Naturally Nosey #5

This installment of Naturally Nosey comes to us from the great state of Minnesota. Meghan Lafferty, a chemistry librarian at the University of Minnesota, is quite the little home spun chef. Molecular gastronomy anyone? She was kind enough to submit this recipe from the Vegetarian Times...and it is vegan!!!

CHIVE AND WALNUT "CHEESE" BITES
Makes 28 bites - Vegan - 30 minutes or fewer

The VT staffers couldn't get enough of these bite-size appetizers—and
couldn't believe they were made with tofu cream cheese. (Fresh chives mask the soy flavor.)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided
16 oz. tofu cream cheese
1 cup fi nely chopped chives, (4 bunches), divided
1/2 small shallot, minced (1 Tbs.)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet, and bake
8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Cool, and grind finely in food
processor.
2. Stir together cream cheese, 3 Tbs. chives, shallot, smoked
paprika, and 3 Tbs. walnuts until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Scoop mixture into 2 tsp.-size balls. Roll half in remaining chopped
chives and half in remaining walnuts. Serve immediately.