Raw Food Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Seed Cheese
Finally, I am sharing this recipe after so many requests! I made this yesterday and everyone loved it! Luckily I remembered to photograph it before it was all gone!
Add Spicy Pumpkin Seed Cheese to a Yummy Raw Organic Salad
Pumpkin seeds are naturally high in zinc and are therefore excellent for the glandular system. They are also a good anti-parasitic and anti-fungal food, combine that with the garlic and you have a powerful immune booster!
Pumpkin Seed Cheese Ingredients:
- 2 – 3 large garlic cloves
- 1.5 – 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
- Juice of 4-5 limes (freshly squeezed is best)
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (add more to increase ‘spicy taste’)
- 1 tsp. cumin powder (to taste)
- dash sea salt or Himalayan salt (to taste)
Spicy Pumpkin Seed Cheese Directions:
A delicious 100% vegan raw food cheese
Grind the dry pumpkin seeds in a mini food processor. Empty and put aside. Then, chop/grind the fresh garlic in the same mini food processor.
Add the ground pumpkin seeds again, squeeze in the fresh lime and add the spices to taste.
Chop/grind again.
The consistency should be moist; if still dry, add more lime juice. This dip tastes best if left to sit overnight, but can also be eaten immediately.
You can also add 1 Tbsp. of nutritional yeast for some extra B vitamins and ‘cheesey’ taste.
How to Eat
Serve with fresh veggies or add to a salad
Serve this dip with freshly sliced cucumber and carrot sticks for a delicious 100% raw food vegan snack. To use as a salad dressing, try this combo: Peel 3 medium zucchini and then grate with a normal size grater into a bowl. Add 1 bag or bunch of fresh spinach (rinsed and clean). Mix the zucchini and spinach in the bowl. Add 3/4 – 1 cup of the pumpkin seed cheese, mix all ingredients and serve. A simple salad that tastes amazing and is so good for you!
Please note: I call this a ‘seed cheese’ because the fresh lime gives it a slightly cheesey flavor, but there is no cheese or dairy in this recipe, it is pure cholesterol-free vegan protein and raw food bliss!
Raw Pepitas or Raw Pumpkin Seeds
Be sure to use raw pumpkin seeds and not dry roasted pumpkin seeds so you get all the enzymes of the raw food version (and it will taste better too!).
You can buy raw pumpkin seeds in the bulk section of WholeFoods or at your local health food store. The good thing about buying them in bulk is you will often be able to get organic pumpkin seeds.
Occasionally, you may see pumpkin seeds labeled as ‘pepitas’ (Spanish for pumpkin seed). For example, at Trader Joe’s, you will find the raw pumpkin seeds packaged as ‘Raw Pepitas.’ However, the ones at Trader Joe’s are not organic. Remember, always do the best you can with what you have.
More Raw Food Dressings & Dips:
- Recipe for a Fresh Homemade Tomato Mexican Salsa
- Recipe: Raw Tahini, Garlic and Lemon Salad Dressing or Veggie Dip…and it’s Amazing!
- Raw Food Recipe: Raw Mustard
- Raw Food Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Seed Cheese
Jennifer Betesh
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I really love this recipe I think it’s going to be a “go to”.
I can’t tolerate garlic at all, but I might try this with ginger root substituted for garlic… However that might be too fibrous… Can we use ground powdered spices?
Hi Susie, If you can’t tolerate garlic, then simply omit it from the recipe and just use the organic ground cayenne pepper and cumin powder instead. It will still be delicious! (I do not recommend using dried garlic powder or onion powder because, in my experience, they often have added fillers and chemical flavor enhancers). Go for fresh if possible whenever possible! Thank you and Healthy Blessings!
Hi I just made this and I like it very much. I used the garlic and cayenne pepper but not cumin. I suggest maybe using green onions. I also put a tablespoon of Brewers yeast in in.
This is filling and tasty, ticks all the boxes healthwise. Thanks for sharing it.
Hi! Thank you for this recipe. I wanted to ask you, do you need to peel the seeds?
Thanks!
You can buy pumpkin seeds raw, unsalted and hulled (with no shell). So, you don’t need to peel anything. Enjoy!
You can buy the pumpkin seeds all ready shelled. That’s what you want.
i just made this and it’s good! i didn’t have limes so i used lemon and only used one garlic clove. thank you for sharing this with your readers.