Stunningly Delicious Real Food Raw Cheesecake

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – May 5, 2012

Apparently when I vocalized my passion and beliefs about how food makes a significant difference to our overall health, people began to see me as the food police. I am here today to dispel any such notion of being a party pooper. I am all about gathering a crowd and celebrating everything. Since this is the season of graduations and Mother’s Day, I wanted to share with you a rrrrraaaawwwwdiculously good and super easy real whole-food desert that will dazzle even the pickiest eaters. 

This is a scrumpdillyious good real whole-food raw cheesecake. Your guests will undoubtedly exclaim from the rooftops that this recipe tastes exactly like standard American diet (SAD) cheesecake, but you will have the quiet satisfaction of knowing how healthy this dessert really is, but we won’t tell.

This raw cheesecake recipe just takes three easy steps: crust (easy, throw in food processor and press down into pan); "cream cheese" (easy, throw everything in high-speed blender and pour on top of crust); and sauce (easy, throw everything in high-speed blender and pour on top).

The raw cheesecake recipe is very rich, so cut small slices and invite over a crowd! 

Crust ingredients:

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (or a combination of walnuts and macadamia nuts)

1/2 cup dates

1/4 cup dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut

1 pinch sea salt

“Cream cheese” filling ingredients:

3 cups cashews

3/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup agave or honey

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

Up to a 1/4 cup of water, if necessary, to facilitate blending

Fruit topping ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries

1/2 cup dates

How to make this raw cheesecake recipe

1. Throw the macadamia nuts and dates into your food processor. (Don't add the coconut!!) Process the nuts and dates until they form an airy crust.

2. Next, get our your cheesecake pan (or just a basic glass brownie pan if you're like me and don't have fancy cookware) and sprinkle the coconut on the bottom of the pan to prevent the crust from sticking. Then press the macadamia nuts and dates down into the pan to form the crust.

3. Throw all “cream cheese” filling ingredients into your high-speed blender and blend! Add  water as necessary to facilitate blending. Add as little water as possible.

4. Place the above in freezer for an hour or so until firm.

5. Meanwhile, throw your strawberries and dates in your high-speed blender. Blend until nice and smooth. Pour this mixture on top of the frozen cheesecake. Pllace the raw cheesecake back in freezer. Freeze until this raw cheesecake reaches the desired consistency!

6. Defrost this raw cheesecake for about one hour before eating.

Trust me, you will want to cut the pieces small. The cheesecake is rich, but worth every bite. 

Be well! 

About Sheila Mullen – The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.