7-Ingredient Coconut Lime Cheesecake

What is it like?

- Gentle Lime Flavor

- Cool & Refreshing

Recipe

About 6 servings, prep 20 minutes, cool time: 2 hours

Crust, Optional (You can make a beautiful cheesecake without a crust)
10 small pitted dates, 60g, diced
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Filling
1 lb cream cheese,
1/4 cup coconut cream, 70g
1/2 cup sugar, 100g
3 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice, plus the zest of one lime
optional: 1/2 tsp coconut extract

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325F/165C.

2. Cheesecakes without crusts are still delicious, especially paired with your favorite in-season, ripe fruit. However, if you’d like to make the crust, dice the dates and add them to the food processor. Blend until a past forms. Next add the walnuts or pecans and pulse until some of the nuts are ground and some are small pieces (the small pieces add a nice crunch). You should be able to squeeze the mixture and it will feel like a dough. If needed, you can add more date pieces.

3. To make the filling, use a whisk or handheld mixer and whip the cream cheese on low until it is homogenous, being careful not to over mix. Add the coconut cream and sugar and whip until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Optional water bath: usually cheesecake is baked in a water bath so that you end up with gentler cooking to produce a creamier, more consistent texture. However, this is not absolutely necessary. If you’d like to use a water bath boil 1.5 quarts of water. Place your cheesecake in a larger pyrex or pan with sides that are tall, ideally 2 in / 5 cm high. Pour enough boiling water into the empty pan so that the water is about .75 inch / 2 cm high.

5. Put the cheesecake into the oven (with the water bath) and bake until the top turns a rich golden color. The middle will still be pale. This cheesecake will bake past the point that you would bake a dairy cheesecake.

6. Allow the cheesecake to cool. Then place it in the fridge until it is cold, at least two hours. Serve cold with fresh fruit or whipped coconut cream.
   

Peanut Butter Milkshake (vegan)

What is it like?

- Thick & Peanut Butter-y

- Cool & Refreshing

Recipe

I love this recipe. It isn’t too sweet, and since it’s vegan and it doesn’t call for ice cream, it is kind of like a thick refreshing nog.

About 6 servings, prep 7 minutes, cool time: 2 hours

3 tbsp peanut butter, 58g
1/4 cup sugar, 50g (or too taste)
9.5 oz oz coconut milk (runny part), 270g
12 oz silk tofu, 225g

Optional: 1 tsp vanilla, dash of salt


Directions:

1. Heat the coconut milk and tofu in the microwave until warm. Then add all of the ingredients to the blender and blend for about one minute.

2. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and store in the fridge. It can be served once it is cold. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
   

3-Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

What is it like?

- Silky smooth

- Rich & Chocolaty

Recipe

This recipe is super simple and incredibly delicious. It’s the perfect dish to prepare when you don’t have time to cook/bake or when it’s too hot to turn the oven on.

About 6 servings, prep 5 minutes, set time: 2 hours

12 oz chocolate chips, 340g (be sure to use vegan chocolate if you are vegan)
1 cup coconut milk, 228g (see note)
15 oz silk tofu, 425g
1/8 tsp salt, optional

Smaller recipe, serves 2:
3 oz or 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 85g
1/4 cup coconut milk, 57g
4 oz silk tofu, 113g
Dash of salt, or to taste


Directions:

1. Place the chocolate chips in a large bowl. Pour the coconut milk over the chocolate chips.

2. Microwave for one minute. Stir the chocolate mixture. Microwave for another 30-seconds and stir afterward. Repeat if the chocolate is not melted.

3. Put the milk tofu in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until warm, for about one minute. Blend the silk tofu in blender for 30 seconds. Then pour it into the chocolate mixture and whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Put plastic wrap or a reusable waxed cloth over the bowl and refrigerate until the pudding is cold. If you need the pudding to firm up within an hour or two, pour it into individual serving dishes.

This pudding keeps in the fridge for three days. It is delicious as is or with fresh berries.

Note:
This pudding ends up tasting very creamy and rich with the lower fat part of the coconut milk. I pour out the runny part of the coconut milk and then reserve the harder cream that is on top for another use, like whipped coconut cream.

I also prefer to use to Thai Kitchen coconut milk. Coconut milk varies a lot across brands and at this point in time, I think it’s a decent product.

