Goat Cheese Crostini

My favorite vegan goat cheese is a blend of vegan feta, non-dairy sour cream and non-dairy cream cheese (see full recipe below).  It makes for a deliciously tangy, creamy spread that will surprise those in your life still eating goat's milk cheeses.  This crostini could wear multiple hats: an hors d'oeuvre passed around with cocktails, part of an antipasto tasting plate, served alongside a leafy green salad or - my favorite - served with a big bowl of soup.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces prepared vegan goat cheese*
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 8 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread

1. Combine the prepared goat cheese in a bowl with the thyme, lemon juice, and garlic.

2. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a jelly roll pan or baking sheet, and bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Note: definitely use a fresh loaf of sourdough, not presliced bread; you'll want that heftiness and freshness for the best results. 

3. Remove from the oven and turn the slices over; spread evenly with the goat cheese mixture (about a heaping tablespoon per bread slice).  Bake for an additional 5 minutes, until well toasted.

The crostini will be best served immediately.  Because they're crispy-crunchy, the crostini are perfect for dunking into a bowl of soup.  Tonight I paired with a store-bought white bean soup, but you could also try my White Bean Soup from this blog.

*To prepare the goat cheese, combine 3 ounces crumbled vegan feta (such as Veg Cuisine), 2 tablespoons Tofutti cream cheese, 1 tablespoon vegan sour cream, and a splash of lemon juice; mix with a fork until blended, and then proceed as directed in the recipe above.  You can prepare the goat cheese in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (2 crostini), Calories 214 

Tasting Notes:
Absolutely delicious.  The lemon juice and sourdough both gave a tangy zip to the flavor, and the fresh thyme was great.  The bread was toasted to perfection - just slightly soft and chewy in the center, but crisp on the outside... and perfect with that bowl of soup.  I hadn't really anticipated the garlic flavor, but one bite and I knew this would be my new go to "garlic bread" for pasta nights in the future. 

Rating:
4