Christmas is around the corner, and that means some serious meal planning and cooking is about to go down!
Are you the one entertaining this year, or perhaps you need to take a side dish to a Christmas party?
Then this Christmas Tree Breadstick Appetizer will definitely impress the guests! It's both delicious and pretty, and will be a hit at your holiday gathering.
The base of the sauce includes whole and natural ingredients such as cashews, tofu, and spinach that add some protein and essential vitamins. So not such a guilty treat ;-)
Christmas Tree Breadstick Appetizer
INGREDIENTS:
2 packages of croissant rolls, or croissant dough.
1/2 cup cubed tofu (organic & non GMO) & drained well ( this is approximately 1/4 package)
1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (refrigerated, not canned)
1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight)
2-3 cloves of garlic (peeled)
1/2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-3/4 cup vegan mozzarella
1/2-3/4 cup vegan cheddar
4 cups of spinach
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
Once recipe is mixed, sprinkle 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp of onion, and salt & pepper to taste.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend all the ingredients (except spinach, onion, croissant, and cheese) in a high-powered blender till smooth, then place aside. You only need about 1/2 cup of this mixture. You will have a little bit left over.
2. With a pair of scissors, cut the spinach to make sure it is small enough. On a hot skillet, sauté the onions, then add the spinach until wilted.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cheese, spinach and onion mix, and 1/2 a cup of the cream, together.
Now onto constructing your tree!
4. Take two pieces of croissant dough and lay them side by side on a large cookie sheet. Then press them together. Cut the sides to make the triangle shape. Save the excess dough.
Add a thin layer of the cheese and spinach mixture, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You don’t want the filling to be super thick, or it won't cook through.
5. Cover with the extra dough, then carefully cut the tree while leaving the middle uncut. Do 1/2 inch strips all the way down.
6. Gently grab a tiny piece and twist it. The goal is to keep the pieces from separating when you twist it.
7. Bake at 300 F for approximately 20 minutes, making sure it does not burn.
8. Gently run a knife along each breadstick so someone can easily tear a piece off.
Serve and enjoy!!
