Though you can leave it out, the recommended secret ingredient in this luscious pimento cheese spread–is…wait for it…riced cauliflower!
Why you ask? This recipe I used to love tastes like too much of a good thing to me now, including salt. The cauli stretches the spread, making it less rich and salty while adding texture without changing the irresistible tangy and smoky flavor. But feel free to make it without if desired.
I enjoy it on celery sticks, crackers, or, here, cooked sweet potato rounds.
Pimento Cheese with Smoked Almonds & Scallions (vegan & plant-based)
8 ounces shredded plant-based cheddar-style cheese Optional: 10 ounces frozen riced cauliflower, cooked according to package directions, and cooled 1-4 ounce jar diced pimentos, drained 3/4 cup smoked almonds, finely chopped 1 bunch scallions or green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 3/4 cup plant-based mayonnaise, or to taste for desired texture 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Pinch sea salt if needed Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper)
In large bowl, stir together all ingredients until completely combined. Adjust mayo and seasoning as desired. Refrigerate, covered, until serving time.
Note: The spread in photo was made without pimentos, as I didn’t have any, and it was still delicious.
Today I offer a perfect late summer vegan/plant-based recipe and an apology…for being “gone” for so long.
First the recipe:
Tomato-Peach Caprese is perfect for a light summertime snack, lunch, or dinner. Made with Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese, fresh peaches and tomatoes, and chopped pistachios, it is especially light and refreshing served with cucumber slices, but serve it with crostini for a treat that is a little more substantial. We love the ricotta, but if you can’t find it locally, feel free to substitute Better Than Cream Cheese. But, good news: all Tofutti products are available at PlantX.
At least 30 minutes before preparing, combine garlic and olive oil in a small container and let steep at room temperature.
In a small bowl, stir together Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese, red wine or balsamic vinegar, chives, and pepper until completely combined. Spread onto serving plate or board.
In another small bowl, gently toss together tomatoes and peaches with 1 tablespoon garlic oil and spoon on top of ricotta. Drizzle with remaining garlic oil and sprinkle with reserved chives, pistachios, and sea salt to taste.
Serve immediately with crackers and/or cucumber slices.
*Created exclusively for Tofutti Brands, Inc. by Betsy DiJulio of The Blooming Platter.
The apology:
As some of you may know, over a year ago, much to my delight, Tofutti Brands hired me as a recipe developer and food photographer. But, since fall 2020, I have also been a full-time teaching artist in the Upper School at Norfolk Academy in Norfolk, VA, where I concurrently–and gratefully–serve as the curator of Perrel Gallery. This rich new path follows a 16-year career as a public high school art teacher. And Tofutti isn’t my only side hustle, as I manage a busy magazine and newspaper freelance writing business.
I share this not as an excuse, but an explanation for my too-long neglect of my beloved website, The Blooming Platter.
Initially, I planned to post a recipe every time Tofutti did, but that plan got sidetracked by life and by my obsessive weekly recipe creation and testing. However, with this post, I am recommitting to that plan. I sometimes create other recipes which I will also share here. But for the most part, I am so consumed–see what I did there?–by my tasty work for Tofutti that virtually all my new recipes include Better Than Cream Cheese, Better Than Sour Cream, or Better Than Ricotta.
Substitutions/Tested Recipes
You can certainly try substituting other brands BUT be advised that, not only are Tofutti my favorite plant-based cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta, but the recipes have only been tested with these products.
Get the Skinny
To make sure you don’t miss a single recipe, visit Tofutti here and sign up for our mailing list where your privacy will be respected and you will not be inundated. But you will receive all our recipes and eCookbooks, with the next featuring recipes for busy school and work mornings, afternoons, and evenings, as we gear back up for another school year.
Spero Foods recently gifted me with a generous supply of their vegan, plant-based, and eco-conscious sunflower seed-based cheese spreads to sample, and I am happy to share both the results of my in-home taste-test of The Cheddar along with my recipe for vegan and plant-based Beer Cheese Soup. You can find my mini-review of Spero’s The Goat and my recipe for a lovely fall butternut squash-based dip or spread made with it here.
Packaged in 6.5 ounce tubs with a fresh, modern look, I have found the ever-so-slightly grainy texture of these products to be appealing. I don’t necessarily need for my spreads to be unnaturally smooth in most dishes. However, though taste is a highly subjective sense, I find that they tend to be over-salted. This was true of The Cheddar, which was also a bit too tangy for me, though my recollection of earthy cheddar from my pre-vegan days includes a pleasant tang.
