Raspberry Swirl RAW Vegan Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

Crust 

1 cup pecans (pre-soaked then dehydrated)

8 medjool dates (pits removed)

Cheesecake

3 cups cashews (pre-soaked)
2 lemons (peeled)
1/2 cup raw organic honey
1/2 cup raw blue agave
1 tbsp mesquite powder (optional)

1 tsp Madagascar vanilla paste

2 tbsps organic coconut oil

1/2 - 1 cup water

Raspberry Swirl

1/2 pint organic raspberries
1/2 cup of your cheesecake batter

Super Berry Garnish (Optional)

1/4 cup raspberries
2-4 large strawberries
1/2 tsp acai powder
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp raw blue agave
2 tbsp water

Making The Crust

1. Take your dehydrated pecans along with your unpitted medjool dates and put them in the food processor.
2. Chop and grate them until it looks like this.
3. This is all you need to do for a lovely healthy pie crust! Go ahead and taste it...you know you want to.
4. Pat your crust into your spring-form pan.
5. Let it sit in the freezer while you make your cheesecake batter. /OR/ Dehydrate the crust for a firmer texture and feel.

Making the Cheesecake

1. Take all of your cheesecake ingredients and put them in your Vitamix. 
2. Blend until creamy and smooth. 
3. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter /or/ leave 1/2 cup of the cheese cake batter in your Vitamix for the Raspberry Swirl.
4. Pour the contents into your cheesecake pan on top of your crust (with the exception of about 1/2 cup of the cheesecake batter).
5. Let the batter settle un-refrigerated. 
6. You have a choice...you can stop here or you can continue to make the raspberry swirl...

Making the Raspberry Swirl

1. With your remaining batter (1/2 cup) that you left in your Vitamix, add about 1/2 pint of your raspberries and blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Take a spoon and put several spoonfuls all over the top of your cheesecake, in your pan.
3. Take a butter knife and swirl in the desired decoration. I typically don't plan a decorative swirl, I just make small circles until the top is covered a bit.
4. Then place your Cheesecake in the freezer over-night (or at least 4-8 hours) to set.
5. You can stop here unless you want the Super Berry Garnish...

Making The Super Berry Garnish 

1. Take your ingredients and put in your blender and blend. Feel free to add more agave to your taste. I used very little sweetener, as my berries were in season and very sweet.
2. Put in the refrigerator and put on top of your cheesecake only after it is completely frozen and set.

Finishing up the Cheesecake

1. I decided to put left over raspberries on the outside of my cheesecake to help decorate it a bit.
2. Then, instead of pouring the garnish all over it, I pour it over individual slices, that way if someone doesn't want the extra sauce they don't have to have it.
3. I let if freeze for about another hour before serving. To set the raspberries in place on top.

You now have cheesecake...don't eat it all in one sitting...enjoy!  Now, this certainly doesn't replace the decadent richness of The Cheesecake Factory...but it sure does give them a run for their money. *smile*

TIPS:

(1) Please Note: No one sells un-pitted medjool dates, that I've heard of. You have to remove the pit from the middle of the date.
(2)  If you dehydrate your crust instead of freezing it. It will make it firmer and give it a "cooked" feel. Because of the natural oils in the pecans, the cheesecake may "move" a bit (sliding off the crust, as it unthaws). So I typically dehydrate my crust for a bit.
(3) If you add a dash or two of cinnamon to your crust, it will certainly spice things up a bit.
(4) If you want a more "tart" taste to your cheesecake, in addition to the 2 whole peeled lemons, please feel free to add the juice (only) of one or two lemons. That will make it more tart, like the average cheesecake. I was going for a sweeter feel with this cake, than tart.
(5) You'll notice I used raw organic honey and raw blue agave with Mesquite to sweeten this cheesecake...here's why...I simply love the flavor that the wild raw organic honey brings to this dish. However, if you are someone who is anti-honey, or you're watching your sugar intake, please feel free to substitute by using 1 cup of raw blue agave (instead of half honey and half agave). I added the Mesquite powder, as an option, because it not only brings a light "carmel" flavor, but it helps to make this dish low glycemic, as mesquite powder is good for balancing out the way the body digests sugar. 
(6) Settling the cheesecake helps it to (a) spread evenly in the pan; and, (b) prevent air bubbles throughout the cake. If your batter has visible air bubbles on top, let it settle until the air bubbles go away.   
(7) If your raspberries aren't in season, you can let them sit for a few hours in your Super Berry Garnish, so that it soaks up the sweetness! Then place them on top of the cheesecake.
(8) The chia seeds in the Super Berry Garnish, helps it to thicken like a compote...while adding extra nutrients!
(9) The base of this cheesecake recipe can be used to make any other kinds of cheesecakes. Just add the fruit, root, vegetable of your choice and get creative! 

