Raw ratatouille

Have you ever met someone who instantly impressed you with their remarkable knowledge and genuine charisma? That’s how I felt when I first met Gena Hamshaw. She’s the brilliant writer behind the blog Choosing Raw who constantly amazes me with her thought-provoking blog posts and now, her comprehensive new book of the same name.

This book is far more than just a cookbook. Using her familiar writing style that is both casual and professional, Gena first introduces us to her own story—growing up in a Greek American home, her experiences with an eating disorder and IBS, and through her discovery of the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and nutrient-dense raw foods. Her story is both captivating and candid, and you learn how she grew to become the experienced health advocate she is today.

This book covers it all—the why, what and how of adding more vegan and raw foods into your diet. She includes a thorough section on health and compassion, guiding us through the fundamentals of vegan nutrition (she’s a clinical nutritionist, so she knows her stuff), explaining what makes raw foods unique and demystifying the common myths and misconceptions surrounding plant-based diets.

Gena also goes over the essentials of grocery shopping, meal planning (she includes 21 days of adaptable, plant-based meal plans), tips on developing healthy, sustainable habits, and stocking your pantry and fridge.

Almond pulp granola

If that isn’t enough, Gena follows up with an ample supply of recipes (125 to be exact), including essentials like nut milks, smoothies, juices, snacks, dressings and dips, plus a variety of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I love that the recipes are showcased by levels of raw, which take you from a foundation of cooked vegan recipes to more raw food dishes to help you transition to a plant-centric diet.

The recipes are by far the most approachable of any raw food book I’ve seen because, like me, Gena believes being a raw foodie doesn’t have to be bound by rules and expectations. I enjoy incorporating both cooked and raw foods into my own diet but find raw food techniques inspire me to use fresh vegetables in fun and creative ways. While some recipes in this book call for a dehydrator, Gena also gives cooking instructions too, so the choice is up to you. Many of the recipes, particularly in level 3, require no cooking at all, which is quite practical for this time of year when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

Mocha maca chia pudding

There were lots of recipes that caught my eye while first looking through this book but so far I’ve stuck mostly to level 3 recipes, which include more raw food techniques. I began by trying the almond pulp porridge, mocha maca chia pudding and raw ratatouille.

All three recipes were straightforward and easy to make. I particularly loved the porridge, which is a new way for me to use up all the almond pulp currently stashed in my freezer. The pudding, as well, was a fantastic morning wake-up call and the combination of malty maca, rich cacao powder, and intense espresso really gave me the boost I needed to keep going all day long.

The ratatouile, though, was by far my favourite. The variety of colourful, raw veggies and fresh herbs made for an excellent accompaniment to my bowl of greens. While there was both a dehydrator and oven option to this recipe, I found the few hours of marinating made it soft enough to not need any heating at all.

Because I loved this recipe so much, I was able to get permission to share the recipe with you!

Thank you, Gena, for sharing your knowledge and talent with the world, and for inviting me to be a part of your book celebrations!

Raw or cooked ratatouille

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly into coins
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 teaspoons mined fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup, sliced into thin strips, sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pine nuts, cooked or sprouted lentils, or chickpeas

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients except for th epine nuts in a large mixing bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste (you can add more herbs if you like, or more lemon for a more tart taste).
2. Let all the ingredients marinate for a few hours, so that the flavors marry. If you're serving it cool, simply stir in the pine nuts or legumes and plate. If you're heating it, use one of the options below, and stir in the pine nuts or legumes right before serving.
3. OVEN OPTION: Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the vegetables in a small casserole dish and cook for 15 minutes. Give the vegetables a stir, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until they're soft throughout. DEHYDRATOR OPTION: Set your dehydrator to 140F. Spread the vegetables onto two Teflex-lined dehydrator sheets, and dehydrate for an hour before serving them warm. If you keep the dish raw, it will last overnight in the fridge. If you cook or dehydrate it, it will last for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Choosing Raw, republished with permission from Da Capo Press.

Where I fit in is among the city’s thriving vegan community (although we have yet to have a neighbourhood named after us), a diverse crowd of individuals who live up to their values of compassion and wellness. The point of connection for all of us is the Toronto Vegetarian Association, an amazing non-profit organization that works to inspire people through community events like the annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival and the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off.