So, unlikely to eat this spread by itself, I would be more apt to serve it with a sweet chutney or pepper jelly. However, not in need of party food, but in need of a mid-week dinner, I wondered if it would be tasty in a soup sweetened with coconut milk to offset both the salt and the potent tang. It was luscious, delicious, and satisfying, and I hope you enjoy!
Beer Cheese Soup (vegan & plant-based)
Yield: 4 servings
1 tablespoon vegan butter
3 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup vegan beer or non-alcoholic beer
1-15 ounce can coconut milk, lite or regular (I used lite)
In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add celery, onion, a pinch of salt and pepper, turmeric, and garlic powder. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft, but not brown; adjusting heat as necessary. Stir in flour until well-combined, followed by vegetable stock, beer, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and creamy. Stir in The Cheddar spread, apple cider vinegar, mustard, nutritional yeast and Sriracha. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are completely combined and heated through. Serve in bowls, garnished as desired, accompanied by salad and chunks of vegan biscuits or a crusty bread, like maybe pretzel bread nuggets.
Today I share no real recipe, just a suggestion for combining components in the most luscious of grilled cheese sandwiches built on colors and flavors that complement and contrast.
“Sandwiched” between 2 pieces of a rosemary olive oil bread are slices of Tofutti’s American style cheese, griddled green apple (sliced about 1/4 inch thick), caramelized onions, and a harissa cream cheese made with about 2 or so tablespoons of Tofutti Garlic-Herb Better-Than-Ceam Cheese and about 2 teaspoons of prepared harissa. I gently heated them together for a few seconds in the microwave and whisked until smooth.
The tangy cheese slices, tart apple, sweet onions, and spicy cream cheese are the perfect foils for each other.
If you are unable to get Tofutti products where you live, their website Includes a product locator.
Savory Parmesan-Fennel Shortbread make every hour happy!
Few things are better than these tasty rounds–buttery, tangy, and crisp-tender–with a glass of wine or non-alcoholic Proxies (pictured is “Pastiche”). Made by Acid League of teas, fruit juices, vinegars, bitters, herbs and other unexpected ingredients to pair with food, these wine alternatives have an “intoxicating” nose.
A Gift from Your Kitchen
An easy and welcome gift, the Shortbreads pack beautifully inside coffee filter-lined tins which I shared this holiday season with my freelance editors/publishers/clients and other professionals who provide service of inestimable value throughout the year.
On December 27, I contributed a dozen shortbread rounds to a happy hour for two (pictured) at the beautiful home of Angela Phillips. We also enjoyed her air fried brussels sprouts and chestnuts warmed with just a hint of olive oil.
Why Proxies?
Angela lives 8 or so miles away from us and, despite splitting the entire bottle of Proxies, I could drive home safely. These bottles really are “free of alcohol, full of complexity,” but are NOT dealcoholized–and are perfect when you want something beautiful, interesting, and exciting to sip on its own or, especially, with food, but prefer not to imbibe.
The pair of us drank the entire bottle of Pastiche, at only 75 to 100 calories total for each of us. Pastiche is a white wine alternative, made of the following: (FRUIT) Lychee, Pineapple, Peach, Gewurztraminer Grapes; (ACIDITY) Rose Vinegar; (SPICE) Pink Peppercorn, Amchur, Galangal, Clove; and (BODY) Bai Jian White Tea, Oolong Tea, Mosaic Hops. Proxies may remind you a bit of Kombucha but without the assertive fermentation and with many more layered and subtle flavor notes.
2 cups flour 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional) 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 cup Follow Your Heart or your favorite plant-based brand shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup plant-based butter (I like Myokos), broken into chunks 1/2 cup olive oil (may need slightly more or less)
Place first 7 ingredients in food processor and pulse a few times to break up fennel seeds. Add parmesan and pulse a couple more times. Add butter and pulse to distribute. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil, stopping occasionally, until dough comes together, but is not sticky. It should be fairly firm, like roll-and-cut cookie dough. Form into 3 to 4 logs, approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2″ in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Slice rolls into 1/3-inch disks, place 1″ apart on baking sheet, and bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Package in airtight containers.
Vegan and plant-based queso blanco is typically made with cashews and potatoes, but mine is made with cashews and cauliflower for fewer calories and loads of nutrition. Served with plantain chips, it is my new obsession.
