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Vegan Marshmallow Cheesecake

· Natalie 12 Comments

This is a bit of a deviation from my usually tutti fruity style.  Why the detour?  Well Chocolate Covered Katie inspired me with her question of the day a few weeks ago: “What would be your dream cheesecake flavor?” Instantly marshmallow cheesecake came into my mind.  I made it, and then I tasted it, and it was so amazing it felt wrong to keep it a secret.  So I am sharing with you this very sticky and sweet indulgence.

It’s not raw, but it is vegan.  And it is really easy to make…like 3 ingredients + a crust easy.  And no baking is required. Oh and it’s addictive too.

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When I became vegan it wasn’t cheese or butter or ice-cream that I missed the most.  It was gelatin-based things like jello and gummies and marshmallows.  Luckily Dandies has vegans covered on the marshmallow thing.  I haven’t yet figured out how to make a raw marshmallow, but don’t think I haven’t tried…and will keep trying.marshmallow-cheesecake.jpg

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Vegan Marshmallow Cheesecake

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 480 minutes
  • Total Time: 510 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • CRUST
  • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (warmed to a liquid)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • FILLING
  • 2 cups vegan marshmallows (I used about 24 Dandies Marshmallows)
  • 1 package silken tofu (12 oz)
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil (warmed to a liquid)

Instructions

  1. FOR THE CRUST: Process the oats in the food processor until they are in crumb-sized pieces. Add the remaining ingredients for the crust, and process until combined. It should be moist and stick together when squeezed.
  2. Press the crust into a 6″ springform pan. Refrigerate.
  3. FOR THE FILLING: Melt the marshmallows in the microwave. Keep an eye on them because they will puff up and over the top of the bowl. Just stop and give them a stir so they deflate.
  4. Process the silken tofu in the food processor until smooth.
  5. Add the melted marshmallows and coconut oil to the food processor, and process until smooth.
  6. Pour on top of the crust and refrigerate overnight.
  7. Run a dull knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it before releasing the spring. Slice and eat.

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Raw Zucchini Muffins

· Natalie Leave a Comment

Zucchini bread holds a surprisingly large place in my memories of childhood.  It was a staple around my house.  I’m not really sure how that evolved, but my mom kept the freezer stocked with individually wrapped slices of homemade zucchini bread all the time.  And she doesn’t even like it.  These slices showed up in my lunchbox a lot, and even at classroom events and field trips.  It was always called “spice bread” when other kids (and sometimes adults) were around, because if vegetables are mentioned it tends to make second graders wary.  I could handle the vegetable part, but I didn’t find out there were raisins in it until I had been eating it for years.  My mom ground them up pretty well in the food processor.  I must say I felt a little deceived when I found out that she had been sneaking fruit AND veggies into me at once.

There are a few things I remember most about the zucchini bread I grew up with…

It was always baked in a bundt pan, so three sides had a smooth crust, but the top, which became the bottom when flipped out, was all nubbly.  I hated that nubbly side and usually picked it off.

It was spiced with cloves and cinnamon.  No ginger, no nutmeg.  And there were never any nuts either, even though the recipe calls for walnuts.

It was blended so thoroughly that there were no little green flecks to be seen.  But I like the little flecks, so I left these muffins with a few shining through.

So here’s a throwback to my childhood with a few alterations…okay maybe a lot of alterations.

Raw Zucchini Muffins

Makes 15 mini muffins

1 cup raw buckwheat groats

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup + 2 TBSP flax meal

3 TBSP agave

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla powder

1/4 tsp salt

  1. Grind the buckwheat groats in a dry blender until they form a flour.  Dump the flour into a mixing bowl.
  2. Add the flax, salt, spices, and vanilla powder to the bowl, and stir so all the dry ingredients are well combined.
  3. Squeeze the shredded zucchini in a nut milk bag or towel to remove as much liquid as possible.  Set aside
  4. Add the raisins and agave to a food processor. Process until it forms a thick gooey paste without any large chunks of raisins left.
  5. Add the dry mixture and zucchini to the food processor.  Process until everything is well mixed.  It should form a slightly sticky ball.
  6. Roll the dough into balls, and press into a lined mini muffin pan.
  7. Place a raisin on top for garnish if you want, then place in the fridge so they become firm.

Mango Parfait with Coconut Crunch

· Natalie Leave a Comment

I have been addicted to mangoes lately.  When I carry a basket brimming with mangoes around the grocery store, it attracts countless weird stares and a few comments.  One cashier asked what I was making; another asked if mangoes were on sale as if I knew something he didn’t.  My favorite response was from a woman who looked into my basket of 15 unaccompanied mangoes and just said, “Simple”.

With my recent mango kick, I’ve been eating a lot of mono meals. When I eat just mangoes, I acknowledge how exquisite they are in their unadultered state – perfection that is easily hidden by other ingredients.  The most exciting part is that mangoes aren’t technically even in season yet, which means they are only going to get better as the days get warmer.

So the recipe for today: plate + mangos…

Not really.  While I do believe this is a perfect meal, I can be a bit more creative than that.

