• Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the dates:

• Use a small knife to carefully cut a slit down the length of a date. Use your fingers to remove the pit in the middle and discard it. Repeat with the remaining dates so that your dates are all pitted.
  
• Scoop 1 - 2 teaspoons of vegan cheese into the cavity of the date where the pit used to be. Gently squeeze the date closed so that the cheese is on the inside. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dates so that they are all filled with vegan cheese. Alternatively, you can fill the date with a smoked salted almond instead of the cheese.
  

For the rice paper bacon:

• In a small dish, mix together the nutritional yeast, oil, soy sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder and liquid smoke.
• Now take two sheets of rice paper. Quickly run them under water and place them on top of each other on a clean work surface. Let the rice paper rest for 15 - 30 seconds, the rice paper will soften and stick together. Use clean scissors or a sharp knife to cut strips about 2 inches wide.
  
• Take one of the rice paper strips and dip it in the marinade to coat. Wrap the marinated rice paper strip around one of the dates and set on the prepared baking sheet. The rice paper will continue to soften as it rests.
  
• Bake until they are dark brown 12 - 16 minutes, flipping the dates halfway through so both sides are crispy. Allow the dates to cool for 10 minutes before serving, they will get crispier as they cool. Serve warm or cooled, they are great both ways!