Cory's Matcha and Pomegranate Raw Cheesecake

Blog contribution by Cory, Food Blogger Extraordinare.

If Cory's delicious whole food creations on her Instagram aren't enough to make you a huge fan of her work, then these dairy-free (and vegan-friendly) matcha and pomegranate raw cheesecakes will definitely do the trick! With a passion for holistic wellness and natural foods Cory shares healthy recipes and lifestyle tips with her community. These no-bake matcha cheesecakes are full of antioxidants and pair perfectly with the natural flavours of pomegranate. 

Scroll down for Cory's recipe and to read more about why she made the switch from coffee to matcha!

I first discovered Soar Organics Matcha when I gave up coffee for health reasons, and it was love at first sip. I had tried other matcha brands, but none of them compared to the fresh, high quality of Soar Organics products. Matcha lattes quickly became a staple in my morning routine, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to drinking coffee. With coffee I felt jittery, anxious, and sometimes had trouble sleeping at night. I also had major caffeine crashes in the afternoons, and was suffering from destabilized blood sugar, adrenal fatigue, and hormonal imbalance. Switching to matcha was one of the best decisions I have ever made for my health. With matcha, I feel energized, but not jittery, and I don’t get the digestive upsets that coffee brings. Matcha contains an amino acid called L-Theanine that promotes a feeling of calm, alertness. It is also high in antioxidants, which I believe have really improved the quality of my skin, because I’ve been getting compliments on my "natural glow” since making the switch.

While my favorite way to enjoy matcha is in my morning adaptogenic lattes, I also like using it in cooking. Matcha is delicious in everything from smoothies and baked goods, to dressings, energy bites, and chia pudding. It adds a wonderful green hue to foods, along with its earthy, vegetal sweetness, and it is an awesome way to add more phytonutrients into your diet. I’m celebrating the beauty and delicate flavor of matcha with this dairy-free, raw “cheesecake” recipe. These tasty “cheesecakes” are not only pretty, they are delicious and refined sugar-free! The matcha and pomegranate powders are both high in antioxidants, and these superfood flavors go together like a “matcha” made in heaven. You can customize the sugar content to your liking. I used a combination of local raw honey and monk fruit extract. This recipe requires a little prep work and planning ahead, but trust me, it's worth the extra time and effort. Sending you all lots of love.  

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Using a food processor blend the dates until they are almost smooth, then add in the chopped pecans. Process the dates and pecan pieces together until a soft “dough forms” and there are still some course pieces of pecan. Using a muffin pan, scoop 1 TBS sized portions of the crust into the bottom of the greased muffin tin. Press the crust gently into the tin and set aside. 

"Cheesecake" Filling:

• 1-1/2 cups organic raw cashews, soaked and rinsed
• Cream from one can of full-fat coconut milk (put the can in the fridge overnight to separate the cream from the water).
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• Monk fruit to taste (can sub 1-2 tbsp. honey or maple syrup).

You can soak the cashews in the fridge overnight for convenience, or at room temp for about 3 hours. If you are short on time, you can soak them in boiling hot water for about 20-30 minutes.

Add-ins for Matcha Layer:

• 1-2 tsp. Soar Organics matcha powder (I like a stronger matcha flavor, so I use 2 tsp.).
• 1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup (or sub monk fruit).

Add-ins for Pomegranate Layer:

• 4 tsp. pomegranate powder (adds antioxidants and sweetness).
• 1 tsp. beet root powder (optional)

Beet root powder (optional): Adds color, and antioxidants, adjust to your liking. It adds a subtle sweetness as well.

Directions:

1. Using a high-powered blender, or food processor, blend all filling ingredients until smooth. Once smooth, separate out half of the filling (one half for each layer).
2. Decide which layer you want to make first and blend in the add-ins. Then scoop the filling into the muffin tin on top of the crust (about 1 TBS each), and put into the freezer to set.
3. While the first layer is setting, blend the remaining add-ins into the second layer. Once the first layer is set (about 30 minutes), add the second layer and return to the freezer.
4. Once set the cheesecakes can be stored in the freezer or fridge. If storing in the freezer, allow to defrost for several minutes before serving. Use a butter knife to gently release the cheesecakes from the muffin tin, if the tin is greased, this should be easy once they are a bit defrosted.