You can also use any kind of chocolate that you like. Just keep in mind that the type of chocolate will change the flavor and consistency some. I first tested this recipe with Trader Joe’s gluten free chocolate chips and it was excellent, but for a higher quality chocolate you may want to choose a different brand.

Chocolate Coconut Walnut Bread (Not too sweet)

What is it like?

- Wholesome & not too sweet

- Packed with goodies

- Filled with nutrient-dense amaranth flour

Recipe

At the time of writing this, this recipe is my favorite quick bread (or muffin). It calls for amaranth which has a deliciously nutty flavor and I find that the more I bake with it, the more I develop a taste for it. Amaranth is especially good when paired with walnuts and chocolate.

1 loaf, 12 muffins (6 large muffins)

Wet
1/4 cup (44g) olive oil
2 medium eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) apple sauce OR coconut milk
1/2 cup warm water, 100g
Scant 2/3 cup blueberries, 60g, frozen or fresh

Dry
1 cup gf flour mix, 128g
2/3 cup amaranth flour, 65g
2 tbsp sugar, 28g
1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 8g
1/8 tsp each: cloves and allspice
1/2 tsp salt, 3g

Additions (optional)
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, 26g
1/3 cup walnut pieces, 30g
Scant 1/3 cup raisins, 45g
1/3 cup chocolate chips (any kind), 50g

Directions:

1. Preheat oven o 350F/180C.

2. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 bread pan or place 12 muffin liners in a muffin tin.

3. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large bowl.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

5. Measure the chocolate chips, coconut flakes, walnuts, and raisins and set aside.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until there are just a couple streaks of flour in the batter. Then add the chocolate chips, coconut, walnuts and raisins and mix just until the chunks are mixed in.

7. Pour into the greased bread pan or muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For best results, allow the bread to cool for 30-60 minutes before slicing. Store the loaf in the fridge and before eating briefly heat up a slice or muffin in the toaster or microwave. Enjoy!
   

Two Hikers on Horseback - Chocolate Amaranth Bars (vegan & paleo)

What are they like?

-deliciously chewy

-packed with cocoa, cinnamon, and pecans

This photo is a picture of traditional Alegria. The recipe below includes cocoa and pecans.

Recipe

These bars are are 5-ingredient, vegan, paleo, dairy free, and of course gluten free. They are a variation on the Mexican candy Alegria which calls for popped amaranth. It can be made with different spices, nuts or seeds. It is also generally made with honey and sugar, but the coconut nectar pairs nicely with the chocolate.

Make ahead, 5-ingredient, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut free, Stove-top, No-bake

2/3 cup amaranth (see note)
1/3 cup chopped pecans (or substitute 1/4 cup sesame seeds for nut free)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut nectar or honey*
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Heat a large, deep pot over medium heat until it is quite hot, for about one and a half minutes. Sprinkle one tablespoon of amaranth into the pan and place the lid on the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl every few seconds to keep the amaranth from burning. You will hear the amaranth popping. Once the popping slows down, pour the amaranth into a medium bowl and repeat the process until you have 1 cup of amaranth. Not all of the amaranth will pop and that is okay.

2. Stir the cinnamon into the amaranth.

3. Add the coconut nectar (or honey) to a microwavable measuring cup. Heat for about twenty seconds until it is warm. Whisk in the cocoa powder and salt.

4. Pour the mixture over the amaranth and stir to combine. Stir in the pecans.

5. Spoon the mixture onto a 12x12 piece of parchment paper or reusable wax cloth. Using your hands and the parchment paper, press the mixture into a square shape about 1/2-inch thick. Allow it to rest two hour to one day. The longer you let the bars rest the better they will hold together. The bars can be stored in a sealed container for about three days.
   

Notes:
If you’ve never popped amaranth, you may want to have two bowls. The first time I made it, I burned a tablespoon or two and you can pour the burned batch into a separate bowl. You will most likely end up using about 1/2 cup of the amaranth to make 1 cup of popped amaranth.

If you serve these bars an hour after they are made they won’t hold their shape. If you need them to be ready to serve within an hour substitute 1/4 cup sugar for 1/4 cup of the honey. Heat the honey and the sugar in a small sauce pan to 250F/120C before adding the cocoa and pouring over the amaranth.

*Honey is not vegan