Household Blog

I have a new favorite dessert. It’s summer, and I’m avoiding sugar, as well as anything else that contributes to heat in the body—caffeine, meat, salt, etc. I run hot already, and to stay cool and happy, adjusting my diet to the season helps. I still eat moderate portions of meat and a bit of salt or sweetener here and there, but it’s drastically reduced (probably a good thing regardless) and more and more of my meals consist of raw foods made from fresh fruits and vegetables and some sprouted grains. Who needs recipes this time of year? All you have to do is pick it off the vine/tree/bush, wipe it off on your shirt, and dive in. Sun-warmed and divine.

But, well, you might still want this recipe—it’s raw, vegan (except for the honey, but you could substitute agave nectar), and of course gluten-free! a cheesecake that actually tastes like cheesecake, except that it’s much easier, much less expensive, you don’t have to worry about it cracking across the top (if you’ve ever made homemade cheesecake, you know what I’m talking about), and you don’t end up heating your kitchen up unnecessarily by running the oven. Perfect.

I found this recipe originally in The Complete Book of Raw Food cookbook—a favorite of mine, filled with creative ideas for eating a raw diet. The original version, if you’d like to check it out, is titled “Just Like Cheesecake.” Below is my version, altered only slightly to lower the amount of sweetener (honey) and allow for more variation. If you don’t want to do the topping as prescribed, you can just use fresh fruit or low- or no-sugar jam to top it. Trust me, we took it to our friends Robbie and Jeff’s last night for dinner (great polenta pizza, Robbie!) and it was a hit, shown above with some of our watermelon t’ej as dessert wine. Life is very, very good.

Raw Vegan Cheesecake

Crust:

• 2 c. nuts (I liked pecans best, but walnuts and brazil nuts were good, too)
• 1/2 c. dates, soaked and drained
• 1/4 c. dried, unsweetened coconut

Filling:

• 3 c. raw cashews, coarsely chopped and soaked for at least an hour
• 3/4 c. lemon juice
• 2/3 c. honey
• 3/4 c. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

Topping:

• 1 to 2 c. fresh or frozen fruit
• 1/2 c. dates

Place all the ingredients for the crust into your food processor. Pulse until thoroughly chopped and well mixed—it should be sticky and slightly crumbly. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a pie plate or springform pan. Set aside.

Drain the water off the cashews. Place all filling ingredients in a high-powered blender or a food processor. Blend just until smooth. (If using a blender, do not run it too long or you may overheat the engine). Pour the filling into crust—it may not be perfectly smooth, but it’s okay. Cover and put in the freezer for at least an hour to set up. Once it has frozen—or at least gotten thoroughly chilled—you can move it to the refrigerator. It will have the consistency of regular cheesecake.

Combine topping ingredients (I’ve used raspberries or blackberries with dates, but some no-sugar jam would be lovely…) in food processor and pulse till smooth or thoroughly combined. Spread over the top of the cheesecake before serving.

Eat just one slice if you can, I dare you. But then again, not much guilt if you eat more than one piece *grin*  Enjoy!

On a cold winter’s day, there’s nothing like a little sweetness and spice to warm one from the inside out. On my most recent trip to Penzey’s, a paradise of spice, I encountered a seasoning blend from Northern India called Rogan Josh, and it was love at first scent. I brought it home with me, and below is the resulting recipe. Admittedly, I have no clue how this spice is normally used, but if this isn’t traditional, it should be.

Right now, mangoes are the perfect source of sweetness and are ripe and ready for the kitchen. If you want to try this recipe in the warmer half of the year, though, I’d suggest using ripe and juicy-sweet local peaches or nectarines…

Steak Rogan Josh

1 lb. good quality cubed beef steak
2-3 T. Rogan Josh seasoning
1 ripe mango, chopped
1 1/2 T. coconut oil
sea salt, to taste
2 T. cilantro, divided
1 scallion, sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Steak should be cut to pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Dry meat with a paper towel. Heat coconut oil in skillet over medium heat. Add steak and sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt and the Rogan Josh, turning until meat is just starting to brown, but still visibly pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped mango and 1 T. cilantro. Mix well and cover.

Cook covered for 7 to 8 minutes, until mango is softened and the mixture has a stew-like consistency. I like my steak medium-rare, so adjust your cook time as necessary to your preference. Add the white portion of the chopped scallion and the remaining 1 T. cilantro, stirring uncovered for an additional minute or two. Remove from heat and serve over rice – here, I used a wild rice blend cooked with bay leaves – and garnish with cilantro and/or the green part of the chopped scallion.

Serves 2 – 4 people, depending on serving size.