Vegan Tropical Cheesecake
November 1st, 2008“Vegan? Ew!”
Don’t lie. Most of you are inclined to think the very same way whenever you hear that word used in reference to foods that are normally supposed to be non-vegan. If you’ve never had the chance to taste vegan or vegetarian dishes prepared right, I don’t blame you—there are a lot of meat and dairy “alternatives” out there that are simple awful.
This vegan tropical cheesecake has actually been a hit with a number of my meat-eating, non-vegan friends and family; so much so, I’ve actually had several requests for the recipe, which is why I decided to post it here. It’s super easy to make, and with no added sugar or dairy, it’s a whole lot less fattening and better for your arteries. Win win!
This recipe was adapted from The Optimal Diet: The Official CHIP Cookbook by Darlene Blaney, M.Sc., N.C.P. and Hans Diehl, Dr.H.Sc., M.P.H., F.A.C.N.
Ingredients
Crust:
Any pre-made, store bought graham crust.
If you wish to make your own:
3/4 cup pitted dates, chopped
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup grape nuts
1/2 cup quick oats
3 tbsp almonds, finely chopped
Filling:
2 cups silken tofu lite (firm)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 can (20 oz) pineapple, crushed
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 medium banana, peeled
1/3 cup honey (or agave syrup to taste; about 1/4 cup or less)
Topping:
11/2 cups frozen blueberries or strawberries
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch
Directions
Crust Directions (If you choose to make your own)
01. Bring dates and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 5 minutes or until soft.
02. Add remaining crust ingredients to date mixture. Mix well.
03. Press mixture into the bottom of a lightly oil-sprayed 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
Filling Directions
04. Place tofu, lemon juice, vanilla, and half of the pineapple into a blender. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a bowl.
05. Place the remaining pineapple, cornstarch, banana and honey (or agave syrup) in blender and blend until very smooth. Pour into bowl with other half of mixture. Mix together well.
06. Pour mixture over crust.
07. Bake at 350F for approximately 45 minutes, or until edge of cake is browned slightly and center is firm. Cool to room temperature.
Topping Directions
08. In a small pot, mix together frozen berries, water and cornstarch.
09. Cook over medium heat until it has thickened and is clear in color.
10. Spread fruit mixture over the top of the cheesecake.
11. Chill before serving. Slice into 10 pieces.
Nutritional Information
Per 11/2-inch piece
197 Calories - 4g Protein (8%) - 44g Carbohydrates (83%) - 2g Fat (9%)
27g Sugar - 4g Fiber - 61mg Sodium - 0mg Cholesterol - 42mg Calcium
I’ve never had tofo before, so I’m not entirely sure how it tastes, or if I’d like it enough to try it, but that…looks good.
Reply: You’ve never had tofu?! Wow. That’s amazing! It’s super popular where I live, but not so much in other areas of the world I guess! :)
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:00 pmMmmm, that looks good. I don’t get get scared off by the word “vegan” - I’ve learned that vegan things don’t taste bad at all! My friend had a vegan cake at her birthday party the other day and it was amazing.
Reply: That’s great! Vegan and vegetarian things can be super delicious when made right. :)
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 pmThat looks absolutely divine. I can’t wait to make this … I’ve never been able to enjoy cheesecake due to my lactose intolerance and allergy to egg. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Reply: No problem! Let me know how it goes. :)
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:55 ambeautiful site! nice to see another canadian photographer out there!
Reply: Thank you! :) And likewise.
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pmYum. That actually looks kind of good! :D
November 8th, 2008 at 2:10 am