Yesterday, I met up with TVA’s vegan bake-off organizing team for a lovely potluck brunch to celebrate the success of this year’s event (you can read my recap of this year’s bake-off here). The smorgasbord of food included scrambled tofu, tempeh bacon, avocado, oatmeal bake, potato spinach squares, raspberry lemon muffins, mushroom asparagus tart and green macaroons. Thanks to the lovely Lisa, you can find the recipes for the tart and macaroons here.

Because granola is a favourite among us vegans, I decided to contribute the components for a spring-inspired granola parfait—a bowl of crunchy oat granola with seeds and dried fruit; a scoop of blueberry and apple jam; and topped with a thick vanilla cream made with coconut milk and cashews. It made for a delightful end to a delicious meal. And luckily, our hosts Luke and Drew were able to steal the leftovers in what they coined the Great Granola Heist of 2013.

Completely un-food-related but definitely relevant if you follow this blog, Google Reader is shutting down as of July 1st. If you use Google Reader to follow me or other blogs, be sure you have a replacement lined up (I’ve heard good things about Feedly and Bloglovin’). And remember, you can always subscribe to A Dash of Compassion by email and get new posts emailed directly to you if you prefer!

Amazing granola parfaits

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

Granola:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (use gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp hulled sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 2 tbsp warm water

Vanilla Cream:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 1 (13.5oz) can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water (omit if using light coconut milk)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• seeds of 1 vanilla bean
• pinch of sea salt

Blueberry Apple Jam:

• 2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• 2 medium apples, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

For the granola:

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
3. Spread out granola on dehydrator trays lined with Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 110F for about 4 hours, or until dry. Alternatively, preheat oven to 250F and spread out granola on a large cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned and dry.

For the vanilla cream:

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Transfer to a container and place in the fridge for an hour or more to thicken up.

For the jam:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Allow to cool and then store in the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble:

1. Spoon jam in the bottom of serving glasses or bowls, then add granola and top with vanilla cream. And then dig in!

As much as I love the traditional (vegan) recipes—and I have many!—I’m here to introduce my latest holiday favourite. Inspired by a desire to incorporate healthier ingredients into my holiday baking repertoire, I wanted to give the basic idea a new, raw foodie twist to balance out the other sugary items that are sure to be involved.

Alas, these cute little raw gingerbread people are made with ingredients like almonds, flax and freshly grated ginger. This recipe is based on my flourless almond ginger cookies and is a great option for anyone trying to avoid gluten or sugar this season. These cookies are dense and chewy and have a nice gingery bite to them. Another bonus is that they can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until your guests arrive.

I highly recommend using a mini cookie cutter to make bite-sized cookies—they turned out to be so cute!  And if you want to kick it up a notch, I bet these little guys would be really good dipped in raw chocolate. Oh, I wish I had thought of that before I took these photos. I may just have to dig them out of the freezer and give it a try… Enjoy!

Raw gingerbread people

Yield: 24 mini cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 cup raw almond butter
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together until smooth.
2. Wrap the dough mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. This helps it firm up for easier rolling.
3. Once the dough is cold and no longer sticky, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4 to 1/8 thickness. Using a mini cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on a dehyrator tray.
4. Dehydrate at 105F for 8 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your cookies and your desired texture. Store cookies in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

If you don't own a dehydrator, simply place the cut-out cookies on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Store them in the freezer until ready to serve (they will go soft if they sit out too long).

At the demo, I remember mentioning a certain kitchen gadget that has been invented specifically for banana soft serve, but nobody had any idea what I was talking about.

Well, here it is, folks: the Yonanas. Have you heard of this before?

While I’m not so sure I would spend $60 on something that can easily be made in my blender, I won’t stop making new versions of the delicious frozen treat. My latest creation involves combining the raw cookie dough blizzard with the raw Oreo cookie blizzard from our demo recipes to make chocolate chip sundae sandwiches!

For these pretty babies, I made a version of the raw chocolate cookie portion of Oreo cookies and dehydrated it overnight, then combined raw cookie dough balls with banana soft serve for the filling. I put it all together using my new ice cream sandwich molds I picked up on my trip to San Francisco and, voilà! Pretty frozen treats perfect for summertime reminiscing.