-------------

Click Here For More RAWsome Recipes

-------------

PLEASE NOTE! This sites content (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business(es) (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used: 

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE-------


Copyright © 2011-2012 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.

Garlic Hemp Salad Dressing

Garlic Hemp Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup hemp oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt

Put everything in your Vitamix blender and blend into until its all mixed up.

Kale Salad 

(finely chopped kale, cucumbers, tomatoes with Garlic Hemp Salad Dressing massaged into the Kale, with nutritional yeast---Topped with 1/2 an avocado)

This is a great salad dressing that is light, yet flavorful. I have it often over raw kale (as seen in the picture above). It helps to mask the strong flavor of the kale.

Unlike normal oils, hemp oil, doesn't create fat in the body. You'll see this evidenced when you refrigerate it. Unlike most oils, this oil doesn't get "solid"... this shows us that it does not create fat in the body, but rather helps the fat to move out. So don't be worried about this salad dressing having an oil base! 

Hemp Oil is 57% linoleic (LA) and 19% linolenic (LNA) acids, in the three-to-one ratio that matches our nutritional needs. These are the essential fatty acids (EFAs)-so called because the body cannot make them and must get them from external sources. The best sources are oils from freshly ground grains and whole seeds, but EFAs are fragile and quickly lost in processing. EFAs are the building blocks of longer chain fats, such as eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that occur naturally in the fat of cold-water fish like sardines, mackerel, salmon, bluefish, herring, and, to a lesser extent, tuna.

Adding these foods to the diet seems to lower risks of heart attacks because omega-3 fatty acids reduce the clotting tendency of the blood and improve cholesterol profiles. They also have a natural anti-inflammatory effect that makes them useful for people with arthritis and autoimmune disorders.

-------------

Click Here For More RAWsome Recipes

-------------

PLEASE NOTE! This sites content (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business(es) (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used: 

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE-------

Copyright © 2011-2012 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.

Carrot Cantaloupe Juice

Carrot Cantaloupe Juice

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs organic carrots
• 1 canteloupe
• 1 inch round piece of ginger (optional)
• 1 cup water (optional-for blender use only)

Makes 40 oz

Put it in your juicer ... and juice it!

 

No juicer? No problem! Blend in your Vitamix. Then strain through a nut milk bag or a paint strainer bag...and pour in your storage container. For detailed instructions on making juice in the blender click here.  

 

----------------------------------------------- 

Some Health Benefits 

Carrots: Did you know the carrot is a root vegetable? It's sweet and succulent taste is  rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin-A. 100 g fresh carrot contain 8285 mcg of beta-carotene and 16706 IU of vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers. Carotenes are converted in to vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful fee radical injury.  In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. Carrots are rich in poly-acetylene anti-oxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors. Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals. This root vegetable is especially contain good amounts of many B-complex group of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body. It also has healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.  

 

Cantaloupe: Ranks among the most nutritious foods you can eat. It provides more than 19 vitamins and minerals with minimal calories per serving. Including more fruit, including cantaloupe, in your diet helps reduce your risk of chronic disease and contributes to weight management. It's rich in vitamin A, with 5,412 international units per cup. The vitamin A in cantaloupe comes from the antioxidant beta carotene, which the body converts into the vitamin. Vitamin A promotes vision health and helps to fight free radicals in the body that cause aging and disease. Cantaloupe also contains 58.7 mg of vitamin C per cup, almost 100 percent of your daily needs, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Vitamin C is essential for healthy body tissues, assists in the absorption of iron and also acts as an antioxidant to improve immunity. Cantaloupe is a high source of potassium. With 427 mg per cup, cantaloupe offers almost as much as a small banana. Potassium helps keep the fluids and minerals balanced in your body, regulating blood pressure, energy, muscle function and digestion. Cantaloupe provides 1 g of fiber in each cup. It also provides 33.6 micrograms of folate, or about 9 percent of your daily needs based on a 2,000-calorie diet. 

 

----------------

Click here for more juice and smoothie recipes

----------------

 

PLEASE NOTE! This sites content (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business(es) (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used: 

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE-------

Copyright © 2011-2012 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.

Root Juice II

Root Juice II

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs organic carrots (peeled)
• 3 beet roots (peeled)
• 1 pineapple
• 1-2 cups of water (for juicing in blender only)

Makes (about) 60 ozs

Put it in your juicer ... and juice it!

