Vegan | Gluten-free

#VeganizedPuertoRican is BACK! In the USA, people usually slater buffalo sauce in their chicken dip and call it a day. We don’t do that here, in Puerto Rico is all about the herbs & spices. I grew up seeing this dip at family gatherings, parties, school/university activities, beach days & work events. I used to love it so much that when I went vegan, my mom made a version with soy ground. Little did we know, that jackfruit would do the trick to make it fully authentic. This Vegan Chicken Dip is nothing but delicious1

This appetizer is traditionally made with chicken (obvs!), cream cheese, garlic, onion, parsley & red bell pepper. With only two ingredients being non-vegan, it ended up being super easy to veganize.

Just swap out the chicken for jackfruit & the cream cheese for vegan cream cheese!

Here’s how I make the Vegan Chicken Dip:

This is a video done in collaboration with 623 Foodie Studio, see it here.

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Vegan Chicken Dip

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can or 2 cups of jackfruit, drained & rinsed
• ¾  cup vegan cream cheese, softened
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup white or red onion, chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Splash of white vinegar (or ½ lemon juice)
• A handful of parsley flakes

Procedure

1. Drain jackfruit, rinse well & place in water for about 20 minutes. This allows the jackfruit to soften up & release any brine that’s left from the can.
2. Drain jackfruit, and remove seeds. Set jackfruit aside.
3. To a food processor, add the vegan cream cheese, red bell pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and salt & pepper. Blend until the bell pepper is completely combined.
4. Blend in the jackfruit, chopped onion & parsley.
5. Serve with multi-grain chips, carrot, or celery sticks, and ENJOY!

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Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free |

Dr. Praeger’s products were provided to facilitate this post. See below for more details.

Dr. Praeger’s dropped a new meatless product line: Pure Plant Protein. The created flavorful soy-free plant-based burgers, breakfast sausage and chickenless tenders that deliver a great texture, 10g of plant-based protein & loads of fiber with all the veggies and clean ingredients for which the brand is known. All while being soy and gluten-free!

For years I’ve been a Dr. Praegers stan, their veggie burgers are the only frozen veggie burgers that I’ve bought for years. That’s why, when the opportunity to work with them was presented, I didn’t think it twice. However, instead of going with a burger, I decided to challenge myself into creating a meal with their plant-based tenders.

Hence: Caesar Salad Tacos! Which has become my favorite quick lunch lately? Years ago, I used to love caesar salad; I would go to Costco just to get their huge bowls. That love quickly went away when I started transitioning to veganism and figured out what is actually in a caesar dressing: SO MUCH JUNK. However, a couple of weeks ago, I found Vegan Caesar by Follow Your Heart at my local supermarket. This drove me to create these tacos, but with a twist!

I used lettuce from my grandmother’s garden, roma tomatoes, plantain croutons, red onions Dr. Praegers Classic Chick’n Tenders & vegan caesar dressing. If you can’t find the vegan caesar or if you feel like making your own, here’s a foolproof caesar dressing recipe.

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Vegan Caesar Salad Tacos

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 1-2 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2-4 whole-wheat tortillas
• 3 Dr. Praeger's Classic Chick’n Tenders
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup lettuce, chopped
• ⅓ cup red onion, chopped
• Vegan croutons of choice
• Vegan caesar salad dressing
• Optional: vegan parmesan

Procedure

1. Cook the tenders according to instructions on the package.
2. While the tenders are cooking, warm up your tortillas on a pan.
3. When the tenders are done, slice each piece in half & group the pieces in three.
4. Assemble your tacos & top with dressing & croutons. Enjoy!

Disclosure: This recipe was created in partnership with Dr. Praegers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. It’s content like this that helps me keep this site running to provide the vegan recipes you see every week.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free 

I’m often asked what I pack for lunch when I meal prep. My answer? Portable and easy meals! Always go simple, with minimal meals that are easy to carry when you’re on the go. Today, I bring you a classic: Garden Chickpea Salad. You can have this with some multigrain chips, or as my favorite, a sandwich; this is essential for heading off to school or work for the day.

This Garden Chickpea Salad is an easy, satisfying, and delicious vegan alternative to the usual non-vegan sandwich fillers. It’s so refreshing and flavorful, that it puts every tuna or chicken salad ever made put to shame.

With easy to find (& grow) ingredients, you can make an entire week worth of lunch for just under $10 in just 15 minutes! However, this Garden Chickpea Salad offers endless possibilities; you can easily customize this recipe by using other veggies, herbs & spices, and dare I say berries (?), that you might already have in your kitchen.

