Vegan Wild Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Hello! Happy Spring! I know this season is full of mixed weather, but I hope you are getting plenty of sunshine and warmth. Today is gorgeous here in Northern California! The sun is shining and I took my three children for a nature outing. The birds were singing, the butterflies were fluttering, and the flowers were blooming. I love this time of year and I can't wait to get my hands in the soil for some gardening. We have a few blueberry bushes on our property and in June the children are quick to pick the ripe blueberries. The recipe I have for you today is a vegan blueberry cheesecake. When I first tried vegan cheesecake, I was amazed by how rich and creamy it was. The combination of nuts and coconut milk make it very abundant in healthy fat. There are so many variations of vegan cheesecake, but I think it pairs perfectly with blueberries. Give it a try and see for yourself!
Ingredients
Blueberry Cheesecake Crust:
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup dates, pitted
1 cup dried blueberries, unsweetened
1/2 cup oats
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp sea salt
Wild Blueberry Cheesecake Filling:
3 cups cashews, soaked overnight
1 can full fat coconut milk
8 oz vegan cream cheese, I used Kite Hill
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
10 oz wild blueberry preserves, fruit juice sweetened
Directions
Blueberry Cheesecake Crust:
Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until crumbly and sticky. Line a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with parchment paper. You want to be able to pull the parchment paper out with the cheesecake on it, once it is ready for cutting. Using your hands, press the crumbly crust mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the cheesecake filling.
Wild Blueberry Cheesecake Filling:
Drain soaked cashews. Place all the filling ingredients, except wild blueberry preserves, into a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into the pan over your prepared crust. Add wild blueberry preserves in small spoonfuls on top of the cheesecake. Swirl wild blueberry preserves, using a sharp knife or chopstick. Cover with plastic wrap and foil. Place in the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, you can place cheesecake on the counter to thaw slightly. Remove them from the pan, by pulling up on the parchment paper. Place them on a cutting board and cut into slices. Enjoy immediately and store leftovers in the freezer.
