Raw Peach Cashew Cheesecake

 Warm weather is almost gone and fall is on the horizon. As one last hurrah to the sun (and the amazing Michigan peaches I finished off last week), this raw peach cheesecake deserves a spot on the table.

This two-layered cheesecake has the perfect lemon tartness from the bottom layer, contrasted with the sweetness of peaches from the top layer. The crust is, well, amazing as well. The dates hold it all together while the almond give it just that little bit of crunch. Since it's a raw cheesecake, that means it's diary free! (and gluten free for those who were wondering).

Enjoy this summer-filled peach cheesecake with the last rays of sun before winter!

Adapted from My New Roots
Makes a 9-inch cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup soft medjool Dates
1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling:

2 1/4 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours
juice of 2 lemons
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup honey
3 peaches

Directions:

1. Place nuts and dates in a food processor with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are to your desired fineness (process a finer crust longer than a chunky one). Test the crust by spooning out a small amount of mixture and rolling it in your hands. If the ingredients hold together, your crust is perfect. Scoop out crust mixture in a 9” spring-form pan and press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well.
2. Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan on low heat until liquid. Whisk to combine.
3. In the most powerful food processor / blender you own (you decide which one has the most torque) place all filling ingredients (except raspberries) and blend on high until very smooth (this make take a couple minutes so be patient). If you have a Vita-Mix, absolutely use it.
4. Pour about 2/3 (just eyeball it, you can’t make a mistake!) of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. Add the peaches to the remaining filling and blend on high until smooth. Pour onto the first layer of filling. Place in freezer until solid, about 5 hours. Its best to make this the day before.
5. To serve, remove from freezer 20 minutes prior to eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices. Serve on its own, or with fresh fruit. Store leftovers in the freezer.

Fig Zucchini Pasta and Hemp Seed Crumble

Being summer time, I love eating fresh fruit and vegetables. My mom and I grow a vegetable garden every year, and one of our (and many people's) biggest yielding crops is our zucchini. I am always looking for new recipes to use our abundance of zucchini in. This recipe caught my eye because it looked so fresh and easy to make. Plus, it had figs! Figs are one of my favorite foods, both dried and fresh. Once again, being summer, there are plenty of fresh figs in the store!

Lauren and I made this dish the other week (when we also made No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars and Raw Peach Cheesecake). Let me tell you, this dish is actually amazing. I can't even express how amazing it is. It took about 15 minutes total to make and was gone it about 5. We both went back for seconds and only had a tiny bit left over. The figs add a sweet taste, while the garlic in the hemp crumble gives it a savory taste. The zucchini pasta is light and fresh, yet the crumble adds some protein and substance to the dish.

The Hemp Seed Crumble, as you may notice, makes a little extra than you need for the pasta. The crumble tastes cheesy and can be used a vegan parmesan cheese. It works great on any type of pasta, salads, or even on pizza!

Adapted from Nutrition Stripped
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Pasta:

2 zucchini, spiralized
2 cups fresh mission figs, sliced
1/2 avocado, diced
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
dash of black pepper

Crumble:

Makes 4 Servings
3 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted and chopped
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
pinch of sea salt
1/2 clove of garlic

Directions:

Pasta:

1. Spiralize the zucchini. This will vary depending on your spiralizer. Cut the end off each zucchini before spiralizing, then peel the long way. If you don't have a spiralizer, you can use a vegetable peeler instead. Place zucchini in large bowl.
2. Add sliced figs and diced avocado and stir.
3. Add the lemond juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Top with Hemp Seed Crumble. (I use about half of the crumble and save the rest)
5. Enjoy immediately! Extras should be kept in the fridge.

Crumble:

1. Toast pine nuts until fragrant and golden in color.
2. Using a knife or food processor, chop the walnuts and pine nuts until they are coarsely crumbled.
3. Add nuts hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, and garlic to small bowl and stir until combined.
4. Add sea salt to taste.
5. Crumble will keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.

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Sunny Ginger Lemonade

Spring break is upon us, which means I have spent the last few days basking in the sun and drinking cold, fruity drinks. Spring break was much needed for me this year. With school and the amount I am working, I was in need of some Arizona sun and time to relax. Arizona is one of my favorite places to go. There's great food everywhere, countless mountains for hiking, and it's the perfect temperature this time of year. 