Maybe it’s all in my mind, but when food is visually appealing it always seems to taste better.  That’s why I love parfaits.  I can’t resist the look or taste of a jar brimming with ripe fruit and nutty crunch.  I layered banana puree in between the mango instead of the typical yogurt or cashew cream.  Refrigerating the bananas (already ripe and spotty) for a few hours makes for a thicker texture that is a fabulous replacement for yogurt.  It is naturally sweet, naturally creamy, and nothing but fruit.

So here is my little homage to the sweet, creamy delicacy that is the mango.

Mango Parfait with Coconut Crunch

1 serving

2 bananas

2 1/2 cups chopped mango (frozen and thawed or fresh)

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

  1. Puree the bananas in the blender and set in the fridge to thicken a bit.
  2. Puree 2 cups of mango  Reserve 1 TBSP and set the rest in the fridge as well while you make the crunch.
  3. Place the almonds and coconut in the food processor and pulse briefly to chop the nuts into large chunks.
  4. Add 1 TBSP of mango puree to the food processor and process briefly to evenly distribute so the almond and coconut are covered and a bit sticky.
  5. Dice the remaining 1/2 cup mango.
  6. Remove the banana and mango from the fridge and find yourself a beautiful parfait glass or jar.
  7. Layer banana, diced mango, pureed mango, crunch, repeat.  Or whatever order you like; it will be beautiful regardless.

Cacao Fruit Salad

· Natalie Leave a Comment

There is a notion called the curse of knowledge, which means that the more one knows about a topic, the harder it is to relate to other people in regards to that topic.  I feel like I suffer from the curse of fancy kitchen appliances and specialty ingredients.  I always intend to come up with recipes that anyone can make, but I rely too often on my dehydrator and high-speed blender.

To break out of that curse, today’s recipe requires no special equipment, no hard-to-find ingredients.  It’s tasty and so simple, and that is why I love it.

Drop any preconceived thoughts you may have around salads.  About how they should be eaten before a meal or should be full of vegetables or can’t feel indulgent.  This salad is still full of plants, just not the green leafy ones typically found in salads.  It reminds me of a chocolate covered strawberry that has been veganized, simplified, and is full of life.

I commonly make myself a little treat by sprinkling raisins with cacao powder when I want something chocolatey.  I like the slightly bitter coating offset by the sweet chewy center…but I like very dark, bitter chocolate.  I took that idea, freshened it up, sweetened it up, and added cacao nibs for an extra bit of chocolate.  The cacao nibs aren’t a must.  They could be replaced with chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, or just left out completely.

Cocoa Fruit Salad

1-2 servings

5-6 large strawberries

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tsp agave nectar (or liquid sweetener of choice)

1-3 tsp cacao or cocoa powder (I like a lot, you might not)

Optional toppings: cacao nibs, chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, etc.

  1. Chop the strawberries into large pieces, and mix with the other berries in a bowl.
  2. Drizzle the agave nectar onto the berries, and toss to evenly coat.
  3. Place the berries in the fridge for at least an hour so the berries start to release their juices and get really sweet.
  4. Serve the fruit onto plate(s).
  5. Place the cacao powder in a strainer.  Dust the fruit by lightly tapping the edge of the strainer so it snows chocolate flurries over those beautiful berries.
  6. Sprinkle on toppings, and indulge in salad.

This recipe is flexible of course.  The important elements are fruit + cacao, but I think banana or blackberries or cherries would be a great addition/substitution here.

Related Posts

Raw Mini Blueberry Muffins

· Natalie 4 Comments

The first time I tried a homemade blueberry muffin with real blueberries I hated it.  The blueberries were so tart!  I was comparing them to the little sugar pellets that I had come to know and love in boxed muffin mixes and those sugary mini muffin pouches.

The first time I tried making my own homemade blueberry muffins with real blueberries they turned purple.  Which was fun in a Heffalump kind of way, but not what I wanted.

The first time I made raw blueberry muffins was just a few days ago, and I was amazed by the result.  Just an hour in the dehydrator made these little guys taste, and even more importantly feel, so much like classic, baked muffins.  They taste great without being dehydrated as well, but there is something about a slightly warm muffin that is divine.

I used dried blueberries in these muffins because I love their concentrated flavor, and their mini size fits best in these mini muffins.

Raw Blueberry Mini Muffins

Makes 9

1/2 cup buckwheat groats (preferably soaked and dehydrated)

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 TBSP flax seeds

2 TBSP coconut oil, melted

3 TBSP agave

1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon juice

3 TBSP dried blueberries

  1. Add the buckwheat groats, coconut, and flax seeds to the dry container of the blender and grind until it forms a flour.
  2. Pour the dry mixture into bowl, and add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Mix with a spoon or your hands.
  4. It should stick together if you squeeze it in your hand.  If it seems too dry you may need to add a little bit of water.
  5. Roll the dough into balls and press into a mini muffin pan lined with paper liners.
  6. Refrigerate, or for a real muffin experience dehydrate for an hour at 115 degrees.  Alternatively you could “bake” them in the oven (not raw) if you don’t have a dehydrator for about 25 minutes at 200 degrees.