I often think we're at war - with desserts. First, we love them, we crave them, we make them, we share them, we delight and ooh and ah over them and then it happens (for me, at least, and I know for many others..)....it's the "wow, I'm sleepy" post-dessert coma. For me, it's even with say two bits of ice cream or a date-rich raw brownie. Yes, I said it. All those raw desserts that we think are good for us in fact may not be so good for SOME of us, and I'm part of that population. Now, for someone coming from a binge of eating Dairy Queen and Ho Ho's, yes, raw desserts are a step up since they actually contain good fats from nuts, seeds, and even the dried dates have minerals and fiber in them that we need. But for some of us, even those dried fruits are too sweet for us.
So I've created a preverbal white flag that (1) gets us what we want (that sweet goodness) and (2) doesn't put us to sleep. GET OUT, you say! But no, I'm not kidding. It's that good and in fact, it's even safe for people like me who have insulin resistance. Give it a whirl and see what you think. The best part is that these are good for ANYONE, even for those of us who may not need a nap after dessert. Kudos to you, and you should be proud if that's you! But for many of us, that nap, heavy feeling after dessert is a feeling we know all-too well, and well, it jus doesn’t feel good at all.
Oh, and yes, these do take some finesse and time and babysitting and you might say "but I don't have the time SHE has to make these". Let me tell you something, you. I don't have the time either! In fact, I don't have the time NOT to make these, since with one fell swoop (maybe 1/2 hour) I have dessert for the rest of the week. These are filling and rich and you don't need that much, honestly, to make your head spin with delight. Cook once, enjoy for a looooooong time. Promise.
Crust Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts/brazil nuts mixed (you can also do just walnuts)
2 dates (that’s it!)
two pinches sea salt
2 heaping tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 heaping tablespoon of dandy blend powder (herbal coffee)
2 dropperfulls (you can even do 1.5) of hazelnut liquid stevia
1 tablespoon vanilla and/or hazelnut extract
1 tablespoon water
Creamy filling:
1 cup cashews, soaked, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 tsp hazelnut extract (may substitute vanilla extract)
1 dropperfull of hazelnut-flavored liquid stevia
Crust: In a food processor, process crust ingredients until they start to stick together between fingers when pinched. Don’t over process, or it will get oily. You want it just enough so it looks fudgy, but nothing more. Feel free to use another tablespoon water to get it there. Plop out the dough onto a teflex sheet, wax paper, even a silicone baking liner and press it out using your hands (you can also do this with another wax paper sheet on top and use a mini-rolling pin). You want a uniform thickness, with tight edges. I find that ½ inch is a bit thick but ¼ inch is too thin and it breaks, so aim for somewhere in between. The end product should look like a rectangle. Pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. After that, you may store it in the fridge.
Creamy filling: Combine all ingredients in a vitamix or strong blender until smooth. Pour out into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Cut the crust in two pieces (which will be the top and bottom layer of the cheesecake bites). Place the creamy filling onto one of the layers and spread to the edges. Carefully take the second crust and place it on top. Cut it into squares using a sharp knife. Keep refrigerated and enjoy.