Two Dreamy Cashew Cream Cheese Recipes - Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan, Soy-Free

I used to have a fairly low regard for cashews-- I didn't like getting them in the Christmas nut bowl, and I didn't like the 'after-taste' of some of the vegetarian recipes I had that contained them.  But eventually I discovered that they can be used to make extremely tasty dairy-substitutes without a pronounced cashew signature flavour.

Lemon-Coconut Cheesecake Balls studded with cranberries & Walnuts

These can be eaten any time of the year, of course, but since Christmas is coming up I thought that I would choose to make one item that was savoury and one that was sweeter.  I am particularly in love with the smoky cream cheese (that could be rolled up into a ball, no problem) and I am also nibbling a little much at the lemon cheesecake bliss balls (which I have also made into a larger cheese ball).

REMEMBER: While cashew cream cheese may not be allergenic or gluten-laden, it is still a high fat little nut and don't go too wild, or you'll end up wearing this "good fat".




LEMON-COCONUT CHEESECAKE BALL

INGREDIENTS:

Walnut-Cranberry Crust

• 1 tsp. Coconut Oil
• 1 C.   Walnut Halves
• 2 tsp.  Coconut Sugar
• 1/3 C. Dried Cranberries

Lemon-Coconut Cashew Cheesecake

• 1 C. Cashew pieces, soaked overnight if possible (otherwise 2-4 hrs.) in water
• 1 C. Coconut Shreds (short stuff, unsweetened, or Coconut Flour in a pinch)
• Zest of 1 large organic Lemon (click on *zest* to learn how to do it yourself)
• Juice of 1/2-1 organic Lemon (I used juice of entire lemon)
• 1/2 tsp. organic Vanilla Extract
• pinch of Salt
• 2 T. Maple Syrup

MAKING THE CRUST:

• Tools: Non-Stick Skillet, Silicone Spatula, knife for chopping nuts and cranberries, parchment-covered pan for cooling nuts
• Chop Cranberries into small pieces and set aside
• Grease up the Spatula (to keep the walnuts from sticking to it)
• Heat skillet to Medium Heat 
• Put Walnuts in pan, flat.  Sprinkle on Coconut Sugar
• Toss and turn, flat and repeat... continue until walnuts are coated with sugar.  Be sensitive to the fragrance... don't let the walnuts burn.  In about 10 minutes, remove walnuts, single layer, to the parchment-covered tray for at least 15 minutes to cool.
• Chop into small pieces when cool and then combine both cranberries and walnuts on a tray (could be the tray used to cool nuts)

MAKING THE CHEESECAKE BALLS 

(1 LARGE OR 2 SMALLER, OR 1 SMALL & 6 Bliss Balls)

• Tools: Food Processor or Blender (Processor preferred), Lemon Reamer, Medium Bowl
• Put ingredients for dough into food processor in order given
• Process until thoroughly combined and smooth-ish.  Smoother the better.  Stop processor and clear sides when needed, pushing dough down so as to be caught by blade
• Empty dough into a medium bowl.  Let it sit for a bit to rest.  Using your hands, shape into either 1 Large or 2 Smaller balls, or into a Smaller Ball and 6 Bliss Balls
• Roll the balls in the Walnut-Cranberry chips
• Put Larger balls into plastic wrap, salvaging the roundness as much as possible, and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours until set... or up to 7 days.
• Put Bliss Ball on a plate and cover with plastic wrap and put into fridge, or just eat and enjoy!

Crust is adapted from "Healthier Candied Pecans or Walnuts" at http://hubpages.com/food/my-healthier-candied-pecans-or-candied-walnuts-recipe

Cheesecake Balls are adapted from various Lemon Bliss Ball recipes along with Crusted Cheese Ball Recipes online.

SMOKY CASHEW CREAM CHEESE 

WITH DUSTING OF SMOKED PAPRIKA

Smoky Cashew Cream Cheese with Smoked Paprika

Mmm.. as a non-veggie person, I really loved the Philadelphia cream cheese "gourmet" selections like the Salmon one and the dill style.  This is a nice combination of the two, and I get to continue on in kindness!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 C./140 g. of Cashews pieces, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
• 2 T. Water
• 1 1/2 T. Fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice
• 3 1/2 tsp. DILL Pickle Juice
• 1/4 tsp. Liquid Smoke
• 1/2 tsp. Nutritional Yeast (NOT Brewer's Yeast-- different critters!)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• Smoked Paprika OR Ground Black Pepper (optional)

How To Make the Smoky Cream Cheese

• Tools: Food Processor or Blender (Processor preferred), Spatula, Small Shallow Glass Pan 
• Put each ingredient in order into the Food Processor (except Smoked Paprika)
• Process thoroughly until smooth 
• Press into the shallow pan with cover or plastic wrap over, and refrigerate for 24 hours to 7 days.
• Could be made into a ball after its 24-hour resting period (I am definitely going to try that)

This recipe was adapted from one at http://thevegan8.com/2015/08/09/vegan-smoky-black-pepper-cream-cheese/