Gifts from the Kitchen, Veggie Cream Cheese
I know, I’ve been on an extreme veggie kick lately! I can’t help it with everything growing and blooming…we are going to plant a raised garden in our backyard this year! Okay, so in my endless quest for more veggies I decided to make some homemade veggie cream cheese.
It’s so much better than commercial cream cheese in a tub.
Next time you’re chopping vegetables, chop up a few extra. The crunchy types work the best and will keep for several days in the fridge. Carrots, celery, colored peppers…
Mix in some low fat cream cheese until it’s a spreadable consistency. Add seasonings or fresh herbs to taste. I didn’t have any fresh basil or parsley, or I would have added that right before serving. Don’t add anything too perishable to the mix or it will wilt…just add at the last minute.
Store in a covered dish or plastic tub in the refrigerator for up to a week. This makes a quick healthy alternative for lunch.
I decided to have a little fun with cookie cutters. I had a butterfly and a tulip~
I used Pepperidge Farm thin sliced wheat bread to make the sandwiches
and added some fun details with grape tomatoes and green onions. The tips of the scallions made great antennae! And the little dots on the tulip are slices from the white of the onion. I used a dab of cream cheese to “glue” the garnishes onto the bread. I added fresh spinach leaves to the sandwiches when I made them.
What fun for a ladies luncheon!
This cream cheese is great for a wrap too… I added crunchy romaine and cucumber slices to this before I rolled it up. I stored one half in saran in the fridge and I had a grab and go snack for the next day.
Veggie cream cheese would make a great GIFT FROM THE KITCHEN too!
Pack it in a jar or plastic tub and tie with a cute ribbon. Add a tag with suggestions for use and storage info. This would be a great hostess gift, welcome gift or “just because” for a good friend or neighbor.
Here’s the recipe:
VEGGIE CREAM CHEESE SANDWICHES
Ingredients
- carrots
- colored peppers
- celery
- green onion
- low fat cream cheese
- spinach leaves
- lettuce
- cucumber slices
- cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Chop carrot, peppers, celery, and green onions into small pieces and stir together.
- Add cream cheese until desired consistency. Store covered in fridge up to 1 week.
- Use as a sandwich spread or cocktail spread with crackers. Add spinach leaves, cucumber and lettuce right before assembling sandwiches. Garnish sandwiches with tomato halves or vegetable pieces if desired, by using a dab of cream cheese to glue them on
- Adjust amounts according to volume needed and add any desired seasonings.
Thanks so much for joining me today!
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This is so cute! Lord have mercy, you have outdown yourself. I am so going to try this the next time I have my girlfriends over!!!
Cute idea…♥ the butterfly sandwiches!
I like the fact that you left the veggies a lot bigger than usual. I like to be able to crunch my veggies in a cream cheese spread, and this really looks great! I make cream cheese spread on occasion for bagels, but I’ve never tried it in a wrap. I’ll have to do that!
SO CUTE that you used cookie cutters for the sandwiches!!!!!!!
Your sandwiches are way too cute and would be such a fun way to make lunch for the little ones. You can be sure I’ll be copying that idea. I love veggie/cream cheese spread. Don’t ask me why I buy it at Einstein bagels rather than make it when you make it so simply.
Oh YUM YUM and MORE YUM! 🙂
Oh, this is wonderful! Yum!
What a feast for the eyes and for the tummy! I know this has to be delish. I love your veggie lunch suggestion, a great recipe for keeping it light and healthy.
These are adorable!
Happy to have you at Seasonal Sundays!
– The Tablescaper