To me, cooking is about unwinding and getting creative with flavour combinations and ingredients. It’s about fuelling your body with delicious food that not only tastes good but does good. After trying restricted diets when in my first year of university, I found (like many others) it was hard to keep those cravings at bay. However by ditching the diets and realising that food is meant for enjoyment, I managed to turn my focus to creating food that I loved into healthier options packed with goodness….
Matcha & Spirulina Tropical Smoothie Bowl
What’s green, delicious and full of vitamins? Our matcha and spirulina tropical smoothie bowl! If you’re bored with those same old green smoothie recipes and want to try something a little different and super tasty, this one’s for you, kid.
In truth, this smoothie combination came about when I had a craving for something green, but had just run out of the usual suspects: spinach, kale, celery, cucumbers, etc. I did have some frozen lychees and mangos on hand, though, and a boat load of superfood supplements at my disposal. And so this gloriously delicious smoothie bowl was born: slightly earthy thanks to the spirulina and matcha powder, suitably punchy thanks to the mango, banana and lychee combination, and just sweet enough thanks to a lovely dried fig. What’s lovely about this recipe is that none of the flavours are particularly overpowering – they all work together in perfect synergy and the frozen fruit give the blend a perfectly thick and creamy texture….
Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Isn’t it a wonderful thing when you discover something so amazing it changes your life forever? Like an amazing new brunch spot, or an incredible new face cream?
Part of you probably doesn’t want to disclose this information to the public, scared that the restaurant might become so busy that getting a table will now become a challenge, or that the beauty product might sell out so quickly, you’ll be left without your new discovery. I’m not going to lie, for a moment I second-guessed sharing this recipe, but after rationalizing the outcomes, realized that I was in safe territory and that the supply of the few ingredients needed for this recipe were not likely to disappear. So without further ado, allow me to kindly introduce you to “The New Cheesecake”.
This recipe consists of only a handful of ingredients, most of which you might have in your pantry. Easy, healthy and no baking required.
A vegan lifestyle is quickly becoming to hippest trend here in southern California, and eating “raw” would be considered the hottest accessory to this lifestyle. Turning cashews into cream might seem like a strange concept, but once you have tried this recipe, your kitchen confidence will skyrocket and you’ll be attempting all sorts of magical tricks (nuts into cheese?).
The best part about this recipe it is versatility. I have tried so many variations. Raspberry, lemon, chocolate…endless really. If it blends, it might just work!
Is this raw vegan peanut butter cheesecake healthy? It sure it! Now, let me clarify – being that it is basically all nuts, it will carry a pretty high caloric number, BUT, if you consider the ingredient list, what you are swapping it out for (high refined sugars and animal fat!) then yes, it is by far the healthier choice. Also, being raw means that the vitamins, enzymes and minerals of the ingredients are not broken down in the cooking process, and therefore completely available to your health-inspired goals.
So dig in my friends and enjoy!
Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Prep time
Total time
This delicious raw vegan cheesecake is endlessly versatile and super easy to make.
Three Silver Spoons Author: Kate Metzner
Serves: One 7" cheesecake
Ingredients
- Crust:
- ½ cup raw almonds (pecan or walnuts will also work)
- ½ cup soft Medjool dates
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Filling:
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours (overnight is best)
- juice of 2 lemons
- the seeds of 1 whole vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract)
- ⅓ cup raw coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for the middle layer
Instructions
- Place nuts and dates in a food processor with sea salt and pulse to chop until they are to your desired fineness. If the ingredients hold together, your crust is perfect. Scoop out crust mixture into a 7” spring-form pan, or any baking dish. If it is not a
spring-form pan, line the bottom of the dish with saran/cling wrap to avoid the crust from sticking to the bottom. (I used 3 minispring-form pans for this specific recipe). - Press firmly, making sure that the edges are well packed and that the base is relatively even throughout. Rinse food processor well.
