I remember devouring cheesecake back in my unhealthy bingeing days. I'd get sick of course, not because I ate too much of it, but because my body decided it should reject all dairy products. I didn't care, stubborn ol' 17-year old me. I figured, if this is the life that was randomly picked for me, then damn it, I'll consume whatever I want. Back in those days, I was also suffering from a disturbing eating mindset. I'd eat the cheesecake and then run to burn off the calories (and then some). It didn't matter that I already exercised that same day. Heck, all the better I did a double whammy that same day. You see, that isn't much living if you ask me.

Of course, my intolerance to dairy worsened as I got older. If I even have a tiny bite of cheese or a sip of milk, I would feel this paralysing pain in my tummy. That was not fun and I also doubt you'd want to live your one life feeling that way. Obviously, I've tried various vegan substitutes for cheese, milk and other dairy products like butter and cream cheese. It's a hit or miss, I admit. There are vegan cheeses out there that left me feeling robbed. Did I just pay $15 for this block of nonsense?  Seriously. Same thing for dairy-free desserts. I remember trying what was supposed to be vegan banana bread that had left me wanting. It was just rubbery and I suppose it overcompensated for the weird texture with the sweetness level. Oh, the things I let my tongue go through for vegan products.

A few years ago when veganism was still "new" and vegan restaurants started popping within every few kilometres or so, I was excited to find vegan blueberry cheesecake in New York. I don't remember which restaurant it was, but what I can still recall is the weird taste that cake left in my mouth. It was overly sweet, the texture reminded me more of custard than of cheesecake. It disappointed my little heart (and taste buds). I shied away from baking cheesecake all this while because, let's be honest, who wants to be disappointed time and time again? I've hungrily looked at recipes posted by braver and creative vegan bloggers, but I was always disappointed when the cheesecake is "raw" and is mostly made up with nuts. I'm sorry, that's just not cheesecake in my book. It's a delicious dessert, but I can't possibly count that as cheesecake, a.k.a. the dessert from hell (I say that with much love).

One lazy Sunday evening, I was left alone in my kitchen, feeling excited and restless. I had my dinner and went straightaway to the grocery store, not knowing exactly what I should be buying. All I knew was I wanted to make cheesecake. I had a basket of blueberries at home, needing to be devoured. For the crust, it's simple. I'd just recopy the crust from my vegan banoffee pie. For the cheesecake itself, who knows? I needed to channel my inner creative goddess and drag her out from her hiding place. I tell you, I was pacing around the grocery store for 30 minutes,  each aisle checked for possible ingredients.

I tell you, sometimes restlessness results in some pretty delicious creations.


Vegan Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping
Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

Cheesecake Layer:

• 450 grams firm silken tofu (about 1 and 1/3 blocks of tofu for me)
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp arrow root powder dissolved in 2 tbsp nut milk of choice
• Pinch of grated lemon zest

Graham Crust Layer:

• 2 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil

Blueberry Layer:

• 2 cups of fresh/frozen blueberries
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp chia seeds/arrow root powder
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare the pie plate by either greasing with oil or lining with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, maple syrup and coconut oil. Add more coconut oil as needed. Pour the crust mixture into prepared tin, spread evenly and press down firmly.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Let cool and set aside.

For the cheesecake layer, in a food processor, mix together all cheesecake ingredients until smooth. Don't overmix to avoid making the cheesecake too runny. Pour on top of the crust and spread evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool and refrigerate. Chilling time may vary, but best to be longer (I only cut into mine overnight).

For the blueberry layer, mix all ingredients except for chia/arrowroot powder. Let come to a boil and then simmer. Add the chia seeds or arrowroot mixed with 1 tbsp of water and mix. Cool before pouring on top of cheesecake.

Enjoy! xx