Cheese balls are a crowd favorite–especially in the fall and winter months. But they’re not always the healthiest option on the table. Take a crack at making your own updated version–replacing cheese with cashews. It’s a perfectly easy, lactose-free alternative for the upcoming holidays.

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain the cashews. Place in a food processor, and process on high speed until crumbs form. Add the yeast, miso paste, garlic, lemon juice, basil, and onion powder, and mix on high speed to make a smooth paste. Season with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
2. Transfer the mixture to a cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth around the mixture, forming it into a ball, and twist the top, squeezing out as much moisture as possible.
3. Tuck the ends of the cheesecloth underneath the ball, and place it in a colander.
4. Suspend the colander in a larger bowl, and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for 2 hours, until the liquid no longer drips and the ball holds its shape.
5. Sprinkle the nuts on a plate. Unwrap the cheese ball, and roll in the chopped nuts until fully encrusted. Serve with crackers.

Recipes reprinted from Cut the Sugar, You’re Sweet Enough: Cookbook. For more recipes perfect for the home cook, pick up your own copy of  on Amazon.com.