Coconuts and Kettlebells

EGG-FREE, NIGHTSHADE-FREE, VEGETARIAN

For years, my mom would order a professionally made raw cheesecake for me for my birthday. Everyone in our family loved it so much that it quickly became the cake we got for all special occasions. One year, being the amazing wife that I am, I forgot to order a cake for my husband’s birthday and was left to take the task to the kitchen. I’m happy to say that thanks to this recipe, his birthday was not ruined, and the mini cheesecakes have now taken over as the preferred option in the family.

Makes 12 servings (1 mini cheesecake per serving)

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour soaking time and 4 to 6 hours chilling time

Cooking time: none

Filling

1½ cups raw cashews

⅓ cup raw honey

½ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup canned full-fat coconut milk

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 fresh raspberries

Crust

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup raw pecans

Pinch of sea salt

1. Bring 1½ cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Place the cashews in a glass bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Soak the cashews for 1 hour, then drain and rinse.

2. Meanwhile, to make the crust, place the dates in a food processor and pulse until broken down into small pieces. Add the pecans and salt and process until a loose dough forms. The mixture should stick together when you squeeze it between your fingers.

3. Place a standard 12-cup silicone muffin pan on a baking sheet, or use a standard 12-cup muffin tin lined with silicone or parchment paper baking cups.

4. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture into each well of the pan, pressing firmly to flatten it evenly. Use the back of the measuring spoon to pack the crust down. Set aside.

5. To make the filling, place the cashews, honey, lemon juice, coconut milk, coconut oil, lemon zest, and vanilla in a blender and blend on high speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary.

6. Pour the filling evenly over the crusts. Lightly tap the baking sheet or muffin tin against a hard surface to smooth the filling and remove any bubbles. Place 1 raspberry on top of each cheesecake.

7. Freeze the cheesecakes until they solidify, 4 to 6 hours.

8. Pop the cheesecakes out of the molds and serve chilled. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Noelle’s tip: You can serve these right out of the freezer, or let them thaw for 10 minutes before serving so they have a softer texture.

Change it up: Use fresh blueberries instead of raspberries.

Serve it with: Whipped Coconut Cream for topping