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Garden Chickpea Salad

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup Chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• ½ cup shredded carrot
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• ½ cup bell peppers, chopped
• ½ cucumber, chopped & seeded
• ¼ cup Vegan Mayo (I used Just Mayo)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, onion powder, & paprika, to taste

Procedure

1. Drain and rinse your chickpeas and add them to a large bowl. Roughly mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork. I like to leave some chunks of the chickpeas in there.
2. Add the carrot, celery, onion, bell peppers & cucumber and mix well. NOTE: remember to remove the center of the cucumber (seeds & gooey part), otherwise after a couple of days there will be some liquid in your salad.
3. Mix in the vegan mayo, as well as the herbs, spices & lemon juice.
4. Serve with some multigrain chips or as a sandwich, and ENJOY!

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To carry out a healthy and balanced diet in all the senses is a very feasible reality for the vegan people. This balance comes together with the combination of nutrients, especially three macronutrients, one of them being Protein. Believe it or not, Vegans and Vegetarians are still under fire from the protein hype, due to the common misconception that protein is only obtainable from animals. Thankfully, this view is becoming increasingly outdated, but people still have questions about plant-based protein sources.

What’s protein?

Protein needs little to no introduction. You likely already know it as one of the three major macronutrients that make up your diet (the other two being fat and carbohydrates).

Pro·tein /ˈprōˌtēn/

noun

1. any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that consist of large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms, especially as structural components of body tissues such as muscle, hair, collagen, etc., and as enzymes and antibodies.

So basically, protein is considered the building block of life and is found in every cell of the body. Proteins play a role in:

• Transporting molecules throughout the body
• Helping repair cells and make new ones
• Protecting the body from viruses and bacteria
• Promoting proper growth and development in children, teenagers, and pregnant women

Information from: Everyday Health

How much protein do I need?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend a daily protein intake of 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. About 60 grams of protein for a person who weighs 165 pounds. People aiming to build muscle, pregnant or nursing women, and older adults may need more protein consumption; consult with your health specialist.

Plant-based protein vs. Animal protein

Plant-based protein has been shown to be much more beneficial to the body than animal protein. This is because it also contains healthy combinations with carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it the “package deal” of foods.

Animal protein, on the other hand, lacks of fiber, is high in fat and cholesterol, which leads to poor digestive health, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease. Animal protein also comes with an increased cancer risk due to their higher proportions of essential amino acids which causes our bodies to produce higher levels of the hormone insulin-like growth factor, leading to cancer growth. One of the proteins found in dairy, casein, is also strongly linked to several types of cancer.

So as you can see, animals are not the best sources of protein. On the other hand, there are so many plant-based meats, milks and other foods derived from plants that are high in protein, incredibly delicious and so healthy that you will not even want to eat animals, eggs or milk.

“Where can I get my protein?”

There is protein in almost everything. For example, a boring bagel has 10 grams of protein, seriously, google it! Vegans and Vegetarians don’t need to worry about where they’re getting their protein or whether they’re getting enough because it can be found in every single whole plant food. Yep, that’s right; even those fruits and veggies you’re eating contain some grams of protein.

Grains and legumes are good sources of proteins of vegetable origin. Seitan, made with wheat gluten contains more protein per gram than beef and pork. The same happens with other foods rich in plant proteins such as tempeh and tofu.

Retrieved from: https://www.arespectfullife.com/2017/08/11/vegan-fit/

Types of plant-based protein:

1. Soy (in its different forms): Whole soy products are among the richest sources of protein in a plant-based diet. These are products also contain good levels of calcium and iron, which makes them healthful substitutes for dairy products. The protein content varies with how the soy is prepared:
   • Edamame beans (immature soybeans) can contain 8g of protein per ½ cup
   • Firm tofu (soybean curds) can contain about 10g of protein per ½ cup
   • Tempeh can contain about 15g of protein per ½ cup
2. Seitan: A complete protein made from mixing wheat gluten with various spices. The high gluten content means that it should be avoided by people with gluten intolerance.
3. Grains & Legumes:
   • Legumes: They can contain plenty of protein, fiber, and key nutrients, including iron and potassium, when cooked, they can contain 8g of protein per ½ cup.
   • Grains: are super versatile, some may contain around 7g per ½ cup.
   • Quinoa: Surprisingly enough, quinoa is a grain with high protein content, when cooked, it can contain 8g of protein per cup.
4. Nuts & Seeds:
   • Peanuts: They’re protein-rich, full of healthful fats, and may improve heart health. They contain around 20g of protein per ½ cup.
   • Almonds: They offer 16g of protein per ½ cup, and a good amount of vitamin E, which is great for the skin and eyes.
   • Walnuts: These offer about 15g of protein per ½ cup, and full of healthy fats & fiber.
   • Cashews: You’ll get roughly 18g of protein per ½ cup of cashews, as well as magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc.