With the amount of time I spend (sweating) in the sun, I end up drinking so much liquid. The majority is water, but this drink is a fun way to mix it up in the middle of the day. It's quick to make, and so refreshing. The ginger gives it a little kick and also gives it a little effervescence. I used strawberries because that's what we had on hand, but the original recipe used soaked goji berries, which I can only imagine would be amazing. Feel free to use agave or honey, depending on your taste and dietary (vegan) preference.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Juice from 1 large lemon

3 cups water

5 strawberries

1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Agave/honey to taste

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until liquefied

2. Fill two large glasses 2/3 full with ice and pour drink to fill cup

3. Enjoy!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter is another one of those staple foods in my diet. The problem I have with it though, is that once I start eating it, I can't stop. These cookies are full of peanut butter and also hard to stop eating once I start. These cookies are so easy to make (they are no-bake after all) and are a perfect bite-size treat. I found this recipe on Oh, Ladycakes. She has become one of my favorites lately, as all of her stuff is dairy-free and she has lots of desserts. I haven't made very many of her recipes yet, but I love looking at all of them and have added quite a few to my never-ending list of things to make.

The recipe calls for rolled oats, which you will process in a food processor. Don't use oat flour because you will want to keep the oats more coarse than a flour. Medjool dates can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store; if yours aren't fresh anymore, soak them for 15 minutes beforehand to soften them up.

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
Pinch of fine sea salt
10 medjool dates
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
6 tbsp coconut milk (any nut milk works)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, blend the oats and sea salt into a fine meal.
2. Add the dates and peanut butter; blend for 30-45 seconds. 
3. Add the nut milk and pulse until just combined. 
4. Roll dough into small balls and place on a flat surface lined with wax paper. Press a fork into the tops like you would any peanut butter cookie, then freeze for 15 minutes to set. 

*Refrigerate cookies in an air tight container for up to two weeks. Cookies will keep in freezer for months.

Creamy Chocolate Shake

Sometimes I get this crazy chocolate shake craving. It's rare, but when it happens this is the perfect fix. Smooth, creamy, and chocolatey; this shake hits the spot every time.

The avocado is great in here because it makes it super creamy, but you can't taste it at all. If you don't have hemp protein powder, don't worry about it. I like to add it in for a little extra protein, but it's not necessary.

makes 1 large shake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 avocado
1 frozen banana OR 1 banana and 4 ice cubes
2 Tbsp hemp protein powder
1 Tbsp honey
1.5 Tbsp raw cacao powder

Directions:

1. Put all items in blender and blend until smooth.
2. Enjoy!

Mango Cashew Coconut Bites

I currently have four recipes in my drafts, just waiting for me to finish up and post. These mango bites were one of them! I made these snacks before heading back to school after Easter. I always make a bunch of snacks that I can easily store in my dorm room or freeze and eat between meals when I am hungry. My body seems to need food every three hours-on the dot- whether I like it or not.

Once again this recipe is from Sarah at My New Roots. She made them for traveling, and I would agree that they work perfect for travel. I stored mine in my freezer at school and would just eat them frozen (mostly because I was too impatient to let them thaw). They were still soft while frozen, so it worked well.

These are so yummy, it is hard to only eat one. Be careful to not over-soak or over-process them while making them or they become too mushy and the texture of each ingredient mixes together. The pinch of salt and the lime zest really bring out each of the flavors in these bites, so don't skip out on them!

Recipe makes about 32 mango bites; 40 calories each

Ingredients:

2/3 cup raw cashews
1 cup dried mango pieces (purchase unsweetened, unsulfured)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
1-2 tsp. honey, for sweetness if desired
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
lime zest
pinch sea salt
pinch ground turmeric (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak cashews for 3-4 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Soak mango for 15-20 minutes until slightly softened, but not mushy.
3. In a food processor combine all ingredients except honey. Pulse to combine until a sticky dough is formed. It is important to process the minimum amount in order to keep some texture in the dough. Taste for sweetness and add honey if desired.
4. Spoon out about a ½ tablespoon amount of mixture at a time and roll into a ball with your hands. Roll in coconut to coat. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in freezer indefinitely.

*Try not to over-soak, cashews and mangoes become very mushy very quickly