The Great Thanksgiving Countdown - Recipe #5!
The final recipe of my Great Thanksgiving Countdown is here! Before I unplug for some much-needed R&R with my family and friends, I wanted to leave you with one last healthy alternative for Thanksgiving dinner.
Fittingly, it's dessert!
Pecan and pumpkin pie are the standard and, while delicious, both are PACKED with refined sugars. This recipe for pumpkin "cheesecake" (I know, right?!) from A Whisk and Two Wands uses dates and agave syrup as sweeteners. It's also dairy free (I KNOW, right?!), and substitutes protein-rich cashew cream for cream cheese.
Here's hoping you have a happy, healthy, tasty Thanksgiving!
Raw Chocolate Pumpkin "Cheesecake"
Makes a 9? springform pan, 12-16+ servings
Ingredients:
Crust chocolate crust:
- 1 c pecan meal (ground up pecans, measure after ground)
- 5 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 c raw cacao powder
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pumpkin filling:
- 2 c raw cashews, cashew pieces (soaked 4 hours or overnight)
- 1/2 c maple syrup or raw agave
- 3/4 c pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- juice of 1 lemon
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 c coconut oil, liquid state
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Top layer:
- 1/2 c raw agave
- 1/2 c coconut oil, liquid state
- 1 c raw cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- Toppings: Cacao sweet nibs, coarse sea salt, or pecan pieces, optional
Start by soaking your cashews 4 hours or overnight.
Place pecan meal, dates, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla into a food processor or Vitamix and pulse till combined. The mixture should stick together when you pinch it.
Press mixture into the bottom of a cheesecake pan, if you want to make individual ones you can also use a silicon muffin tin. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the filling.
Rinse the cashews and place with the lemon juice, maple syrup or agave, pumpkin, and vanilla into your food processor, or Vitamix, and blend until it starts to get creamy. Add in coconut oil, sea salt, and pumpkin pie spice and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides as needed.
Remove pan from the freezer and pour/scoop your filling into the pan on top of the crust. Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours until set.
For the chocolate topping mix together (by hand or with a hand mixer) agave, coconut oil, cocao, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth. Let sit for a minute or two if there are air bubbles so you get a smooth top.
Remove cake from the freezer and spread chocolate over the top. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, cacao sweet nibs, and or sea salt if desired. Place in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes for the top to set, this can also be done ahead of time.
When ready to serve remove from the freezer and slice but let sit for about 15-20 minutes to thaw out before serving. Enjoy!
For the drizzle I blended together 4 medjool dates, 1/4- 1/2 c warm water, 1/4 pumpkin puree, pinch sea salt, 1 TBSP pure maple syrup.