   • Chia seeds: These are a complete source of protein that contains 2g of protein per tablespoon, they’re also rich in fiber and heart-healthy with Omega-3 fatty acids.
   • Hemp seeds: Similarly to chia seeds, hemp seeds are a complete protein. They offer 5g of protein per tablespoon.
   • Nut butters are also rich in protein with 8g per tablespoon, depending on which nut butter.
5. Leafy greens: Many dark-colored, leafy greens. Eaten alone, these foods are not enough to meet daily protein requirements, but when combined with other protein-rich foods.
   • Broccoli: a single stalk of broccoli contains about 4g of protein
   • Spinach:
   • Kale offers 2g of protein per cup
6. Mushrooms: 5 medium mushrooms offer 3g of protein
7. Potatoes: A large potato offers 8g of protein per serving, they’re also high in other nutrients, such as potassium and vitamin C.
8. Spirulina: This is blue or green algae that contain about 8g of protein per 2 tablespoons. It is also rich in nutrients, such as iron, B vitamins like B12.
9. Bread: Ezekiel Bread is a nutrient-dense alternative to traditional bread that offers 4g of protein per slice. It is made from barley, wheat, lentils, millet, and spelt.

Information retrieved from Healthline

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Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

I’m a big fan of coconut treats, and this recipe ticks all the boxes: simple, few ingredients & cost effective. They’re not raw, but they don’t require any baking, and they come together with only 6 ingredients. Most importantly, they are intensely, supremely satisfying, seriously addictive and take minutes to whip up! Once you bite into these chewy coconut bars you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about!

Are these Coconut Bars healthy?

Amazingly, yes! They contain lots of good fats: desiccated coconut, coconut cream, coconut oil & nuts.

But what about the sugar?

For this recipe, I used date syrup, which is less sweet than agave, honey, or maple syrup. Its benefits include low-Glycemic index food, high fiber content, & 78% invert sugar. However, if you can’t find date sugar, natural maple syrup will work just fine.

Variations:

• Trade the macadamia nuts for cashews or almonds
• Cover the bars in chocolate to create vegan mound bars!
• Try adding dried berries to the mix: cranberries or goji berries

Keep them in the fridge and serve straight from there. They will stay fresh for a week (or even longer) when kept stored in a covered container, though let’s face it, they will never last that long!

Recipe: Macadamia-Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• ½ cup raw macadamia nuts
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ⅓ cup coconut cream
• Optional: 4 tbsp coconut oil
• Optional: date, agave or maple syrup (to taste)

Procedure:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Line 8×4 pan with parchment paper & press down coconut mix.
3. Place in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes and let set.
4. Remove from fridge & cut into bars.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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Vegan | Gluten-free | Soy-free

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Here’s a treat that you can prepare for any valentine’s day activity.

Chocolate bark is probably the easiest type of chocolate sweet treats you can make; so simple, while still looking fancy enough. The hardest part: waiting for the chocolate to set.* The best part: licking your fingers afterward! It’s perfect during the Christmas Holidays, for Valentine’s Day or as a handmade gift any time of year.

This is one of my favorite chocolate bark recipes. The combination of dark chocolate, macadamia nuts, raspberries, and coconut reminds me of Raspberry Chocolate Tart.

*Kidding! The hardest part was shooting this recipe; this heat will melt anything in just five minutes.

Notes:

• Want to try this with white chocolate instead? There are brands out there that work on Dairy-free white chocolate, but it can be annoyingly expensive.
• I used dark chocolate, however, you can use non-dairy milk chocolate.
• Can’t find non-dairy chocolate bars? Non-dairy chocolate chips are usually easier to find and will work just as well.

Recipe: Chocolate-Raspberry Bark

Ingredients:

• 4 non-dairy dark chocolate bars (about 128g)
• ½ cup coconut oil
• Optional: 2 tbsps plant-based milk
• Toppings: chopped macadamia nuts, raw coconut chips, & halved raspberries

Procedure:

1. Prepare a small baking sheet (I used 8×8) with parchment paper.
2. Place small pieces of dairy-free chocolate (I used 4 bars) in a bowl on top of a pot with recently boiled water, add coconut oil and allow the chocolate to melt gently.
3. Once the chocolate has melted, mix well until combined.
4. Pour the chocolate into the baking sheet, and add your toppings in.
5. Leave to set in the fridge for at least an hour. Break into pieces and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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Vegan | Gluten-free | SOS-friendly | Soy-free | Raw

Need a quick chocolate fix? This chocolate mousse is a combination of healthy and delicious ingredients that come together quickly to create a rich and silky smooth pudding. If you’ve never tried chocolate avocado mousse before, this recipe will take you completely by surprise!

