Almost Raw Mango Cheesecake with Mango Glaze...

A few days ago I really wanted something sweet. I was dying for dessert, but as I mentioned a couple of days ago I’m staying away from sugar until I’m fully recovered. That means no dessert, or at least no traditionally sweetened desserts. I tried for a while to let the craving pass, and when it wouldn’t I started thinking about fruits. Only just sitting down and chomping away on a piece of fruit wasn’t really doing it for me. Then I got thinking about what I was going to do with the batch of home made cream cheese I’d made last week, and then I got thinking about cheesecake. Then I really wanted cheesecake except cheesecake is loaded with sugar. Hm! What to do?

It was then that a vague idea for a raw cheesecake popped into my head. Most raw cheesecakes are not sweetened with sugar, and a lot of them use fruit as a sweetener instead. I could get behind that right? Except I’ve made raw cheesecakes in the past and while I do enjoy them I find they always have a very strong cashew, date, coconut flavor, which is fine if that’s what you want, but it’s not really ‘cheesecake’ you know? I wanted a cake that was creamy, and cheesy, sweet and tangy, and suddenly I started thinking about mango. I mean it’s summer after all - even if it’s getting near the end of summer - and a Mango Cheesecake sounded just about perfect in that moment. Only, I was tired, and drained from being sick and didn’t want to go through the process of having to bake and look after a cheesecake, especially in the middle of an already hot evening.

So I started wondering if I could make a more traditional cheesecake using my homemade cream cheese and frozen mangos - which were the only kind I had - by employing the basic principals of raw cheesecake making. Once I got thinking like that it all kind of came together in a snap. As it turns out you can make a cheesecake in this way, and it tastes awesome. This cheesecake was so sweet, cool and mangoey the perfect treat on a humid summer evening. Yet it was creamy and tangy like a regular cooked cheesecake with not coconut, or nut aftertaste. The only problem with this particular cheesecake is storage. You see since the filling is quite liquidy you can’t store it in the fridge even after it’s been frozen, because it’ll melt and leak. I didn’t have a problem with it melting completely losing it’s shape and reverting back to pre-frozen state but it melted enough. Of course because cheese doesn’t taste great frozen, and you loose that creamy texture if it’s frozen solid leaving it in the freezer isn’t so great either. My recommendation is that this is a cake best eaten right away. Of course if you need to store it I suggest cutting the entire cake into individual slices first, then storing in the freezer. When you want to eat a slice, take it out and let it thaw for 30 minutes so it gets creamy again.

Though that might seem like some unnecessary trouble this cake is so amazing flavor-wise, that it’s really worth it, even if there’s no perfect way to store it. Of course you could always store most of it in the freezer and store individual slices in the fridge in a snap-lock container that way if it melts a little it won’t get all over your fridge. I think next week I’ll experiment and make this a full-on traditional cooked cheesecake, so I’ll let you know how that goes, but for now enjoy!

Mango Cheesecake with Mango Glaze 

Crust -

1 C Pecans
1 C Rolled Oats
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
4 Medjool Dates Pitted and Soaked
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
Pinch of Sea Salt
5-8 Drops Liquid Stevia

Filling - 

***1 ½ C Cream Cheese preferably homemade
3 C Frozen Mango Chunks Divided
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
Date Soak Water
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
2 tsp Maca
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
8-12 Drops Liquid Stevia

Glaze - 

1 C Frozen Mango Chunks
4 Medjool Dates pitted and soaked
Water
5-8 Drops Liquid Stevia

Instructions -

Crust -

Add Pecans and oats to a food processor and process into fine crumbs.

Add in the dates - reserve the soaking water - and coconut oil along with all other ingredients. Process until a smooth dough forms.

Turn out into a spring-form pan and press down evenly spreading the mixture across the bottom of the pan.

Freeze until ready to add the filling.

Filling -

Add 2 C mango chunks along with the date soak water leftover from the crust recipe to a high speed blender. The water should roughly yield between a third and a half cup. Add in the lime juice and vanilla extract and blend on high until completely smooth.

