To increase the font size of this post, simply press the Control key at the same time as the += key (at the top on the numbers row) until you have the size that is most helpful to you.  Start by clicking your cursor directly on the screen Well, you knew, didn't you, that I would have to come up with a #10 recipe for vegan cheez cake? And you knew, didn't you, that it would have to be my all-time favourite, right? Well, I've done a little experimenting, and here it is... It is a lemony-flavoured one again (thanks to the 4 juicy lemons and 2 oranges) but I used soaked cashews for the cake portion because cashews do result in a creamier texture more akin to cheesecake and are bland enough to not give off their own flavour. My BIG innovation was to include a raw chocolate layer between the crust and the cake proper-- just cacao powder, raw honey, coconut oil and lucuma powder, no nuts, etc., so more like a layer of raw chocolate icing (I have not been able to go back to standard processed chocolate or cocoa since getting hold of the Comfortably Raw Chocolate recipes). Have fun with your own innovations! Crust: Soak overnight 2 C. natural raw almonds, pour out the soak water on your houseplants, rinse the nuts, and remove the skins (it's easier than it reads)-- put the skins into the compost. (Also soak in another container, 3 C. organic, raw cashews for the cake) Chop the almonds fine in your VitaMix (or food processor-- personally I can't imagine not having a VitaMix) and pour into bowl Blend together 6-10 madjool dates (minus the pits, of course), a ripe nectarine, or other fruit of choice, and a Tablespoon of Chia Seed Gel (three tablespoons of chia seed in a jar of water left to sit for at least 15 minutes-- longer is better). Spin up into a sort of paste. Lightly blend the almonds and the paste together with a fork. Wipe the inside of the pan you will use (springform is good but not totally necessary) with extra virgin coconut oil. Press in your almond-date-nectarine crust lightly (just so it clings together not so that it hardens into the texture of asphalt.) Sprinkle with dried coconut (as much as you like). Put the crust in the fridge to firm.  Sprinkle with dried coconut shreds. Raw Chocolate Layer Combine 2 T. raw cacao powder and 2 T. Lucuma powder (or raw carob or mesquite would work as well). Melt 3 T. coconut oil and mix into the powder, along with 1 tsp. organic vanilla (or scraped vanilla bean) and raw honey to taste (depends on how you like your chocolate-- I like mine sweet so use about a 1/4 cup of honey). Stir and slightly beat until the mixture is satin smooth. Pour evenly over the chilled crust and put back into the fridge. Chia-zz Cake Layer Combine the following in the VitaMix Canister and blend until smooth: *3 C. soaked Cashews *3 T. Chia Seed Gel *1 C. Fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice (sieved) *1 C. Almond Breeze or other nut milk *Pinch Celtic Sea Salt *1/4 C. melted Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Spread this mixture over the chilled chocolate layer and put back into the freezer or refrigerator until set (2+ hours).  I like to slice it before it is totally frozen. The Taste Test Oh my--perfection! The chocolate layer does require a little skill to to perforate (compared to the cake layer), but remember that Extra Virgin Coconut melts pretty quickly in contact with a warm knife, the open air, etc. (actually, in the Philippines, my son tells me, you don't see coconut oil in anything but its transparent totally liquid state) so just carefully and with some strength, draw the knife through... you will be soooo rewarded.... the crust is reminiscent of those crisp almond chocolate-dipped cookies you can buy in fancy bakeries-- or maybe an Almond Joy Chocolate bar... and the lemon chiazz cake topping is simply delicious.  Go look at this baked almond chocolate-dipped cookie recipe or read this recipe for traditional dairy amoretto cheese cake and tell me that this raw vegan chiazz cake is not totally worth the effort? Enjoy!