Chocolate chip sundae sandwiches

Yield: 4 sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the chocolate chip filling:

• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 1/4 cup raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp raw chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chips)
• 2 large frozen and peeled bananas

Directions:

For the cookies:

1. In a blender or food processor, grind the almonds into flour, pour into a bowl and set aside.
2. Grind the oats into flour and add to the bowl with the almond flour.
3. Add the cacao powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and maple syrup and stir until the mixture becomes a thick, moist dough.
4. Roll out the dough on a dehydrator teflex sheet so that it is about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. If using an ice cream mold, use it to score the dough. Alternatively, use a large cookie cutter to score the dough. Dehydrate at 110F overnight or until desired texture is achieved.

For the chocolate chip filling:

1. In a blender or food processor, process the almonds into flour. Pour into a medium bowl.
2. Next, process the oats into flour and add to the bowl with the almond flour.
3. Add the vanilla bean powder, cinnamon, salt maple syrup and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
4. In a blender or food processor, blend the frozen bananas until a creamy soft serve consistency is achieved. Add the cookie dough filling and pulse to combine.

To assemble:

1. Follow instructions on your ice cream cookie mold, or spread a thick layer of the chocolate chip filling on a cookie and place another cookie on top, pressing down gently. Refreeze for one hour before serving. These can be stored in the freezer for a longer period if tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and parchment paper.

A seasonal fruit leather seemed like the logical answer. It’s healthy, sweet and super easy to make! You can use any kind of fruit you want—apples, raspberries, strawberries, mango and bananas all seem to work well in leather. This particular combination of ripe pears and vanilla beans turned out to be quite a special treat. Delish!

There’s more than one way to make fruit leather but my preferred method is using a dehydrator on a low temperature setting (I’ve read that using an oven on low is also an option). It’s a delicious grab-and-go snack that’s perfect for adults and children alike. And I’m pretty sure this is the shortest recipe I’ve ever shared. Enjoy!

Pear vanilla fruit leather

Ingredients:

• 5 ripe barlett pears, peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1 vanilla bean, scrapped

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a teflex sheet on your dehydrator tray. Spread the mixture out into a thin layer on the parchment paper. Dehydrate at 110F overnight or until completely dry to the touch. Cut into desired lengths using scissors, roll up and enjoy.

Enter my brand-spanking new Excalibur dehydrator, recently given to me by a wonderful friend.

Hello, pretty thing, you are big and bulky but oh so useful.

She’s even got a power and temperature control.

And five large trays.

Dehydrators are the raw foodist’s version of an oven. The appliances gently blow warm air over food, causing it to lose its own moisture and dry out. This process can take anywhere from hours to days, depending on what you’re making.

This may seem like too long of a process to be worthwhile, yet dehydrating enables you to attain a wider variety of ways you can make food in raw form. From crackers and breads, to pizza, granola and dried fruit, it creates endless possibilities with flavours, textures and storage options. A whole new world opens up when you start making things and experimenting.

This practical piece of equipment will allow me to do much more than my previous round dehydrator, and I can’t wait to get started. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share a few of my favourite dehydrator recipes and uses for vegetarians, vegans and, of course, raw foodists, too. Whether you’re looking for some tasty snacks, to experiment with raw food cuisine or to just preserve some fruit, there’s so much you can do with a dehydrator at home.

While we’re on the subject of food (because that’s what this blog is all about, really), I’d like to draw your attention to a story I wrote for a website that is appropriately named Stop Chasing Skinny. I haven’t written much about my personal history here on ADC—because I’d much rather focus on things that make me happy—but when JL contacted me recently to ask if I’d be interested in sharing my story, I thought it was a good opportunity to write about a part of my life I don’t talk about much anymore, even though it was a huge part of my life at one time. Anyway, if you’re interested, you can read it here.

Without further ado, here’s one of my favourite dehydrator snacks—granola. It’s just a matter of mixing a few ingredients together, spreading it out on a dehydrator tray and letting the dehydrator do its magic!

Nut-free, go-to granola

Yield: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raw oat flakes (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, sesame seeds, buckwheat groats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
2. Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla and stir to cover all the dry ingredients.
3. Spread the mixture out on a teflex sheet on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110F for about 4 hours or until desired crunch is achieved. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer to preserve freshness.

Can you tell I’m still dreaming about sandwich cookies?

