Raw Vegan Cashew-Cranberry Cheesecake Bites

because one can only eat so many cookies.

Raw Cranberry-Cashew Cheesecake Bites.

shame-free.

Bake, eat, repeat. My perpetual holiday mantra. Bake the treats. "Quality test" the treats. Second round "quality test' the treats (because this is the very definition of important stuff, folks). Realize I don't have enough treats left to actually give as gifts. Bake the treats again. Feel shame.

I did not break the cycle this season. I did, however, supplement with something raw and full of whole food-y deliciousness and PRETTY.

The most important feature of any food gift.

I quality tested the entire first batch as my gift to you, my dear readers.

And then I made some more.

xoxox





 Raw Vegan Cashew-Cranberry Cheesecake Bites

(makes approximately 12 1" bites)

Crust:

1 1/4c raw walnuts

1 heaping cup pitted medjool dates

1/4c raw flaked coconut, unsweetened

1Tbsp flax seeds

pinch sea salt

Filling:

1 1/4c raw cashews, soaked for 2+ hours and drained

1c raw cranberries

1/2c liquified coconut oil

1/4c agave or maple syrup

1/4tsp sea salt

1.5Tbsp lemon juice

To prepare crust:

Pulse flax seeds quickly in the bowl of a food processor.

Add dates, coconut, walnuts and sea salt.

Process until mixture forms coarse crumbs.

Turn mix into a parchment lined loaf pan and press down with your fingertips

until tightly packed.

Set aside and wipe out food processor bowl.

To prepare filling:

Combine drained cashews, cranberries, coconut oil, sweetener,

salt and lemon juice in the food processor and blend until completely smooth,

stopping to scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour filling mix into loaf pan and spread evenly over crust.

Tap gently on the counter a few times to distribute the filling more evenly.

Pop in the freezer and chill for 1-2 hours.

Lift the whole cake out by the parchment before slicing.

I sliced the whole thing in half lengthwise,

then sliced across to make 12 small bites.



delicious quality testing.