Girls Gone Vegan

I grew up in one of the top “foodie” places in the WORLD! New Orleans, Louisiana! My aunts gave me ice cream to fix a cold and sprite and apple pie to heal my tummy ache. No wonder, I have loved sweets and treats and food, in general, my entire life.

My Dad died at 42 years old from a massive heart attack. His second within 3 years. The doctor said his cholesterol was sky high and exercise needed to be high on his priority list. He also mentioned that my Dad should stay off so much meat and let his body rest a bit from the high fat. But, with Mardi Gras, holidays, summer crawfish boils, and cold beers on hot humid nights, it was hard to stay away from the food surrounding you at gatherings.

So, when I had kids, turned 40 years old and realized I was overweight, depressed and exhausted, the thought occurred to me that I better wake up!!

My family and I went vegan, or plant-based, that same year. My daughter and I started cooking vegan meals and figuring out amazing desserts so we could stick with this new way of life. She and I started a small, local bakery to help others in the area to begin to eat healthier.

It’s taken us years and tears to perfect, but I have a few pretty yummy sweet treats that are not going to send you into sugar shock, or to the dairy farm 😉

I have too many to share but one is my blueberry “cheese”cake! It is so smooth and creamy; so rich and decadent; you can eat the ENTIRE cake and NOT feel guilty!!

Recipe:

Crust:

1/2 cup Desiccated coconut

1 cup Almonds - raw or roasted

1/4 cup Maple syrup - or brown rice syrup

1 tablespoon Coconut oil - melted

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Cheescake base

Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, with the S blade attachment, add almonds, desiccated coconut, maple syrup, melted coconut, and vanilla. Press into pan.

Soaking cashews - fast method

Prepare two clean bowls, add 1 cup of cashews nuts in each bowl and cover each bowl with boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes. Rinse, drain and use in the recipe.

Filling:

½ cup raw cashews soaked in boiling water for at least 30 mins then drained

16 oz firm silken tofu -excess water drained off

1 cup + 3 Tbsp coconut cream

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons)

1 cup sugar or Erythritol (amazing sugar substitute without the insulin spike)

¼ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

To make the filling, place the soaked and drained cashews in a blender along with the silken tofu, coconut cream, lemon zest and juice, sugar, flour, cornflour, vanilla extract and salt and blend until the mixture is perfectly smooth. You may blend a few blueberries into some of the mixture to make a swirl. Let it settle for 5 minutes to allow some of the air bubbles to pop.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour at 350. When it is ready it should be set but still jiggle in the middle if you tap it.

Blueberry Sauce:

9oz fresh blueberries

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp water divided

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

While the cheesecake is baking make the blueberry sauce, place the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and 1 Tbsp of the water in a pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the berries have softened then mix the cornflour with the remaining Tbsp water, add it to the pan and cook while stirring for another minute or so until it has thickened.

Remove from the heat, allow to cool then refrigerate overnight.

Pour over chilled cheescake. Enjoy 😋