Chock full of raw veggies, this is one snack spread you can literally feel good about serving and eating, especially if you make it using probiotic-rich homemade yogurt cheese. This is a favorite for parties, or just for enjoying while watching a ballgame together. My boys love it with homemade Spelt Thins, and I enjoy it on top of my favorite homemade GF crackers.
Veggie Confetti Spread (GF)
Ingredients
- 4 oz homemade yogurt cheese (or cultured cream cheese)
- 1/4 cup each of your 4-5 favorite raw veggies (see suggestions below)
- 1/4 tsp of Celtic sea salt
- Pinch each of dried parsley and dill weed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add homemade yogurt cheese (or cream cheese), salt and seasonings. Use a fork to mix well to combine.
- Finely dice ¼ cup of your favorite raw veggies such as carrot, broccoli, celery, green onion, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, etc. (I do not recommend using cucumber, unless you lightly salt it and let it sit in a colander for at least an hour to drain. Otherwise, it will make your cheese spread soggy.)
- Add finely diced veggies to the seasoned soft cheese and use a fork to mix together until well incorporated.
- Line a small glass bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and add the veggie-cheese mixture to the bowl. Place in fridge at least one hour (or overnight) to harden.
- When ready to serve, remove from fridge and place flat side down on serving platter. Gently remove plastic wrap. Serve with your favorite crackers, such as my Grain-Free Simple Herb Crackers.
What exactly iIS cultured cream cheese? As in seperating it from the whey in raw milk? Any other way of getting it?
Hi, Jaci. Cultured cream cheese is cream cheese that has come as the result of cultured cream. (I make it using buttermilk starter added to cream. You can also make cultured sour cream using this same method, less the straining part.) My friend Wardeh has a free video you can watch that shows you the process for creating your own: http://gnowfglins.com/2011/06/07/free-video-homemade-flavored-cream-cheese/# You can also purchase it from companies such as Nancy’s brand, if you don’t have the time/interest to make it yourself: http://www.nancysyogurt.com/index.php/products/organic-cream-cheese. The benefits are that it adds some healthy probiotics to your diet. Thanks for your question! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Kelly, could I use yogurt cheese? I’m thinking about making yogurt cheese (straining yogurt to separate whey and solid) and I think this might work. I’ve heard that yogurt cheese is close to texture/consistency/flavor of cream cheese. I guess I could just experiment!
Yes, you certainly could. That’s a great idea and offers so many benefits! Let us know how you like it! 🙂