- Warm coconut oil and agave in a small saucepan (or microwave) on low heat until liquid. Whisk to combine.
- In the most powerful food processor/blender you own, place all filling ingredients (except peanut butter) and blend on high until very smooth. This may take a couple minutes so be patient.
- Pour about ½ of the mixture out onto the crust and smooth with a spatula. Add the peanut butter to the remaining filling and blend on high until smooth. Pour onto the first layer of filling. Place in freezer until solid (approx 2-3 hours).
- To serve, remove from freezer just minutes prior to eating. Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices. Serve on its own, or with chocolate ganache toppings and crushed nuts as pictured.
- Store leftovers in the freezer.
Cherry Acai Smoothie
After my workouts, I love to drink a high protein smoothie packed with natural ingredients. One of my favourite tips for amazing smoothies any time of the year is to always have frozen fruits on hand at any time. That way, you can enjoy the fruits of any season regardless of the time of year. It took me some time to find a store which sells frozen cherries, my absolute favourite smoothie ingredient, but now I have a regular supplier that keeps me happy all year round!…
Chocolate, Maca & Pecan Granola
When you can combine chocolate, superfoods and granola – it’s safe to say a party in your mouth ensues. This is one of my favourite go-to snack (and breakfast) for when I’m feeling that chocolate craving. It’s packed full of healthy, energy and protein-rich ingredients, but has just the right about of sweetness to make it feel like an extra-special treat. And it features one of my favourite nuts (when I’m in the mood for playing favourites, because lets face it, all nuts are pretty damn awesome)- PECANS….
Go-To Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Looking for an easy, filling, tasty make-ahead meal idea? This lentil and vegetable soup has been a go-to of mine for a few years now, and it’s a recipe I never tire of. It is wholesome, hearty and relies on easy-to-find fridge and pantry staples. It can be made ahead, frozen in portions and reheats perfectly. It’s a thrifty, budget-friendly meal (even if you opt to use exclusively organic ingredients) that’s suitable for those eating vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free. And, most importantly, it’s super-tasty!…
Festive Christmas Salad with Cabbage & Candied Pecans
I don’t think I will ever grow out of the childish excitement for Christmas. There is just something magical about this time of the year, when the Scandinavian winter takes hold, and we curl up inside around the fireplace, put up Christmas decorations everywhere, cover our bushes in fairy lights, and enjoy the company of our family. Simply amazing….
Virtuous Kale Salad
With its earthy flavour and super food status, kale has become one of the most popular greens around. This nutrient rich plant is high in calcium, potassium, copper and iron as well as vitamins A, C and K and folic acid- which are essential for healthy bones, skin and eyes. Safe to say its achieved cult status as the trendy way to get your daily dose of green- the hippest cafés around the world, will always feature a kale-something-salad on their menu. And in my opinion, the praise is well deserved! Equal parts good for you and tasty, it’s a fresh new way to incorporate vibrant raw greens into any diet….
Pumpkin Porridge
‘From my Little Kitchen: The Holiday Edition’ brings you over 30 delicious and easy-to-follow whole food recipes designed by Three Silver Spoons contributor and nutritionist, Melanie Lionello. The ebook is fantastic for those busier months in the year when we are all time-poor but wanting to maintain our healthy eating. There are plenty of recipes to suit all tastes including vegan, gluten-free, grain-free and lactose-free, as well as recipes for those wanting a lighter, and healthier holiday season that doesn’t skimp on taste!…
Vegan Sunflower Sunbutter Cups
One of my greatest loves in life is freshly made peanut butter. There’s something about those little nuts, crushed in their own oils, which always makes me happy. This is potentially why I feel so much empathy for anyone with a nut allergy. If you are one of these unfortunate few, this recipe for sunflower butter (affectingly known as sunbutter) will change your life. It’s spreadable, dipable and spoonable in all the best kind of ways. It also happens to make the most mouth-wateringly smooth, dark chocolate covered, sunbutter cups….