Herbed nut cheese logs are the perfect appetizer. Watch this amazing video and learn how to make it at your next party. Lauren Toyota outdoes herself with her next party favorite, Pulled BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sliders. Again, perfect for any event…or make it for yourself and enjoy a great meal! She also throws in a bonus SLAW recipe. And dessert is apple pie shooters. oh! And all of these dishes are so healthy that they can even be promoted as a celebration of superfoods. Thank you Lauren for your meticulous recipes. All are listed below. And check out her website: https://www.hotforfoodblog.com
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Refrigerated storage: 6 hours
minutes
Raw cashew nuts soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes at 2℃
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut oil (solid at room temperature)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garlic powder 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
2 teaspoons dried or fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon dried or fresh chopped oregano
1 teaspoon dried or fresh chopped parsley
Dried cranberries (coarsely chopped) 1/2 °C
Drain and rinse the cashews from the soaking water and add to a high-powered blender with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. If you use dried herbs, you can add them to the blender. If using fresh chopped herbs, mix them in after the mixture is smooth and blended to avoid turning the mixture green.
Blend nut-cheese mixture until very smooth. You will need to use the blender baton to force the mixture into the blades while the blender is running, or stop the blender and push excess mixture to the sides to mix before running the blender again. This will make things smoother in the end!
Scoop the cheese mixture lengthwise onto a large piece of plastic wrap, forming a log shape inside the plastic wrap. The log is approximately 7 inches long x 2 inches wide. Wrap the sides of the plastic around the cheese mixture and gently roll the logs. Also, twist the ends of the plastic tightly and at the same time flatten the front and back edges of the log. Once the cheese is usually in the shape of a log, place this in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or more until you are ready to serve the cheese.
When ready to eat, remove the cheese from the plastic wrap. The cheese should be firm enough to handle. If there are any parts that are out of shape, gently reshape them with your hands. Place it on a plate and gently press roughly chopped dried cranberries to the outside of the cheese log. Sprinkle with a little more basil and serve immediately.
Pulled BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sliders
Create 12 sliders
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Pulled BBQ spaghetti squash
1 spaghetti squash
4 teaspoons olive oil (divided)
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 C white or yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon powdered cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons low-sodium vegetable stock
Your favorite BBQ sauce 1/4℃
coleslaw
4 C Store-bought bagged coleslaw mix
Vegan mayonnaise 1/3C
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
ground black pepper, to taste
sandwich
Lightly toasted small slider style buns
dill pickles, sliced
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Prepare the spaghetti squash by cutting it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp inside. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil, sea salt, and ground black pepper to each side. Using your hands, spread the oil, salt, and pepper evenly around the inside flesh of the squash.
Place the pumpkin upside down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or in a wide baking dish. Bake until tender and the outer skin can be easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes (depending on the size of the pumpkin).
While the pumpkin is roasting, prepare the coleslaw by mixing the vegan mayonnaise and Dijon mustard into the coleslaw mix. Add ground black pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to assemble the sliders.
Just before the pumpkin is finished roasting, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes until softened.
Add garlic powder, cumin, paprika and chili flakes and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Next, deglaze the pan by adding some low-sodium vegetable stock.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scrape out the insides of the pumpkin with a fork. Add all this to the pot. Allow most of the stock to be absorbed before adding the BBQ sauce. Add the sauce, stir to coat all the squash, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
If desired, toast the slider buns in the oven and thinly slice the pickles. Assemble the slider by placing a bit of coleslaw on the bottom bun, add pickle slices, and top with a good portion of the pulled BBQ spaghetti squash. Enjoy immediately!
Note: You can also pre-roast the squash and prepare it in the pan the same day before assembling and serving the sliders.
apple pie shooters
Makes 10-12 shot glass sized apple pies.
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
crisp player
1 1/2 C rolled oats (not quick cook)
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
brown sugar or coconut sugar 1/4℃
Chopped pecans 1/4℃
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4°C coconut oil (solid at room temperature)
apple layer
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3C brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
whipped topping
2 cans full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine the ingredients for the crispy layer in a bowl. Pinch the coconut oil and mixture with your hands until everything is well mixed.
In a separate bowl, mix together the ingredients for the apple layer until the apples are well coated. Arrange the apples and crisps on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or use two separate baking sheets for each. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once or twice halfway through baking.
Meanwhile, prepare the topping by scooping the thick cream from the top of the can of coconut milk and adding it to a blender along with the maple syrup and cinnamon. Blend until very smooth and fluffy. This whipped topping is best made just before serving. If you let it cool in the fridge for too long, it will solidify like whipped butter.
Once the apples and crisps are finished baking, assemble the apple pie shooter by adding a layer of apples to the bottom of every small jar or shot glass, then add a layer of crisps.
If you want to pipe the whipped topping onto an apple pie shooter, place it in a wide-mouthed piping bag or zipper bag, seal it without air, and snip a small corner of the bag. Top the shooters with the whipped topping, then sprinkle a little crunchy layer on top and serve immediately.
