Summer break is winding down and, as expected, I have done about half the things I said I was going to do. I have made a total of ZERO baby mobiles, even though we have friends who popping out new babies left and right. I have also made a total of ZERO yarn wall hangings even though my Pinterest is lousy with saved projects. I’ve also read zero books but did read the entirety of the latest issues of Vanity Fair and Bon Appetit so that’s something, right? The good news is that along with the laundry list of things I didn’t do this summer break is a list of things I did do!
Of the things I did this summer (in no particular order of importance):
- Caught up on all episodes of UnReal
- Caught up on all episodes of The Good Wife
- Caught up on season 3 of The Great British Baking Show
- Made rainbow bagels from scratch
- Slept 9 hours IN ONE NIGHT!
- Watched 8 movies (yes, some of those included movies involving Tinkerbell and friends, but hey, they were full length feature films so they count).
- Snuggled with children for hours on end
- Taught youngest babe to play ‘peek a boo’
- Drank an espresso and tonic (it was shockingly very good).
- Went to The Broad Museum in downtown LA
- Went to Palm Springs with beloved dear friend and NO CHILDREN
- Finally met Shannon Goldberg, of The Nosher, in real life (and to no one’s surprise, she is a complete delight).
So, you see, I’ve actually accomplished quit a lot if you really think about it. It’s like my social worker sister, Brene Brown says, we got to focus on what we accomplish in the day rather than the things we do not. A person can really feel accomplished when ignoring the list of things one didn’t complete instead of the things we did accomplish.
Another thing on the ‘accomplish’ list is the recipe for these little vegan cheesecake bites. I’ve seen countless recipes for vegan cheesecake and I’ve always wanted to try it. They make the perfect parve dessert for a meat Shabbat or holiday meal and they are raw so NO BAKING. Hallelujah! I hope you really like them. I was inspired by the vegan goddess that is Dana over at The Minimalist Baker. If you don’t know her stuff, well, I’m just gonna assume you’ve been in a coma for years because that’s the only conceivable reason I could understand for not knowing her.
Happy no baking!
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup packed dates, pitted (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)
- 1/2 cups hazelnuts
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch sea salt
- Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, quick soaked*
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk (see instructions for note)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (or more) rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- For Curst - Add ingredients for the crust into a food processor and process until a loose dough forms - it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it's too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add a few more hazelnuts or almonds.
- Grease a standard mini muffin tin.
- Scoop in heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers, making sure to really pack it in there. Set in freezer to firm up.
- For Filling - To quick soak cashews, pour boiling hot water over the cashews, soak for 1 hour uncovered, then drain and use as instructed.
- Add all filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and mix until very smooth. For the coconut milk, I like to scoop the "cream" off the top because it provides a richer texture. But if yours is already all mixed together, just add it in as is. (Pro tip - Put a can of coconut milk right into the fridge as soon as you get home from the grocery store. This will guarantee you have the 'cream' on hand for just such an occasion as making raw cheesecake bites!)
- Blend all filling ingredients for roughly 1 minute or until silky smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Pour filling into a separate medium size bowl. Add in your sprinkles leaving a handful to the side for sprinkling on top just before freezing.
- Divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Evenly disperse the last sprinkles onto the tops of each cheesecake to create a pretty little topping. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard - about 4-6 hours.
- Once set, remove by running a butter knife along the sides of the crust. They should pop right out. Let sit for a few minutes so you don't break your teeth on them. Keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks.
