Holiday Time

Cranberry Banana-Blueberry Cheesecake

It's nearing the Christmas holidays and I am starting my celebrations early this year. Today I'm in the kitchen preparing for guests. Here's the menu:


Salad with sesame ginger mustard dressing
Whipped Mashed Potatoes
String Beans
Neat Loaf
Cranberry Banana-Blueberry Cheesecake
Hot chocolate (non-dairy)


For those of you who have my book - Vegan Bite By Bite - The Neat Loaf recipe is on page 141.
I just documented the dessert recipe and here it is below:


CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE
Crust
Coconut flour to dust 7" spring form pan (bottom and sides)
15 dates
2 cups shredded coconut
5 tablespoons water
Filling
3 cups raw cashew nuts
2 cups pure water
1 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1- 7.5 oz. pkg. fresh cranberries
1 large banana
1 - 6 oz, pkg. blueberries


Directions:
1. In a food processor puree dates and water and place in a medium bowl. Add shredded coconut and mix together by hand. Dust a 7" spring form pan with coconut flour. Press the crust mixture tightly on bottom and high sides of the pie pan.
2. Blend filling ingredients EXCEPT blueberries and banana and leave in blender until step 3.
3. Add sliced banana and add blueberries to pie pan and pour filling in blender into the pie pan, stir lightly.
4. Refrigerate at least 24 -48 hours for the pie to set up properly. The longer it is refrigerated, the firmer it will slice.
5. Use a serrated knife along the edges of the pie crust before releasing the pie from the spring form pan - for easy release.

Serves 12 - 16


My husband Wendel makes up a delicious hot chocolate out of cacao powder, almond milk, dates, pinch of cumin and cinnamon and a teeny, teeny, teeny pinch of cayenne pepper. Lately we have been having this treat since it seems rare to be able to order this when we are out and about.