Pomegranate Cheese Ball Appetizer

Need last minute holiday appetizer inspo?! I’ve got you covered with this delicious Pomegranate Cheese Ball. Filled with cream cheese, extra sharp cheddar cheese, crunchy pecans, sweet golden raisins and juicy pomegranate seeds- you really can’t go wrong, and everyone will thank you for making this dish. Before we go into the super simple recipe details, let’s chat for a second about eating delicious holiday food without guilt, stress or anxiety. Because appetizers like Pomegranate Cheese Balls are too tasty to feel bad about eating!

Sure, Pomegranate Cheese Balls are loaded with fat and calories. But does that mean they should be avoided?! Absolutely not. One snack, meal, day or even weeks of eating will not make or break your health. It’s what you eat overtime that plays the biggest determinant in your health! And while foods like fruits and veggies supply more vitamins, minerals and fiber than a cheese ball, having a good relationship with food is more important for your health if you find yourself struggling with the consequences of food restriction and dieting like thinking about food constantly, binging or feeling out of control with forbidden foods when you’re by yourself, and feeling extreme guilt and shame after eating certain foods.

Checkout my segment with BLOOM TV here for tips on enjoying fun food like appetizers this holiday season without food guilt. 

AND make a grocery list stat so you can pick up the ingredients for this crowd-pleasing appetizer before it’s too late! 

Pomegranate Cheese Ball

Ingredients: 

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese 
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ tsp. Ground cinnamon 
• 7 oz. pomegranate seeds

1. Place pomegranate seeds on a paper towel in a single layer. Allow them to sit for 1-2 hours, to dry out and make them easier to stick to the cheese ball. 
2. While the pomegranate seeds are drying, place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Grate the sharp cheddar cheese and add to mixing bowl. Next, add in golden raisins, chopped pecans and ground cinnamon. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined and form into a ball. I like to wrap plastic wrap around the cheese ball to create a more firm texture. 
3. Roll the cheese ball in the pomegranate seeds. Next press pomegranate seeds into empty spots on cheese ball that did not pick up pomegranate seeds when rolling. Note, this can take a few minutes and firmly pressing pomegranate seeds into cheese ball helps them stick better. 
4. Store in refrigerator until time to serve. Serve with crackers, fruits and veggies!

Tag me on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel when you make this delicious appetizer!