Gettin' Easier to Be Cheezier!

I eat mostly vegan now, to keep my heart from exploding. People are always asking "Don't you miss cheese?" Yes, yes I do. I was a cheesemonger for fucks sake.

But what I don't miss is the cholesterol. Some folks have bodies who process it no problem, and can get all sorts of cheesy. I can not. I don't get all woe is me about it. Instead I look for ways to get cheesy without clogging my arteries.

So color me all sorts of happy when I found Field Roast is now making a vegan cheese! I've been a big fan of theirs since I discovered their Vegan Italian Sausage. It's fennel flavor and great texture work wherever meat sausage would.

So I tried the Chao in a grilled cheese. It was good, but honestly as long as it melts, you can't mess up a grilled cheese. I wanted to try something else. Something that would satisfy the craving for gooey cheesey goodness, but wasn't all hippy-dippy granola.

So here you go...

Chao Broccoli Bites

Serves 4

• 6 slices of Chao Creamy Orginal, chopped
• 1 head of Broccoli, florets only, steamed and chopped
• 1 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1/4-1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 TBS Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the Chao, broccoli and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs together. Mix in the vital wheat gluten and mix well. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. If the mixture won't hold together in balls, add more vital wheat gluten. Form the mixture into balls, the size is up to you.

Roll the bites in the rest of the bread crumbs to coat.

Grease a sheet pan with the olive oil and place the broccoli bites on it, then place in the oven.

Bake the bites until golden all around, turning from time to time, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove and let sit for a few minutes then dig in.

I had some extra mixture left over, so I tossed it into the oven in a small cast iron pan then ate it with some hot sauce on top. Because, why wouldn't you?