To increase the font size of this post, simply press the Control key at the same time as the += key (at the top on the numbers row) until you have the size that is most helpful to you.  Start by clicking your cursor directly on the screen Here is another raw vegan cheese cake recipe that came in on my Twitter feed. I haven't tried it yet myself, but since I am getting ready to go to Camp I thought I would just pass it along now... It is written up by blogger Lea King, (picture left) who blogs at The Leaking Llama-- Lea is a mom to a new little babe.  She writes: "Ok, so for those of you who know me, I am NOT vegan by any means. I do like me some meat and dairy. However, since the a/c has been broken, I have had to be creative. Thus, the raw food kick lately. Here is a little something I whipped up last week. It still needs some tweaking, but will do for now. Crust: 3 cups raw pecans 5 medjool dates 1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar Process pecans in a food processor until they are finely ground, but not forming butter. Add the dates and process until they are finely chopped. With the machine running, add the agave nectar. I didn't measure this, so add it until you can press the mixture together and it holds together nicely. Press this into a spring-form pan that has been greased with coconut oil. Set aside. Filling: 1 1/2 cups raw cashews Meat from 1 thai coconut 1/4 cup fresh coconut water Approx. 1/2 cup agave nectar Vanilla (extract or scraped vanilla bean) Process the cashews until they are finely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients except agave nectar, and process until mixed thoroughly. With the machine running, add the agave nectar (again, I didn't measure, so add until it's sweet enough to your liking). Pour into the pan and spread over crust. Topping: 1/4 cup raw carob powder Agave nectar Add agave nectar to carob powder until thin enough to drizzle over the cake. Sprinkle with fresh raspberries and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. DO NOT drop the entire cake upside-down on the carpet like I did.

To increase the font size of this post, simply press the Control key at the same time as the += key (at the top on the numbers row) until you have the size that is most helpful to you.  Start by clicking your cursor directly on the screen In my continued search for the perfect tasting & textured raw vegan "cheesecake" I put this one together last night. I drew on a couple of recipes, using some of my own fave ingredients (chia seed gel) and substituting a date-nectarine-coconut pudding I'd made a couple of nights before for the date paste that was called for in another recipe's pie crust. It is unlikely that you will have all the ingredients for this raw vegan creation on hand, but it is really worth making as a project for a potluck or dinner with your mother-in-law.  It is very "wow" and healthy. INGREDIENTS 5 C. raw organic/natural almonds, soaked for 5-8 hours, husked so they look like "blanched almonds" 2-4 T. Chia seed gel (put 2-4 T. Chia seed in a jar with a cup or more of filtered water, stir, and let gel for about 15 minutes before using.  Store extra in fridge with lid on.) 5 T. date paste or something like it made from soft, ripe medjool dates (pitted) Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt 1 C. organic Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed (took me about 8 juicy small lemons to get this amount) Organic Vanilla extract without alcohol (or your own vanilla bean) 3/4 C. raw honey (or other sweetener of your choice) 1-2 C. Almond Breeze or other almond milk 1/4 - 3/4 C. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil CRUST Combine 2 C. soaked, husked almonds in VitaMix and process at about level 4 until finely chopped.  Add the date paste and process quickly to add in, but do not process until the almonds turn into almond butter Lightly grease pie plate/pan with some Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Lightly press mixture into springform pan or pie dish or whatever other container you are going to use. Put in freezer or refrigerator CHIA-ZZ CAKE Put other 3 C. husked almonds in VitaMix with Chia Gel, Lemon Juice, Vanilla, Raw Honey, Celtic Sea Salt, and enough Almond Breeze to keep it going and processing smoothly to the consistency of very thick cream. Place Extra Virgin Coconut Oil in a cup inside a bowl of hot water and when it has liquified, add it to the other cake mixture and spin in through. Pour over chilled crust and put into the freezer for a couple of hours. Slice into wedges to serve. Top with fruit or as you desire.  Mwaa--ambrosia!

Holly Hawks from Arizona AM demonstrates how to make a Raw Vegan Lemon-Cranberry Holiday Cheesecake.

Here is another recipe for "raw vegan cheez cake"-- this one is a little more of a stretch with just a mere wisp of memory of what cheesecake is about, but it is simple and quite delightfully tasty, so why not? It is from the Vibrant Vegan website and came to me in a Twitter feed.  Thanks to the creator! The combination of the sweet dates and tart Pink Lady apple give this a flavor slightly reminiscent of "cheezcake." The strawberries make this a refreshing, positively delicious 300 calorie dessert, breakfast, late afternoon, or anytime meal or treat! Ingredients: 6 dates, pits removed 1 Pink Lady Apple, cored 8 strawberries 1 tablespoon agave nectar Preparation: In your food processor/blender, combine the dates and apple until they've been chopped into tiny tiny chunks. Place this mixture on a serving plate and mush together and shape into a circle with a slight lip around the edge of the circle. Set aside for just a second. Blend 4 of the strawberries in your blender along with the agave until smooth. Pour this over the top of the date-apple "cake." Slice the remaining 4 strawberries and place all over the top of the cake, over the strawberry-agave "syrup." Enjoy! Be Vegan, Be Vibrant!