Cheese Ball

• 3/4 cup shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup no-salt-added, reduced-fat (2%) cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 (8 oz) package fat-free cream cheese, cut into quarters, at room temperature
• 1 (0.9 oz) package dry vegetable soup/recipe mix
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley OR 1 cup chopped walnut pieces

Pulse the cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, mustard, and cayenne in a food processor until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and soup mix; process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Scrape with a spatula onto a large sheet of plastic wrap.

Wrap the plastic around the cheese mixture and shape it into a 4-inch ball or 7-inch-long log with your hands. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, sprinkle about half of the chopped parsley (or walnuts) in a circle onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Unwrap the cheese ball or log and place on the parsley. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top and press to help the leaves adhere. Carefully roll any uncoated areas in the loose parsley, and smooth the shape, if needed. Place on a serving plate and surround with cut-up vegetables of your choice.

Makes 8 servings (1/4 cup), 2 WW PointsPlus each (4 if using walnuts)