We’re back with more holiday bites from the incredible Christmas cooking class with Jenni Kayne and superfood chef Julie Morris. By now you’ve picked up on the face that Julie is a culinary genius when it comes to disguising or highlighting these powerhouse ingredients in the most delicious way possible. Her latest book, Superfood Snacks, inspired our party plans and we hope they inspire yours as well.
We’ve never had a hot toddy quite as amazing as this one – the genius part? Using chai tea bags in place of loose spices. So easy and so delicious. Julie poured Pressed Juicery‘s circulation-boosting ginger and cayenne, stress-relieving apple, lemon, ginger juice to the hot tea with a sprig of aromatic rosemary and voila, a good mood cocktail all around.
These cashew cream cheese stuffed dates – a slightly savory, deeply gratifying step up from dates on a boring cheese plate, this appetizer is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Both raw and vegan, this dairy swap is no sacrifice.
Complete your holiday party plans with our recipes and party details in yesterday’s story as well, chocolate maca crunch truffles included!
Cashew Cream Cheese Stuffed Dates
Makes 48 halves
Ingredients:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
1 tsp sunflower lecithin granules* (optional)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
24 large Medjool Dates, pitted and halved lengthwise
¼ cup hemp seeds
ground black pepper, for serving
*Lecithin will help make the cheese extra creamy. You can also use soy lecithin instead of sunflower.
Directions:
Drain and rinse the cashews, then place in a food processor. Add the lecithin and process for 3-4 minutes, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides as needed, until a paste has formed. Add the vinegar, lemon juice and salt, and process for 2-3 minutes longer, into a smooth whip. While the machine is running, add the coconut oil, and process briefly to blend. Stop the machine and scrape the contents with a silicone spatula into a sealable container.
Cover, and refrigerate overnight to let the cheese firm up.
To assemble, spread a little of the cheese into the cavity of each date half. Sprinkle with hemp seeds and a little ground black pepper.
Pressed Juicery Chai Toddy
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
2, 16-ounce Pressed Juicery Apple-Lemon-Ginger-Cayenne juices (or 32 ounces fresh apple juice)
2 bags Organic Indea Tulsi Masala Chai Tea
½ cup brandy
Rosemary, for garnish
Directions:
Warm the juice and tea over medium low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until hot. Reduce heat to lowest setting, and stir in the brandy. Keep warm, until ready to serve.
Ladle into cups and top with rosemary.
