2 pckg Prana Smokey Chipotle Coconut Crisps
Raw Nuts
METHOD
Do your Prep: Soak your almonds overnight or longer
Rinse and drain your almonds.
Pour into your vitamix, your gut shot ( you could always use another brine or fermented type liquid) your nuts, nooch and seasonings. Blend well until creamy and smooth
This may take a few scrape downs and go’s to get along the way. Season with salt as you go to ass to your taste.
Once creamy and smooth, transfer to a bowl and set in the fridge for a while. Just to firm up enough to roll into a ball.
In a ziploc bag toss in your coconut chips, and nuts. WIth a mallet, rolling pin or pan, smack that bag until the pieces are broken down into more bit sizeable form and ready to be the outer coating of your cheese ball.
Dump contents into a shallow dish
Remove cheese from fridge and roll into a ball.
Coat the outside of the ball with your coconut and nut mixture.
STore in the fridge until ready to eat.
You can also keep it in the freezer and dethaw when ready to eat.
*** this is a softer cheese so I reccomed serving straight out of the fridge. But it continues to age and develop taste over the days, so need to to rush and eat it all at once 😉
Pour the dressing over the vegetable mix and toss, then place mixture over top of your spring lettuces for the final toss so that the spring greens only get a light coating and stay nice and perky and fresh. A sprinkling of Himalayan salt and ground black pepper will do, and voila!
