Guilt-Free Vegan Cheese Ball

One thing I don't like about parties is party food.  If I attend a function where there's not a real meal, but just hors d'oeuvres and snack foods, I end up eating a lot but don't feel satisfied.

This cheese ball may not satisfy all of your hunger, but at least you can eat and enjoy as much as you want.  It is made using cashews, sun dried tomatoes, and seasonings.  The cheese ball works well with bread, crackers, vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2C raw cashews (whole or pieces)
• 3T sun dried tomatoes, chopped in small pieces
• 1/4C nutritional yeast flakes
• 1t salt
• 1t onion powder
• 1/2t dry ground mustard
• 1/2t paprika
• 1/4t tumeric
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1T mellow white miso
• 1T apple cider vinegar
• 1T dry sherry (optional)
• 1/2C coconut oil (melted)
• Slivered almonds for coating.

Directions

1. Place cashews and sun dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
2. While the cashews are soaking place dry ingredients (except almonds) in a small ramekin.
3. Drain the water from the cashews and tomatoes.
4. In a large food processor, place the cashews, tomatoes, and liquid ingredients (except coconut oil).
5. Pulse to blend into a paste.
6. Add dry ingredients and continue to pulse until completely smooth.
7. Gradually pour in the coconut oil.
8. Scrape the cheese into a container, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
9. Scrape the cheese out of the container and form into a ball.
10. Cover with slivered almonds.