A dessert with health benefits? Yes please!
This slice is full of antioxidants, healthy fats and low in sugar which is a really ideal profile for a sweet snack. It is also gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
Wild blueberries are packed full of antioxidants and fibre and the colour is just WILD. I get mine from Farmer Jacks in Perth but you could sub for normal blueberries if you don't have access to them.
The cashews, almond meal and different forms of coconut are great sources of healthy fats, which every single cell in your body needs.
I fermented the dates in coconut water kefir for 24 hours to add in some probiotic goodness and reduce some of the sugar content. I'm also not a huge fan of the taste of dates in raw desserts as I find it quite overpowering to all the other flavours and fermenting them mellows out the flavour.
So how does this process work? The good bacteria in the kefir feed on the sugars in the dates which leaves you with sugar-free or low-sugar dates, depending on how long you ferment them. The dates are left with the added benefits of probiotics and bioavailable nutrients, and are much easier to digest.
Serves: 12
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: NIL!
Ingredients
Base
¾ cup desiccated coconut
1 ¼ cup almond meal
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
¼ cup of maple syrup
5 medjool dates, soaked overnight in coconut water kefir (see method below) or regular water
Blueberry cheesecake layer
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best)
1 cup wild frozen blueberries, thawed
Juice of half a lemon
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut cream
2 Tbsp coconut oil
To ferment the dates, add them to a jar and cover with the coconut water kefir, making sure to leave room for expansion and gas build up. Close the lid and place them in your pantry or anywhere in the kitchen overnight or up to 36 hours.
Method
Blend all base ingredients in a food processor and press into a loaf tin or tray, lined with baking paper
Place into the freezer to harden
Blend all blueberry cheesecake layer ingredients in a food processor until smooth and uniform in colour
Pour blueberry layer over base layer and return to the freezer to set for a minimum of 1 hour
Slice into 12 squares and store in the freezer (or fridge if you prefer a softer texture!)