RAW VEGAN CHEESECAKE BARS - with seasonal mango

Even though headlines about nutrition and food trends keep changing daily, one thing is for certain: sugar does absolutely nothing good for your body. Though I have quite a sweet tooth, the one thing that I consciously have been trying to do is consume less sugar, especially that of the refined variety. I’m far from successful — it’s really hard to say no to ice-cream, and I crave a piece of chocolate now and then. But the one thing that I think works to help reduce sugar consumption, is to find ways to satisfy your sweet tooth with natural forms of sugar, with desserts that are more forgiving.

These vegan cheesecake bars are forgiving when it comes to sugar — it only contains a small amount of maple syrup (or raw honey if you’re not entirely vegan), and relies on naturally sweet ingredients like dates, cashews, and coconut milk. Make no mistake though, if you think you’re going to stop eating real cheesecake after making these, you’re wrong. Cheesecake is still amazing (and nothing can replace a good New York style slice); this is a great substitute to keep in the freezer to satisfy a random craving.

The recipe is super simple, and requires no baking at all. The crust is made from dates, nuts, and a pinch of sea salt, whereas the creamy filling is the magic of soaked cashews and rich coconut milk. It’s totally raw for those following a raw diet, can be made gluten-free, and entirely vegan. It’s also refined-sugar free.

I topped my vegan cheesecake bars with seasonal mango slices, but it’s so versatile. You can make many different combinations once you get the basic recipe:

try a tablespoon of cacao powder in the crust, and swirl in peanut butter in the filling for a chocolate PB cheesecake. Top with cacao nibs
swirl in raspberry or blueberry compote for berry flavours
top with different fruits like kiwi, pineapple, mango, strawberries
mix in 1/2 teaspoon of matcha in the filling for matcha cheesecake

A few things to note:

Do not skip soaking the cashews overnight. Yes, it does require a bit of planning but it’s worth it. If in a pinch, soak the cashews for 2 hours in boiling water. It won’t be as creamy, but will do the job.
The crust is customisable. Use nuts, oats, or a mix of the two. You can even use crushed Oreos (without the cream filling), because guess what — Oreos are vegan!
The cheesecake bars should be frozen to maintain their shape and texture. You can eat them straight from the freezer for an ice-cream like consistency, or let them thaw outside for 10 minutes before serving.

RAW VEGAN CHEESECAKE BARS

Serves: 16 squares

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

1 cup pitted dates
½ cup almonds or rolled oats
Pinch of sea salt

For the filling:

1½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight in cool water or for 2 hours in hot water)
¾ cup coconut milk
⅓ cup pure maple syrup (or raw honey if not vegan)
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or olive oil; optional - will make it creamier)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of sea salt

Topping: thinly sliced mangoes

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the dates in your food processor or high speed blender and blend until it forms a ball. Remove and set aside.
Next, add the almonds/rolled oats and a pinch of salt to the food processor and blend to form a meal. Add back the dates and blend again until it comes together like a sticky dough, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula if required. The “dough” should stick together when pressed between your fingers.
Lightly grease an 8x8 inch pan (or alternatively you can make the cheesecake in a standard muffin tray), and line with parchment paper on the sides for easier removal.
Scoop the crust mixture into the greased and lined pan and press down with fingers or the bottom of a cup/glass. Make sure the crust has evenly coated the bottom of the pan. Set in the freezer while you make the cheesecake filling.
To make the filling, add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Add more coconut milk to help blend if required. Taste and adjust flavour. Add more lemon juice for tartness, or maple syrup/honey for sweetness.
Pour the filling evenly on top of the cheesecake crust, and tap on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles.
Allow it to freeze for an hour until slightly firm before you top with mango slices. Return to freezer for 6 hours (or overnight) until completely set.
When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and let it thaw for a few minutes. Use a hot knife (knife dipped in hot water) to cleanly slice the cheesecake into bars and serve.
You can store leftovers in the freezer for upto 3 weeks, just thaw for 10 minutes before serving.

*Note:

Skip the oats and use nuts instead to make it gluten-free.