This dairy-free, gluten-free cheesecake features fresh veggies and nuts to arm our bodies against the aging process. Avocados and almonds are drenched with helpful fats and nourishing minerals needed to keep our toes tapping and skin glowing.
This recipe is from The Virtuous Tart cookbook (read our review here) by Susan Jane White. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO.
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Strawberry and Basil Cheesecake
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Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups walnuts 180 g
- 6 Medjool or other sticky dates, stones removed
- Pinch of sea salt flakes
- 3 ripe avocados, stones and skin removed
- 1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves only
- Juice of 3-4 limes
- 6 tablespoons raw honey
- 3 tablespoons unschented coconut oil, melted
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
Instructions
- To make the base, blend the walnuts, dates and sea salt in a food processor (not a blender) with a splash of water. When it starts clumping together into a cookie dough ball, you’re good to go. Press into an 8-inch loaf pan. Bring the dough up the sides, making sure you support the elbow of the base—the part where the base meets the sides. Freeze.
- Meanwhile, to make the "cheesecake" filling, in a blender or food processor, purée the avocado flesh, basil, the juice of three limes, 4 tablespoons of honey and the melted coconut oil at full speed until smooth. Taste. If it needs more zing, add another squeeze of lime juice to the mix. If you prefer more sweetness, add an extra bit of honey. Spoon the filling over the frozen base and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. The cake will last for three days in the fridge like this.
- Just before serving, slice a handful of fresh strawberries and scatter them over the top along with additional basil leaves.