 

No juicer? No problem! Blend in your Vitamix. Then strain through a nut milk bag or a paint strainer bag...and pour in your storage container. For detailed instructions on making juice in the blender click here. 

 

This juice is soooooo good! It tastes like a much healthier form of fruit punch! Seriously, the children will even love it. What a way to get carrots and beets in without even tasting them!!! How awesome is that! The trick is the sweetness of the pineapple, makes it super yummy! You have to try this!

----------------------------------------------- 

Some Health Benefits 

Carrots: Did you know the carrot is a root vegetable? It's sweet and succulent taste is  rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber. They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin-A. 100 g fresh carrot contain 8285 mcg of beta-carotene and 16706 IU of vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers. Carotenes are converted in to vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful fee radical injury.  In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development. Carrots are rich in poly-acetylene anti-oxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors. Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals. This root vegetable is especially contain good amounts of many B-complex group of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body. It also has healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. 

Beet root: Beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables. Certain unique pigment antioxidants present in root as well as top greens have found to offer protection against coronary artery disease and stroke, lower cholesterol levels in the body and have anti-aging effects. The root is rich source of phytochemical compound Glycine betaine. Betaine has the property of lowering homocysteine levels in the blood. Homocysteine, one of highly toxic metabolite, promotes platelet clot as well as atherosclerotic-plaque formation, which can be harmful to blood vessels. High levels of homocystiene in the blood results in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and peripheral vascular diseases. Raw beets are an excellent source of folates; contains about 109 mcg/100 g (Provides 27% of RDA). Folates are necessary for DNA synthesis in the cells. When given during peri-conception period folates can prevent neural tube defects in the baby. It contains significant amounts of vitamin-C, one of the powerful natural antioxidant, which helps body scavenge deleterious free radicals one of the reasons for cancers development. The root is also a rich source of niacin (vit.B-3), pantothenic acid (vit.B-5), pyridoxine (vit.B-6) and carotenoids, and minerals such as iron, manganese, and magnesium. In addition, the root indeed has very good levels of potassium. 100 g fresh root has 325 mg of potassium or 7% of daily requirements. Potassium lowers heart rate and regulates metabolism inside the cells by countering detrimental effects of sodium. 

 

Pineapple: is a fruit that contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that digests food by breaking down protein. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that consumption of pineapple regularly helps fight against arthritis, indigestion and worm infestation. Fresh pineapple is an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Vitamin C is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body. It also contains good amount Vitamin A (provides 58 IU per 100 g) and beta-carotene levels. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes, skin and essential for vision. Studies have suggested that consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. In addition, this fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is helpful cofactor for red blood cell synthesis. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. 

 

----------------

Click here for more juice and smoothie recipes

----------------

 

PLEASE NOTE! This sites content (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business(es) (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used: 

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE-------

Copyright © 2011-2012 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.

Garlic and Herbed Hummus

Garlic and Herbed Hummus

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans of organic chickpeas
• 2 tbsp organic coconut oil
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tsp braggs liquid aminos
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4 nice size garlic cloves (or more to taste)
• a lil water 1/3 cup water 

Put everything in your Vitamix blender and blend into until smooth and creamy.

This is a really good hummus recipe. It makes a lot, but it goes really fast! *smile* Enjoy!

-------------

Click Here For More RAWsome Recipes

-------------

PLEASE NOTE! This sites content (including but not limited to: all food, hair and skin care recipes; tips; tutorials; writings; and, downloads) are absolutely free to the public! Because it's free, I ask one simple favor in return, as your token of appreciation for my humanitarian effort...I realize you may want to share and maybe even use Veg Vivaciously's content in your business(es) (including but not limited to: blog(s), e-zine(s), website(s), free publication(s), etc). You can, as long as you (1) do not charge a fee; (2) cite the direct link of the Veg Vivaciously content used; and, (3) include the verbiage below with the Veg Vivaciously content used: 

-------COPY BLURB BELOW-------

This content was originally from Veg Vivaciously, a website that teaches healthier alternatives one veggie at a time. You can get your FREE (food, hair and skin care) recipes, tutorials and other writings and tips directly at www.vegvivaciously.org. PLUS you can stay connected and join the Veg Vivaciously community on Facebook, Twitter and/or even download the Veg Vivaciously Toolbar and/or Phone App to stay in the know!

-------COPY BLURB ABOVE------- 

Copyright © 2011-2012 Veg Vivaciously All Rights Reserved.