Add the cream cheese to the food processor along with the pureed mango mixture, coconut oil, maca, ginger, sea salt and stevia. Blend until smooth and fully incorporated.

Add in the remaining cup of mango chunks and process. You can process this until very smooth or leave it a little chunkier, it’s up to you.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and return to the freezer. Freeze for 2-3 hours until solid but still creamy.

Glaze -

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour over cheesecake when ready to serve and then serve immediately or freeze for an additional 30 minutes to firm up the glaze a little bit. Enjoy!

*** Note - I used homemade cream cheese that was made with cashews, salt, water, and 2 tbsp of coconut milk yogurt to culture it. The recipe I used was from Miyoko Schinner’s “Artisan Vegan Cheese.” though I think you could use any homemade vegan cream cheese just as long as it’s cultured. You could try making this with store-bought vegan cream cheese but honestly I don’t know how that would alter the taste and texture of this recipe. Store-bought cream cheese is full of preservatives and other ingredients and it may not freeze as well. Since my homemade cream cheese was practically raw I think it might work better then a cooked cream cheese, but feel free to experiment and let me know what you discover.*** 

Superfood Lassi....

You all know by now - I’m sure - how much I love my morning smoothie, but the past few months I’ve been lazy. I’ve been relying on protein powders like Vega and now Hemp Protein to make a quick and easy meal in a glass each morning. It’s delicious, it’s convenient, I don’t have to think about what to put in it - almond milk, banana, almond butter, flax seeds and protein powder, done! The added bonus is that those powders make the smoothie filling, filling enough that it usually keeps me satisfied until lunch when I’m at work. The drawback to it is that over time it gets boring to drink the same smoothie each day, plus drinking a protein powder smoothie is significantly decreasing the amount of nutrition I’m getting from whole fresh organic fruits and vegetables.

The other drawback is that I don’t feel very energized. Not like you think I would considering the claims of a lot of these protein powders. The past few months I’ve felt lazy, lethargic, and tired. I’ve been going to bed early - for me - waking up late - for me - sleeping poorly, napping every afternoon for longer then I should be, and I seem to generally get less done each day. For a while I didn’t even notice this was going on. It was just one of those things that got lost in the shuffle of the day. A few weeks ago something finally clicked and I realized that there was no logical or reasonable explanation for why I was feeling so tired and lazy when I was getting far more sleep then is typical for me.

Now, I can’t solely blame the protein powder smoothies. If you buy organic brands with no or low sugar content and good vitamin and mineral content they’re fantastic in a pinch. However for me at least they were becoming part of a bigger problem, an overall lack of adequate nutritional intake.  I was still eat reasonably healthfully, - it's not as if i'd been gorging on vegan mac and cheese, vegan pizza, and vegan cupcakes - I was still taking my vitamins and eating plenty of veggies, but the kinds of foods I was eating on a day to day basis were different. I was eating a lot of cooked foods, a lot of one pot meals - and other meals - that were high in starch, grains and carbohydrates. There was a lot of tofu, seitan and tempeh, too much sugar, and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. I wasn't eating enough dark leafy greens, I was eating virtually no salads, and hardly any pure raw food at all. For breakfast i'd I have the protein smoothie, for lunch it would typically be leftovers from the night before, then dinner would be a new dish of one of the above mentioned items i'd been relying to heavily on. How did this happen? I have no idea, it probably started when I got back from vacation, and grew gradually worse as late summer turned into autumn and heavy, hearty winter fare began making it's way into my kitchen again. As i'm sure everyone knows, once you get into a slump you kind of just stick there for a while until something finally snaps you out of it.

