No Bake Cashew Cheese Cake

I love to learn about all types of diets, so last week while I was looking for some information on the raw foods diet, I came across this recipe for a raw vegan cheesecake. It seemed so simple that I just had to give it a try. I made some changes to the original recipe, but it still came out great! It doesn't taste like a 'normal' cheesecake - it's definitely different -but it was still yummy! Next time, I'm thinking of adding fresh strawberries or blueberries to the filling for a bit of a variation :)

No Bake Cashew Cheese Cake
(Yields: 8 slices)

Crust
1 3/4 Quick Oats
25 Pitted Dates
Splash of water

Filling
1 Cup of Raw Cashews (soaked)
3 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Water
Agave Nectar (to taste - I used 2 tsp's)

Soak cashews overnight (or if you're in a hurry, for at least 3 hours)

Grind oats until they reach a flour like consistency. Add 10 dates and blend together. Once thoroughly mixed, add 10 more dates. Blend. Add the last 5 and blend. If mixture is a bit dry, add a splash of water to lightly moisten the mixture.

Scoop mixture into a dish 9" round dish and press down with your fingers to cover the bottom and sides of the dish.

For the filling, blend together cashews, lemon juice, agave nectar, vanilla extract and water until smooth, fluffy and thick. (add additional lemon juice, agave and vanilla as needed). Note: Be careful not to over blend or you may wind up with cashew butter!

Fill the crust with the filling and spread evenly. Freeze for an hour or refrigerate for a few hours to set.

 The pie should last a few days in the refrigerator. but you can also cut it into slices and freeze them.

Rice Cooker Cake

I don't know what took me so long, but after wanting one for years, I finally got a rice cooker / steamer. I was looking through the booklet to get some ideas on other things to make in the rice cooker and saw a recipe for a chocolate cake that you bake right in the rice cooker. I was skeptical, so I decided to give it a try. With a little tweaking, it actually worked!

Chocolate Crazy Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 c water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. Spray steamer / rice cooker pot with vegetable spray.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a separate bowl and stir until combined. Pour mixture into rice cooker pot.
3. Close lid on the rice cooker and press COOK. After a few minutes, the rice cooker will switch to KEEP WARM even though the cake is not done. This is normal. Keep the rice cooker on KEEP WARM setting for about 10 minutes and then press COOK again. The rice cooker will once again switch to KEEP WARM. Wait an additional 10 minutes then press COOK one more time. Once it switches to KEEP WARM again, wait for about 30 minutes or so and then check the cake with a toothpick. Cake should be done but if it's not press COOK one more time then when it goes back to KEEP WARM check the cake again.
4. Remove the rice cooker pot with potholders and invert onto a serving plate.

Servings: 8 Slices
Calories: 221 Calories per slice

(Recipe via Instruction Booklet. Recipe by Debra Murray, Wolfgang Puck HSN Host)

3, 2, 1 Cholate Cake (aka 3 Minute Cake)

3, 2 ,1 Cholate Cake (aka 3 Minute Cake)


3 tbsp Bisquick
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
Soy Milk

1. Mix ingredients together and put into a small bowl (or mug)
2. Microwave for about 3 minutes or until the cake looks like it's finished.