vegan blueberry cheesecake

 

We started Whole30 the day we got home from the beach. All that sugary cereal, chips, cheese and lord knows what else really took it's toll on us. As you know you don't do dairy, don't do carbs, don't do sweets. However, the following weekend we went blueberry picking and ended up with wayyyy more blueberries than we knew what to do with. Normally I would have baked some sort of muffins but I found this vegan blueberry cheesecake recipe and it was just perfect! The kids were so excited to have "dessert" with their dinner that evening. 

Two things I need to tell you about this "cheesecake" - number one it was ridiculously easy to make and number two Kevin declared this to be the best dessert I've ever made! So there you go! Can't get a better endorsement than that?

crust:

1 1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 tsp  cinnamon

a tiny pinch of salt

6-8 fresh dates, pitted

filling:

2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight)

1 big lemon, juiced

3/4 cup blueberries 

1/2 cup coconut milk

2/3 cup coconut oil, melted

3-5 tbsp organic honey (or maple syrup)

1 tsp vanilla

toppings:

blueberries and edible flowers

Place the cashews in a big bowl, cover with water and soak overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.

Start by preparing the crust. Add walnuts, cinnamon and salt into a blender or a food processor and grind until fine crumble. Cut the dates into smaller pieces and add in couple turns. Blend until you get a sticky dough. Line the bottom of a cake pan and press the dough to the bottom of the cake pan. Place it in the freezer while making the filling.

Rinse the blender. Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to the blender. Add all other ingredients and blend for a good long while, until very creamy and smooth. Take the cake pan from the freezer and pour the filling on top of the crust. Return to the freezer for 4-6 hours until the filling has set.When the filling has set, take the cake from the freezer and remove the cake tin (I used a springform pan and it worked beautifully). Decorate with the fresh blueberries and edible flowers and let thaw for 15-20 minutes before serving. The cake will remain good in the fridge for a couple of days, for longer periods, store in the freezer.

*recipe adapted from Tuulia