Raw vanilla-spice macaroons

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the macaroons:

• 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 tsp ground spiced tea (I used 2 bags of bengal spice)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 4 dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 2 tbsp coconut butter, softened
• 2 tbsp water

For the cacao cream filling:

• 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least one hour
• 1/4 cup coconut butter, softened
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
• 1/2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

For the cookies:

1. In a food processor, process the coconut flakes, ground tea, vanilla bean powder and salt until combined.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process for a minute or two until well combined. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add more water.
3. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough onto a dehydrator tray and gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (you should get 12 small cookies). Dehydrate the macaroons at 105 degrees for about 6 hours or until desired texture is achieved. They should be crisp on the outside but still chewy on the inside.
4. Spread a small amount of the filling (recipe below) on half of the cookies and press another plain cookie on top to form a macaroon cookie sandwich.

For the cacao cream filling:

1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

The unusual part is my lack of interest in food or spending time in my favourite room in the house—the kitchen. I never realized how much my joy of cooking and baking revolved around not just feeding myself, but others as well. My husband is often my inspiration when I plan and prepare meals. It makes sense though, considering I never cooked when I was living on my own. My fridge was always empty, aside from a head of lettuce and a few apples. Pretty sad, eh?

These days, I look forward to creating full, nourishing meals, and satisfying my husband’s sweet tooth with homemade goodies along with a hot cup of tea. I think he’ll be happy to see these cute lemon tartlets waiting for him when he returns tomorrow.

The lemon curd filling took a bit of researching and testing, but thanks to this recipe I had a base to work with in order to get it just right. Do you want to know the secret to the perfect raw lemon curd? It’s lemon peel—the stuff you would normally throw away after juicing and zesting lemons. Hannah discovered that if you dehydrate it and then grind it into powder, it makes the perfect natural gelling agent. It’s the peel’s large amount of pectin, a substance typically used to set jams and jellies, that contains the jellifying properties. Unlike commercial brands of pectin, this version isn’t heated at high temperatures, chemically treated or mixed with sugar. To me, this is yet another raw food miracle.

This tartlet recipe begins with tiny crusts (I found my 2-inch tartlet tins at a local dollar store) that are dehydrated for a few hours to keep them stable. Then, once you’ve got the dehydrated and ground lemon peel ready, the lemon curd filling comes together easily. A short time in the fridge to set and the outcome is a pretty summer treat that is fresh and tangy with a slight bitter edge. This recipe makes about 16 tartlets. Enjoy!

Raw lemon tartlets

Yield: 16 tartlets

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 3/4 cup chopped dates, soaked until soft

Lemon filling:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp melted coconut butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp dehydrated and ground lemon peel (see notes below)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Crust:

1. Grind the buckwheat groats, almonds and flax into a fine flour using a spice grinder.
2. Put the flour mixture into a food processor and add the dates. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms into a wet dough ball. If it doesn't, add a tablespoon of water.
3. Cut out small pieces of plastic wrap and place them in the bottom of mini tart tins.
4. Form small balls with the dough mixture using your hands and flatten them into thin disks that are large enough to cover each tart tin. Press them into the bottom of each tart tin and cut off any excess around the edges. Place the tarts on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours. Carefully remove the tart crusts from the tins and remove the plastic wrap. Put the crusts back on the dehydrator tray and dehydrate for another 2 hours. The crusts should be firm but still flexible.

Lemon filling:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes with the bowl sitting in a larger bowl of warm water.
2. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer and discard the remnants.
3. Fill the crusts (recipe above) with the strained lemon mixture and refrigerate for about 2 hours to set. Store tarts uncovered in the fridge until ready to serve.

Simply peel 1 lemon, cut the peel into pieces and dehydrate at 110 degrees overnight, or until crisp. Grind the peel into powder using a spice grinder. Store in a sealed container.

I haven’t had a Timbit in over 15 years, so I thought it was about time I created my own version in the form of rawbits. This recipe came about after Lisa showed me a raw bread technique using a particular ingredient that helps obtain a soft and spongy bread-like texture. I thought this would be a fabulous way to create raw doughnuts, so I started playing with different flours, flavours and sweeteners in order to come up with a version that has a similar doughy texture and is as tasty as the real thing.

These are nothing like the popular raw truffle balls, dense and flavourful in their own right, or even anything like Ani Phyo’s version. These babies make use of Irish moss, an incredible ingredient often used in raw desserts to create a thick, gelatinous consistency, and then they’re dehydrated overnight to form a soft “cooked” texture, and then covered in a sweet, shiny glaze.