For me, this revelation that I was in a food slump began to enter my conscious when I joined the CSA last month, which coincided with my Husband and I's efforts to begin eating only organic foods - at least as much as possible, i'd say we're doing this about 90-95% at the moment. Joining the CSA basically forces you to use what you have on hand unless you want to go shopping which kind of defeats the purpose of the CSA. It also forces you to eat what's in season, which is something I really like. Buying only organic food sort of forces you to do the same thing. The CSA doesn't provide us with everything we need and so I have to pick up a produce item here or there, and if one wants to eat all organic it is far cheaper to buy those foods that are in season. Both the CSA and buying only Organic also sort of force you to do more with less, they force you to be creative and find new ways of cooking foods. I've really enjoyed this little experiment over the past few weeks, and I've noticed the change it's brought about in me. However the final break in the slump came with my undertaking of a knew culinary challenge.

During the month of October there was a big movement for people to commit to a diet free of processed foods, for just the month of October. The goal was to eat only whole, fresh fruits and vegetables, and simple seeds, nuts, legumes, beans and grains. You weren't suppose to use any processed ingredients  and if you did buy something processed it had to fall within two specific rules. 1) The item has to be something you could conceivably make at home with common pantry ingredients  and 2) It had to have minimal ingredients and be as minimally processed as possible. I really wanted to embark on this challenge but since October was also Vegan Mofo and I'd already committed to my sandwich project I couldn't. Well, there's nothing to stop me from taking the challenge now is there? So I've been trying to eat this way for the past couple of weeks, slowly weaning myself off of sugar and processed foods, buying only processed foods that fall under those two guidelines. Buying things like Soy Sauce, Miso, Non-dairy milk, vegetable broth, a few non-dairy yogurts here and there, a little tofu and tempeh, and canned beans. All things I could make at home but don't for convenience sake, because really, who's going to sit around and spend several weeks fermenting soybeans to make miso? Even i'm not that hard-core - not yet anyway. Although I have slowly been phasing out canned beans in favor of dried, and I actually really like it. Canned beans are fantastic for quick and easy meals but making beans from scratch isn't as hard as I initially thought it was.

Anyway, I've really been enjoying this little adventure, and I've been doing great with it, but it wasn't until Friday that I finally kicked the protein powder smoothies in favor of that delicious almond banana oatmeal I made, then Monday I began a new smoothie regiment. I also started a new exercise routine Monday, as well as starting a new holistic body care regiment. These past three days I’ve felt better then ever. I’ve had way more energy, I’ve been staying up later, waking up earlier, and not taking naps in the day. I’ve been getting more done, I’ve been less tired overall, and most importantly I just feel really, really good. I feel fantastic really, and so I wanted to share one of the new smoothie creations I’ve been enjoying this week.

Now I apologize for the less then exciting picture, it is winter here after all so there isn’t much in the way of scenery, and the smoothie itself is a less then brilliant color. It’s a bit of a mauve-brown color thanks to the combination of yellow, green and purple foods but oh well. It’s the taste that matters and this smoothie is fantastic. It tastes like an Indian Lassi, but magical, and full of superfood nutrition. Seriously this smoothie has six superfoods in it, SIX! Goji and Acai berry, Hemp and Flax seeds, Spirulina, and wheatgrass, what more could you ask for? It's the perfect way to amp you up and start the day!

Superfood Lassi

6oz Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk Yogurt
1 Banana
1 Cup Chopped Frozen Mango Chunks
2 Tbsp Goji Berries
1 Pack Frozen Acai Berry Puree (3.5oz)
1 tsp Spirulina
2 tsp Flax Seeds
2 tsp Hemp Seeds
1 Cube Frozen Wheatgrass or 1 Tbsp Powder
½ C Purified Water

- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend on high until completely smooth. 1-2 minutes. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Note: While you can make your own almond milk yogurt at home, I chose to buy a store bought brand with an extremely low sugar content, and minimal ingredients. If you prefer you could also replace the almond milk yogurt with a soy, or coconut yogurt.

PS: Stay tuned because I have a lot more healthful recipes, and information to share!

Vegan Mofo #28 Celine & Tamasin’s Mango Butter & Ginger Whoopie Pies...

