Pimento Cashew Cheese Endive Spears

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with cool water. Soak overnight or for at least 6 hours. If you can’t get to them right away, drain, place back in bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. They will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days. Although not ideal for this recipe, you can also quick soak the cashews by covering with boiling hot water and soaking for 1 hour, then draining and proceeding with recipe as instructed.

Step 2

Once soaked, drain cashews thoroughly and add to your food processor (or a blender – though it’s a little tougher to blend as there’s not that much liquid added).

Step 3

Add minced garlic, garlic powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt and olive oil. Blend until very creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Then add vegan cream cheese, pimento peppers, smoked paprika and cayenne (optional). Blend once more until creamy and smooth.

Step 4

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon zest for tartness, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, garlic for zing, salt for saltiness, paprika for smokiness, or cayenne for heat. I added a bit more nutritional yeast, salt, cayenne and paprika. You want this to be super flavorful, so don’t be shy!

Step 5

Chill: Refrigerate the cheese mixture for 30 minutes to let it firm up slightly.

Step 6

Assemble: Separate the endive heads into individual leaves and arrange them on a serving platter. Spoon a generous dollop (about 1 to 2 tablespoons) of the chilled pimento cashew cheese into the base of each endive spear.

Step 7

Garnish & serve: Top with fresh chopped chives or parsley and serve cold.