Spicy Pumpkin Cashew-Cheese Dip Recipe

It's autumn—leaves change color and begin to fall. The air smells fresh and pumpkins appear on doorsteps and porches. Time to break out the fall recipes.

Spicy Pumpkin Cashew-Cheese Dip is a yummy appetizer you can take to your autumn gatherings and harvest events. I first got a taste of the appetizer when Leslie Cole brought this delicious pumpkin dip to a neighborhood wine event.

The recipe comes from Kathy Patalsky at Healthy Happy Life. Kathy is a vegan chef and in case you didn't know, cashews are used as cheese in many vegan recipes. Thus the cashew-cheese in the title.

This is the easiest recipe to throw together as long as you don't forget to soak the cashews the night before. Drain the cashews and add to the food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Be careful adding the cayenne pepper. First try 1/4 tsp and taste before adding more.

Add some whole pumpkin seeds to the blended mix and process until chunky. Then pour into the baking dish, add some whole seeds to the top and bake at 250 degrees for 30 to 50 minutes depending on how dry you want it and the depth of your baking dish.

You don't really need to bake this dish, but it's nice warm on a cool fall evening.

Pumpkin Spice Cashew-Cheese Dip

From Kathy Patalsky @ Healthy Happy Life

Yield 4 cups

Category Appetizer

Cuisine Vegan

Ingredients

1 can 15oz pumpkin (unsweetened, pure)

2 C raw cashews

1/4 C maple syrup

2 Tbsp grapeseed oil (olive oil or pumpkin seed oil)

1/4 C lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/3 C pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Soak cashews overnight in salted water. Drain.

2. Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

3. Add drained cashews, pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, lemon juice, salt and spices to food processor. Blend until smooth. Adjust spices if necessary.

4. Add all put a spoonful of pumpkin seeds to blended mixture. Process for a few seconds to distribute and chop seeds.

5. Pour the pumpkin cheese into a baking serving dish. Sprinkle spices on top with the remaining pumpkin seeds.

6. Bake for 30 - 50 minutes, checking regularly. Cook longer if you want a dryer cheese dip.

7. Serve with sliced apples and artisan whole grain bread.

Try this easy and quick recipe for the holidays.

Also linked at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Share your favorite pumpkin recipe with Healthy Journey Cafe.