Vegan Mofo #28 Celine & Tamasin’s Mango Butter & Ginger Whoopie Pies 

The Book - Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!
The Author - Celine Steen & Tamasin Noyes
The Recipe - Mango Butter & Ginger Whoopie Pies
Page # 167
Difficulty - Easy
Duration - Roughly 30-40 minutes

What Sandwich theme Mofo would be complete without the addition of a dessert sandwich? I’ve already offered you breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, dinner sandwiches, lite sandwiches, snack-like sandwiches and now I shall give you a ‘sandwich’ fit for dessert.

Now I’ve never really understood the craze over Whoopie Pies. I didn’t actually know what a Whoopie Pie was until I moved to the United States. While I’ve of course tried the standard chocolate vanilla whoopie pie - essentially a soft oreo in my opinion - the classic red velvet whoopie pie, and a peanut butter whoopie pie I thought they were all alright but nothing spectacular. Then I saw this recipe in Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day and thought Mango and Ginger? What a unique and interesting combination. I knew I had to give them a try, and I knew I’d have to make them before Mofo ended.

This recipe does involve a bit of work, but trust me when I say it’s all worth it. To make the mango butter you boil frozen mango chunks, brown sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pot, then puree it in the blender and let it cool. Then you get working on the cookies by combining vegan butter, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, salt, flour, baking powder, baking soda and the cooled mango butter. You roll the dough into small balls bake them in the oven then let them cool while you make the frosting.

The frosting like all frosting is super simple. Just powdered sugar, ginger, vegan shortening and vegan butter, vanilla extract and a non-dairy milk of your choosing. When the cookies have baked you spread the frosting over half of them, stick the other half on top of the frosted ones and voila! Delicious, sweet and spicy whoopie pies. Love them! And I have to say they were all gone by the next morning! Whoops!

Tropical Omega-Boost Smoothie...

When it comes to getting my Omega-3's some weeks I do really good and make sure I take in a wide variety of flax, chia, walnuts and leafy greens, while other weeks I fall into a rut of nutritional neglect. I’m sure you can relate. Maybe you get busy, or maybe you get a taste for food that’s a little more decadent -and possibly less nutrient dense, - maybe you simply forget, or just don’t ‘feel like it’ some days. Well I know how that goes. So on Saturday I came up with a super easy, and delicious omega-rich smoothie that’ll have you begging for more. The flavor is so sublime that you won’t have to coax yourself into making it because you’ll wake up craving it!

Interestingly this smoothie came about not only out of a desire to make sure I get my daily flaxseed, but also in an attempt to clean out my refrigerator before going away on vacation. All the ingredients in this smoothie I had in abundance, and all of them - except for the flaxseed - needed to be consumed before I leave. I wasn’t sure what I’d end up with after mixing them all together but that’s what experimentation is all about right? The end result was far better then I imagined. The smoothie Is rich and creamy, it’s sweet, sour and tropical, and as an added bonus it’s both sugar and stevia free. Despite being free of sugar or other sweeteners this smoothie tastes exactly like the sort of thing you’d pick up at one of those chain smoothie joints in the mall. Dare I say it almost taste decadent? It’s a tropical paradise in a glass, and I strongly urge you to give it a try.

A quick note about the mango. You can use any kind. I’ve made this smoothie every day since Saturday and I’ve made it both with the big red mangos, and the smaller yellow mangoes. I’ve also made it with overripe, perfectly ripe, and under ripe mango, each time it came out fantastic. Keep in mind however that if you use overripe mango the overall drink will be sweeter. If you use under ripe mango the drink will have a more sour taste, which I actually liked quite a lot. In fact it reminded me of a thick yogurt. I’ve also used both unsweetened Flax milk, and Vanilla Flax Milk. It came out brilliant both times, though of course using the vanilla flax milk will give it a subtle hint of vanilla flavor, as well as make it a bit sweeter. Any way you decide to make it I hope you enjoy it!

Tropical Omega-Boost Smoothie

1 ½ -2 C Your Favorite Flax Milk (Depending on how thick you want it.)
1 Large Mango Peeled, Stone removed, and cut into chunks
1 Large Banana
1 Pink Lady Apple Peeled and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
4 Tbsp Organic Unsweetened Applesauce

- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Roasted Vegetable Mango Salsa...