You’d never know these are raw. Or good for you.

While I’m on the subject of raw treats, I should remind you that you have 8 days left to enter the Raw Cake Pop Challenge! I’m really looking forward to seeing what you come up with. Read this post for more details. [Update: This challenge is now over.]

Chocolate rawbits

Yield: one dozen

Ingredients:

Rawbits:

• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 3/4 cup coconut flakes, ground
• 1/3 cup flax meal
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (or seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chopped dates, soaked until soft
• 3 tbsp Irish moss paste (see instructions here)

Chocolate glaze:

• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder, sifted

Directions:

Rawbits:

1. In a food processor, pulse the almond meal, ground coconut, flax meal, cacao powder, vanilla powder, cinnamon and salt to combine.
2. Add the maple syrup, chopped dates and Irish moss and process until the mixture forms into sticky dough. Put the mixture in the fridge for about 20 minutes to allow it to firm up.
3. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll small balls with your hands, about 1 tablespoon each. Place the balls on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate overnight. The balls should be slightly firm on the outside and no longer sticky.
4. Dip the balls in the chocolate glaze and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about an hour to dry. Store rawbits in a covered container in the fridge.

Chocolate glaze:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.

And then I met my husband. I’m not saying our relationship is always full of rainbows and butterflies, but having him in my life makes me pretty darn happy—the kind of happiness that often puts me on cloud nine and gives me hiccups from giggling too much. After being together for four years now, I’ve learned that this kind of love deserves to be celebrated.

On special occasions like Valentine’s Day, nothing says “I love you” like cheesecake. Of course, I’m not talking about one of those heavy dairy-loaded versions made with cream cheese and loads of sugar. Let’s be honest: raw is what’s sexy these days! With this Valentine’s Day version, I wanted to heat things up a little. So out came the cayenne pepper, ancho chili powder and chipotle powder, and some cinnamon to balance out the heat. The end result was to die for: a raw chocolate chili cheesecake that combines a chocolate nut crust, a decadent layer of smooth chocolate fudge, a spicy nut layer (the flavour of red cinnamon candy hearts was my inspiration), and a chocolate crumble topping. I’m particularly pleased with the heart-shaped decorations I made for the cake topper, which involved a last-minute decision to dehydrate a thin layer of the spicy nut filling. They came out like sweet and spicy heart-shaped chips! I absolutely love them.

I’d like to thank Lindsay of Cook.Vegan.Lover. for giving me the inspiration for this recipe. While I always enjoy creating new recipes for special holidays, she first got my engine running when she announced a Fiery Vegan Valentine Contest not too long ago. [Update: I ended up winning Best Dessert and Recipe That Most Embraced the Theme! Thank you to all who voted.] I hope this cake helps to heat things up a little for you and your beau this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Raw chocolate chili cheesecake

Yield: one 6-inch layered cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped dates, soaked for 10 minutes
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Chocolate fudge filling:

• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Spicy nut filling:

• 2 cups raw macadamia nuts or cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup raw agave nectar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup coconut butter, softened
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

Crust:

1. In a food processor, process the almonds and pecans to a coarse meal. Add the dates, cacao powder and salt and process to combine. The mixture should hold together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon of water.
2. Reserve about 1/3 cup for the cake topping and press the remainder of the crust into the bottom of a 6-inch springfrom pan and set aside.

Chocolate fudge filling:

1. In a food processor, blend together all ingredients, except the coconut oil, until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times.
2. Finally, add the coconut oil and pulse just to combine. Spoon the mixture on top of the crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set.

Spicy nut feeling:

1. In a food processor, process the nuts and agave nectar. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to scrap down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times. (See notes below if you would like to make the heart-shaped garnish before proceeding to the next step.)
2. Spoon the mixture on top of the chocolate filling and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumbled crust mixture and press it down gently so it sticks to the filling. Set the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours to set. Store in the freezer until ready to eat and allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

To make the spicy heart-shaped garnish, take a few spoonfuls of this mixture and spread a thin layer onto a dehydrator teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for about 12 hours. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make imprints in the mixture and continue to dehydrate for another 24 hours, or until dry and slightly crisp.