Vegan Charcuterie Board with Sweet Treats

Recipe Developer: Gina, @healthylittlevittles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 5-7 guest

Why we love it: Charcuterie boards are a perfect platter to serve when you're entertaining guests, or have limited time to make a dish and want to outdo yourself. With a variety of sweet and savory foods, there is something to indulge in for everyone.

Alternatives: Want to make a 'healthier' charcuterie board? Add more fruits like pineapple, bananas, and strawberries and dip them in vegan chocolate to make them taste delicious. You can also add vegan artisan cheese to make a beautiful French-inspired spread. Miyoko's Creamery sells dairy-free cheeses that will make your charcuterie board look like a restaurant-style cheese board.

Health Benefits: There are many health benefits to charcuterie boards because the foods are raw, meaning nothing on the board is cooked. You can make this board as healthy as you want by substituting dessert foods with natural sugars like dates and fruits. Dates are a good source of antioxidants and will give you energy. They are low in calories and taste delicious. If you want to add variety to the board, dairy-free cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. Vegan cheese is made of real foods like nuts and legumes, so you don't have to worry about unhealthy oils or high saturated fats, the unhealthy ingredients in dairy.

Make it for: Your dinner party and pair it with a glass of red wine.

Ingredients:

Suncore Foods Rose Apple Chips
Pistachios
Vegan, gluten-free marshmallows
Strawberries
Vegan, gluten-free peanut butter cups
Suncore Foods Red Pitaya Dragon Fruit Chips
Gluten-free graham crackers
Suncore Foods Longan Puffs
Grapes
Gluten-free pretzels
Suncore Foods White Pitaya Dragon Fruit Chips
Sugared cranberries
Apple
Cookie dough stuffed dates
Suncore Foods Toasted Coconut Chips

Instructions:

1. Layout all your chosen foods, get creative and don't forget to pack it full! Use bowls for nuts, seeds, dips, coconut chips (don't forget to wash any fresh fruit).

2. Melt your dark chocolate/chips for about 30 seconds in the microwave, stir and if needed microwave for an additional 15 seconds until completely smooth.

3. Make your vegan caramel. Melt the coconut oil and maple syrup together in a small saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the almond butter and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk constantly until it starts to thicken, then remove from heat.

4. Garnish with fresh flowers if desired.