Now I am of the opinion that you can’t have a good taco without good salsa. I am a big fan of salsa’s and Pico de gallo, any kinds and all kinds, the more unusual the better. Though I am particularly fond of salsa’s or pico’s that include fruits such as mango, pineapple, peach etc.. There’s just something so divine about that combination of tart tomatoes and spicy chili blended with the sweetness of fruit and the pungency of garlic. A winner in my book every time.

Since I was feeling in a very tropical mood the other night, and since the tacos I was making included coconut, avocado, and plantains I thought it only fitting that I make a fruity salsa to accompany them. As luck would have it I had mangoes on hand and pineapple juice in the fridge, so I set to work. Since I’ve always been rather fond of roasted and fire roasted salsa’s I decided to use that method and in the end It worked out brilliantly.

Fair warning this recipe does make quite a bit of salsa, but it’s so delicious you’re going to be glad that it does. Even when all your taco’s are eaten and you have no more leftovers to compile into a tortilla you can use this salsa on chips or wherever else you might typically use salsa. It’s really fantastic, especially for all the mango lovers - like me - out there.

Roasted Vegetable Mango Salsa

2 Large Tomatoes
1 Red Onion
1 Red Pepper
5 Cloves Garlic
1 Bunch Cilantro minced
2 Ripe Mangos
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Crushed Red Chili or Cayenne Pepper to taste (Start with 1/4 tsp and work your way up)
3-5 tbsp Pineapple Juice
3-5 tbsp Lime Juice
Garlic Powder to taste if needed

- Preheat your oven to 400'F (200"C) and lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

- Slice each tomato into 6-8 pieces, quarter your onion and pepper. Separate onion layers. Lay all the veggies and garlic cloves out onto the baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast for 15-20 minutes until
veggies begin to get soft and fragrant.

- Peel and chop mangoes, place into a food processor. When veggies are done remove them from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Place them into the food processor with the mango and pulse until everything is finely diced but not pureed.

- Remove contents of food processor to a bowl. Mince cilantro with a chef knife then add it to the bowl, along with the pineapple juice, lime juice, sea salt, pepper and chili or cayenne. Stir until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If you don’t feel that the 5 cloves give enough garlic flavor to your salsa once they’ve been roasted you can add in some garlic powder to taste or 1-2 cloves raw minced garlic if you like.

- Enjoy served with my Coconut ‘Shrimp’ Tacos or any of your favorite taco, burrito, fajita’s or just with chips.

*** Note - How much pineapple and lime juice you’ll need are going to be dependant on how much your fruit and vegetables yield. Your tomatoes, mangoes etc... may be larger or smaller then mine, so adjust the liquid as needed. You don’t want it soupy. ***

Vegan Mofo #22 Isa’s Fresh Mango Summer Rolls...

Vegan Mofo #22 Isa’s Fresh Mango Summer Rolls

The Book - Vegan With A Vengeance
The Author - Isa Chandra Moskowitz
The Recipe - Fresh Mango Summer Rolls
Page - 84
Difficulty - Easy
Duration - Roughly 30 minutes

Since I was little I have loved Asian and Asian fusion food. Thai, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian you name it I love it. One of my favorite appetizer dishes has always been spring rolls, summer rolls or egg rolls. Each region has a different twist on this popular dish and I love them all. Though as much as I love these perfect little rolls I’d never tried making them myself until I got a copy of Isa’s ‘Vegan with a Vengeance’ and found this recipe.

I love this recipe because it’s such a wonderfully creative and delicious take on your usual summer roll. I am definitely the kind of person who likes to ‘jazz things up in the kitchen’ and as much as I love ‘traditional’ rolls I always find it refreshing when someone takes a few steps more towards originality. I’ll say that at first I wasn’t sure how mango and peanuts would taste wrapped up in here, but I should have known there’d be no reason to worry. These Summer rolls are amazing, and so refreshing.