Yield: approximately 4 cups
12 ounces cauliflower florets 2 cups raw cashews 4 cups water 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin Juice of 1 medium lemon 2 tablespoons brine from a jar pickled jalapeños 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 2 teaspoons white miso 1 tablespoon cornstarch 4.5 ounce can chopped green chilies with juice Garnish: Fresh cilantro and finely diced bell pepper (I like tri-color) Accompaniment: plantain or tortilla-style chips; also delicious served over Mexican dishes like enchiladas, Quesadillas, and nachos
Place cauliflower, cashews, water, and sea salt in a medium saucepan and gently boil until very tender and all but about 1/4 to 1/2 cup water has evaporated. Carefully transfer to food processor or high speed blender and add all remaining ingredients except green chilies. Process for several minutes or until very smooth. Rinse out saucepan, pour in cauliflower mixture, green chilies and juice, and heat through for a couple minutes over medium or medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Garnish with bell peppers and cilantro, and serve with chips or spooned over the Mexican dish of your choice.
This luscious casserole would be just as at home at a Southern style dinner on the grounds as it would on a fancy brunch or dinner party table. It just depends on how you serve it: disposable foil pan or fine china with a garnish.
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup stone ground grits
4 tablespoons plant-based butter, divided (I like Miyoko’s)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Braggs Liquid Amimos
1 1/2 cups grated plant-based cheddar
1 small onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pound plant-based sausage, crumbled or diced depending on type (I like Gimme Lean for this)
3 to 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
Optional garnish: chopped parsley, pecans, and tiny or diced tomatoes
*Preheat oven to 350ﾟ. Spray an 8 or 9 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. In a medium saucepan, bring unsweetened soy milk and vegetable stock to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in grits and 1 tablespoon butter along with salt, garlic and onion powders, black pepper and Liquid Aminos. Cook, stirring frequently, using a whisk if necessary to break up lumps, for 15 minutes. Lower the heat if necessary to keep at a very low simmer.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter, add onion, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently until soft. Lower heat if necessary. Add sausage, breaking up as needed, and cook a few minutes, stirring very frequently, until sausage begins to brown. Turn off heat.
Stir cheese and spinach into grits mixture. Cover to facilitate wilting and melting. Pour grits mixture over sausage mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to prepared pan, smooth top, sprinkle with remaining half cup cheese, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Garnish if desired and serve immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate.
*If you prefer, you can stir all of cheese into grits and not bake casserole.
A delicious deck dinner with our dear friend and Aint B to our dogs, Bonnie Mattiko, signals the cusp of summer:
Sichuan Slaw over Stoneground Cheez Grits
I sometimes like a slaw-salad mix that is part shredded cabbage/carrot and part mixed baby greens. The dressing was mayo, artisanal habenero pickle juice (though any sweet or dill juice would be tasty), and hot chili crisp to taste. I purchase the crisp in the Asian foods aisle at Kroger. It is piquant, but not too spicy.
If anyone cares about such things, I found a no- cal mayo that allows me all the delicious dressing I want. Called Walton Farms, I purchase it at Harris Teeter and, while I don’t care for it on its own, I really like it jazzed up with assertive flavors such as this.
My friend, Jeff Dunn, to whom I gifted half of the recipe in a red-lidded carton tied with a bow, texted me that “The soup is Phenomenal!! I think this is my new favorite soup of all time.”
This is a rich,creamy, deeply flavored, and dramatically cleaned up version of a dairy-based beer Cheddar soup recipe I came across. It was made with lots of dairy, coconut milk, and no pumpkin, rather pumpkin beer.
While I didn’t taste that soup, I can’t imagine a tastier nor velvetier version than mine made with pureed pumpkin, coconut milk, the vegan beer of your choice, and a small amount of vegan Cheddar supplemented with cheesy and ultra-healthy nutritional yeast.
Pumpkin Beer Cheddar Soup
(vegan & plant-based) Yield: 6 servings
1 medium-large yellow onion, diced 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 vegetable bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon paste 1-15 ounce can pureed pumpkin 1-15 ounce can coconut milk, lite or regular 12 ounces vegan beer (Google to identify vegan brands) 1 cup shredded vegan Cheddar 1/2 cup nutritional yeast Ootional toppings: grated vegan Cheddar, sliced green onions, roasted and lightly salted pumpkin seeds or pecan halves, pomegranate arils, dried cranberries or cherries, sprig of rosemary, sage leaves, croutons, etc.
Cover bottom of large soup pot with water and add onion and salt. Place over medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until onion is soft. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds. Add cornstarch and stir well to combine. Add remaining ingredients, in order, stirring after each to completely combine. Simmer for 10 minutes or so until beer mellows and all flavors marry. Season with additional salt if necessary and serve topped as desired.
