Paleo Strawberry Cheesecake

Ok technically this could probably be considered Whole 30 (no baking, just nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut, a splash of juice…), but the people at Whole 9 Life might call it “sex with your pants on”.  So I won’t call it Whole 30, but it is absolutely Paleo!  Today is Lauren’s birthday (Lauren is the girlfriend of my brother-in-law to be) and she has a dairy intolerance.  In her honor I decided to create this new dessert.

Paleo strawberry cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked

5 Medjool dates, steamed and pitted

1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Filling

1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked

5 Medjool dates, steamed and pitted

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tbl. full fat coconut milk

2 tbl. lime juice

1 vanilla bean, scraped

Strawberry sauce

1 cup strawberries (I used frozen, which I thawed)

1 tbl. chia seeds

2 1/2 tbl. water

2 Medjool dates, steamed and pitted

Method:

In a large bowl cover your macadamia nuts with water, let soak 3+ hours.  In another large bowl cover your cashews with water, let soak 3+ hours.  Thaw your strawberries at room temp (if you bought frozen ones).  Place your dates in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam, covered, for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and let dates sit until cool.  Remove pits.

For the sauce:  Mix together chia seeds and water and let sit for at least 10 minutes.  Add the soaked chia seeds, thawed strawberries, and 2 pitted and steamed dates to your food processor and blend until smooth.

For the crust:  Drain the macadamia nuts and add them to your food processor with 5 pitted and steamed dates, flaked coconut, and salt.  Process until the mixture is sticky and slightly coarse.  Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a glass pie plate.

For the filling:  Split the vanilla bean pod in half, scrape out the seeds, discard the pod.  Drain the cashews and add them to your food processor with 5 pitted and steamed dates, melted coconut oil, coconut milk, lime juice, and the vanilla bean seeds.  Process mixture until smooth.  Spread filling onto crust in pie plate.

Spread the strawberry sauce over the filling and place in the freezer for 1 hour to set.  When ready to serve thaw at room temperature for up to 30 minutes.

Tags: no bake strawberry cheesecake, Paleo strawberry cheesecake