PICKLED FIG, PISTACHIO AND CASHEW ‘RICOTTA’ CANAPES – EASY VEGAN RECIPE
Happy Friday!
My super fabulous successful sister sends me the American Lifestyle Magazine each quarter as part of her real estate marketing efforts. I can’t get over how many great recipes and articles I find in these mags! The current issue has a section entitled, ‘The Art of Simple Bites,’ which is where I found the recipe for Pickled Fig, Pistachio and Ricotta Canapés. I just made a few tweaks (as I’ve been known to do) so it is healthier and free of dairy. This recipe is bursting with flavor and texture and is really pretty to serve as an appetizer at your next dinner party. I tested it out on my taster-friends and it passed with flying colors so now I am passing it on to you.
basic ingredients for this easy recipe
HERBED CASHEW SPREAD I replaced the ricotta cheese with my own version of herbed cashew cheese which contains healthful ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and herbs- foods which contribute to increased energy and clear, radiant skin. Whenever I eat dairy, I am invariably stuffed up the next day and my skin tends to break out. By replacing traditional ricotta with this delicious, dairy-free version, I feel better and my skin is clear (nuts are a great source of fats and oils which are kind to the skin) as well as my conscience. If you have ever had the pleasure of hugging a cow, you know what sweet, lovable beings they are. The dairy industry is in a word – NASTY.
NEXT LEVEL CASHEW CHEESE RECIPE If you have time, click here for another nut-based cheese recipe for your canapés from my Holiday Party Preparedness post last December. I can’t believe we are getting close to Christmas already!! For this recipe, you soak the cashews for about 7 hours and use miso paste to give it an added, fermented flavor. At the end you roll the mix in crushed almonds and more herbs. Truly amazing if I do say so myself.
FIGS Figs are delicate and complex fruit. The texture is both chewy and crunchy and when sliced they make any dish a work of art. Nutritionally, figs are a great source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, copper, manganese and potassium, a mineral which helps to lower blood pressure. When pickled, as in this recipe, they become juicy and plump. I can’t say enough good things about figs. They are my new favorite food!
PISTACHIOS My consumption of pistachios has been limited to family holiday gatherings – my dad is a big fan of pistachios. However, now that I know a bit more about them, I plan to add more into my life. According to a study by an international team of nutritional scientists at Penn State, pistachio nuts, eaten as part of a healthy diet, can increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood of adults with high cholesterol. “Our results suggest that a heart-healthy diet including pistachios contributes to a decrease in serum oxidized-LDL levels, in part through cholesterol lowering, and also due to an added benefit of the antioxidants in the pistachios,” said Kris-Etherton. I inherited high cholesterol so I need to be careful to keep it in check. Since I started eating a mostly vegan diet high in fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables, my levels have come back normal. BTW, the best way to buy pistachios is in their raw, unshelled form.
HERBS This recipe includes dried oregano and basil in the ‘cheese’ and thyme in the fig pickling. From the Washington Post online Wellness section, “…the true power of herbs lies in their wealth of protective polyphenols— plant compounds with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Piles of studies show that polyphenols in herbs help combat such diseases as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and more. Polyphenols are anti-microbial, so they can help protect us from harmful bacteria as well.” Bring on the herbs!!! The article specifically mentions oregano, basil and thyme, which are all included in this post’s recipe.
PICKLED FIG, PISTACHIO AND CASHEW ‘RICOTTA’ CANAPES – EASY VEGAN RECIPE
Ingredients
- FOR THE PICKLED FIGS
- 12 dried black mission figs, sliced into thin disks
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
- FOR THE HERBED CASHEW 'RICOTTA' CHEESE
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in spring water for 30 minutes to 2 hours
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- optional: 1/2 - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (Bragg's is gluten-free).
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup of spring water
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- THE REST
- You'll need about 1/2 cup of shelled pistachios, halved or lightly crushed
- Fresh, toasted baguette bread sliced thin or crackers (for crackers, I love Back to Nature Organic Stoneground Wheat Crackers)
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Sea salt
- Nota bene: Organic ingredients are always recommended.
Instructions
- PICKLE THE FIGS - In a small pot, combine the figs, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, thyme and 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let the figs steep for 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- MAKE THE 'CHEESE' - Place cashews in a glass measuring cup or other container and add enough spring water to cover by 1/2 inch. Let sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours. The longer you soak them, the creamer your cheese. Once the cashews have soaked for at least 30 minutes, drain and place in a food processor. Pulse until they are broken down and crumbly. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until you get a ricotta-like consistency. Want it creamer? Keep going! For this recipe, I preferred it a little chunky but this is your creation so you just do your thing.
- ASSEMBLE - spread about 1 heaping teaspoon of the cashew ricotta on each slice of bread or cracker. Place 1 or 2 pickled fig slices on top and add a little olive oil drizzle, sea salt and pistachios. Finish with fresh or dried thyme leaves. Enjoy!
Speaking of HALLOWEEN, are you wondering what to do with your pumpkins once the holiday is over and it’s time to concentrate on other things like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah?!
Pumpkins are perfect for roasting – both the fleshy part and the seeds are edible and delicious. I like to add cooked squash or pumpkin to my pets’ food. It helps them to.. ahem..you know… do their business. Probably good for humans too if that’s an issue. Do not discount the seeds (for people generally) which are a powerful source of antioxidants and minerals. Here’s what ya do….
Cut your pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and set aside for later. Roast pumpkin halves face down in an inch of water at 400 degrees for approximately one hour. About 25 minutes before time is up, combine seeds with coconut oil, dried rosemary and sea salt and place on a baking sheet. It’s ok if there is stringy pulp around the seeds – eat that stuff too! Put them in the oven and roast. Toss them around after 15 minutes. Once you hear one or two pop, they are done.
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