Vanilla Coconut Macaroons

Vanilla Month sloshes over into March with Vanilla Coconut Macaroons over at joytienzo.com.

Vanilla Milk

Come watch as I make raw vegan Vanilla Milk with a special guest over here at joytienzo.com.

I'm so grateful for the many readers who have been part of this blog, lots of you for a very long time. I hope you'll join me as I transition to posting at joytienzo.com. In the next week or so, I'll move over there, and this site will automatically redirect. You can still find all the blog content and recipes, same as here, in an easy-to-locate format.

As always, you can connect with me through twitter and Facebook. Or, send me an email at hello at joytienzo dot com. Thanks for reading!

Raw Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Vanilla Month continues with one of my favorite desserts: cheesecake.

The very best cheesecake is made simply--not with dairy or soy cream cheeses, but with raw cashews. Soaked overnight, the nuts blend into a luxuriously smooth cream which meets with lemon juice, zest, agave nectar, coconut oil, and flecks of vanilla bean. This mousseline mixture tops a date nut crust, which tastes of caramel and graham crackers. It's a simple, no-bake recipe, and great for pleasing all kinds of palates.

The recipe comes from Cook, Eat, Thrive: Vegan Recipes from Everyday to Exotic.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

12-16 servings

I swirled the cheesecake above with strawberry puree (fresh strawberries, agave, and lemon juice), and it can accommodate any topping or addition you can think of.

For the crust:

3/4 cup raw pecans

3/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup dried flaked coconut

1/2 cup dates (6-8 medjool)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the filling:

3 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 3 hours

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup raw agave nectar

1/3 cup virgin coconut oil (any consistency is fine)

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

zest of 1 lemon

seeds scraped from 3" of vanilla bean

fresh fruit, date caramel, or fruit sauce, for serving

Make the crust:

Line a 9" round pan with plastic wrap, and set aside.

Make the crust up to two days in advance and refrigerate, covered in plastic wrap.

In a food processor, process pecans, almonds, and coconut until fine but not oily. Add dates and cinnamon, and process again, scraping down the sides as necessary. The crust it ready when it holds together when pressed against the side. Tumble mixture into prepared pan, and use the bottom of a glass to press the crust firmly into the pan. Set aside.

Soaked cashews. Why, yes! That is my cookbook in the background!

Make the filling:

Combine all filling ingredients in a blender and process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. This may take several minutes. Pour filling onto prepared crust. To release bubbles, tap against a counter, then run a knife through the mixture in a figure-8 pattern. Smooth the top.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To serve, gently lift with the plastic overhang and ease onto a platter. Pull out plastic from underneath. Using a small offset spatula, smooth creases from the sides. Serve topped with fresh fruit, date caramel, or fruit sauce.

This is the last photo I have, because it's still chilling in the freezer. Tonight, I'm surprising my Mr. with twitter founder Biz Stone's Seitan Bourguignon over polenta and this cheesecake (don't worry; he doesn't read the blog!). I'll post a photo as soon as it's finished. It's going to go right here:

I hope you're celebrating love in some little way, whether it's meeting girlfriends for drinks or savoring a good piece of chocolate and a cup of tea late into the night. Happy Valentine's Day.

Go Vegan for Lent!

If you're interested in going vegan for the upcoming Lenten season, the guide is now available. It's full of recipes and resources, and it's free.

Come over to joytienzo.com to instantly download Vegan for Lent: A Guide to Forty Days of Plant Based Eating.