The combination of fresh mango, rice noodles, cilantro, peanuts and bean sprouts is magic, and they’re surprisingly really easy to make. I don’t know why I went all those years feeling so intimidated by the prospect of making my own rolls from scratch. I make sushi from scratch for Buddha’s sake, and that’s a heck of a lot harder! There is basically no cooking in this recipe which is great! The only thing that needs to be cooked is the rice noodles and cooked is a generous word. You boil water and let them soak for 10 minutes how easy is that? Rice paper wrappers are even easier. You soak them in cold water till they’re pliable - about 30 seconds - and then you lay them on a flat clean surface, fill them and roll them. The water dries and the rice paper sticks to itself. Easy-peasy! You do however need to use a delicate hand otherwise the thin rice paper will tear, but even then it’s easy to kind of ‘glue’ your roll back together.

There are only two things I did differently. 1) I added a bit of shredded carrot and sliced green onions to the rolls along with the listed ingredients. Simply because I love green onions in everything and I had an excess of carrots that needed using. 2) I didn’t make Isa’s Thai Dipping Sauce that accompanies the recipe because I was in the mood for Almond sauce and I have a good personal recipe that I enjoy using. My husband isn’t a fan of almond or peanut sauces and so he slathered his rolls in a combination of garlic soy sauce and agave as well as a generous dollop of Thai Kitchen’s Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.

These rolls are really great and super easy to whip up for a party or as an appetizer. However the recipe does make quite a few so you may even want to consider eating them as a light lunch or dinner along with a nice salad. Which is what we did. They’re plenty filling, trust me!

PS: In retrospect I see I should have taken a picture of the inside of one of the rolls, but we were just in such a hurry to eat it never happened. Woops!

Cashew Salad with Tamarind Dressing...

Over the past week and a half I’ve been kept very busy, and so I’m afraid I’ve been a bit neglectful here. There are always articles in the back of my mind begging to be written, always recipes I’m eager to test out, it just so happens that these past few days I haven’t had much time to sit down and do any of it. My birthday was on the 1^st of the month, and my husband and I spent the week celebrating as we always do for one another’s birthdays. Movies, dinners out, hanging with friends, going for evening strolls and the like. On the actual day we went out of town for a bit of hiking and then spent the afternoon-early evening exploring Galena, IL, a lovely old historical town. Full of kooky shops and lovely scenic views perfect for photographing. Then of course there was work, and then we had a BBQ for the 4^th and then yesterday we spent the entire day at the zoo. An activity I felt extremely conflicted about (more about this In a post to come) though I had a good time. On top of all of that craziness I’ve just recently purchased a stack of new (to me) cookbooks that I’m rather eager to try out, so suffice to say I haven’t been creating many recipes of my own over the past week and a half. Hopefully by the start of next week I’ll be back on track, but in the meantime I did make this delicious Cashew Salad with Tamarind Dressing from a book called Easy Vegan: Simple Recipes for Healthy Eating. So far everything I’ve made from this book has indeed been easy, and so far everything has been tasty as well.

What I really love about this salad is it’s mixture of flavors and textures. You have the wonderful roasted cashews paired with nappa cabbage, and carrot, crisp green onions, and cucumber and the pleasantly sweet mango. The recipe actually calls for dried mango but since I didn’t have any I just used fresh, and I think it worked out beautifully. The dressing was a wonderful blend of sweet and tangy with an interesting yet hard to describe accent from the Szechuan peppercorns. Some would argue that the Szechuan peppercorns aren’t necessary, that it’s just a fancy hard to find ingredient for no reason, but I’m willing to argue that these peppercorns do add a subtle layer to the salad that would be otherwise missed if one were to just use regular black peppercorns. Of course if you don’t care either way about pepper or could care less about subtlety you can always opt out or use regular pepper instead and I’m confident the salad would be wonderful anyway.

So definitely check out this book, for this as well as many other great recipes. I don’t normally buy, like, or even give a second glance to books with titles like "easy...." or "Simple...." that are compilations of recipes with no ‘known’ author, but this book surprised me. It’s definitely worth your pennies.