The thing about this recipe is that it’s so simple to make. All you need is: a couple of avocados, a splash of plant milk, sweetener of choice, raw cacao powder, chia, salt, and a bit of lemon juice. Throw everything a blender or food processor, and mix until creamy and smooth. Avocados will give you that rich smooth creamy texture, the chia powder will work as a thickening agent, and the rest of the ingredients will give you that deep chocolate goodness you want!

The best part? This recipe tastes like a dessert but made with all real ingredients from nature, making it good enough for breakfast, packed with all sorts of nutrients that make you feel good!   

As for the taste? Don’t worry, avocados don’t have much of a taste, to begin with, you’ll only get a faint hint of it, but this will also depend on how much cacao powder you put into it.

Get creative with this recipe:

• Add mint extract and some mint leaves to make this a Mint Chocolate Mousse.
• Freeze to make fudgesicles!
• Make this into a pie: prepare the crust and scoop the mousse mixture into it.

Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• ¾ cup plant-based milk of choice
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• ¾ cup sweetener of choice, or to taste (I used date caramel)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Dash of Himalayan salt

Procedure:

1. Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender.
2. Add the plant-based milk, cacao powder, chia, sweetener of choice, salt and vanilla extract.
3. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust with extra sweetener if needed.
4. Spoon the avocado chocolate mousse into glasses or ramekins.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
6. Serve plain or topped with cacao nibs, fresh berries, and/or whipped coconut cream.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

When you leave feedback it helps me improve and grow, leave me a comment below.

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Vegan | Soy-free

Is this me posting an unscheduled recipe???? Yes! This is for you to make tonight for Christmas Eve; cookies that you can share with your family & friends!

Growing up these were my favorite cookies, Peanut Butter Blossoms. My mom & I made them all the time, especially during Christmas. When I was little I used to make these for Santa, only to later find out that there was no Santa, and the cookies were getting eaten by my parents.

They have the perfect combo, peanut butter & chocolate, they’re soft with a little bit of crunch, and they’re super simple to make. However they’re not vegan, and only this year it occurred to me that I could make them vegan. Usually a Hershey kiss is pressed down in the center of the cookie right after it comes out of the oven, but unfortunately, there are no vegan kisses. You can totally make your own vegan kisses, but let’s be honest, ain’t nobody got time for that. So, I had to go for some non-dairy chocolate chips in the center. Equally amazing!

They turned out great, on my first try! And I can promise you, that even the PB haters will love them. And if you have someone in your family who’s allergic to peanuts, you can easily change the peanut butter for almond butter or even any other nut butter.

Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy a vegan version of one of my childhood favorite, during Christmas Eve!

Recipe: Santa’s Cookies- Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms

Serves: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• ½ cup non-dairy butter, melted
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, softened
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 2 Tbsp water, allow to sit a couple minutes)
• 2 tbsp plant-based milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• Non-dairy chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. To a mixing bowl, add melted butter & whisk in the sugar. Then mix in the peanut butter, flax egg, vanilla extract & salt.
3. Add in the flour & baking soda. Mix well until combined and a dough is formed.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
5. Scoop out small, tablespoon size amounts of dough and roll into balls between your palms. Then place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet spaced, an inch or two apart.
6. Then bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Super important: don’t let these overbake!
7. Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, gently press your thumb in the middle, to create a dent. Place a couple of chocolate chips in the middle, and allow to cool completely.
8. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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Dairy-free | Soy-free | Gluten-free

It’s finally December! My classes are finally over and I’m one step closer to finish my Masters. As soon as my classes ended I made my way to Mexico City, so while you’re reading this, I’m working on the next Vegan Travel Guide! And also eating my weight in tacos…

However, December also means that it’s time to veganize all of my favorite traditional recipes and master them so that you & I don’t have to miss out where the heart of the party is. Puerto Rico’s Christmas cuisine is amazing! There are so many recipes ranging from appetizers to dessert. And today I’m bringing you the vegan recipe of one of our classics: Arroz con Dulce.

The literal translation of this is “sweet rice”, but in a not literal way, Arroz con Dulce is a sweet rice pudding. Traditionally made with a combination of evaporated milk and coconut milk, this recipe only has coconut milk! Also, Arroz con Dulce is one of those desserts that you have to make in big batches, if not, you’ll be left without it because your family & friends will devour every bit of it.

Although Arroz con Dulce is super easy to make, the process takes a bit of time. However, it’s absolutely delicious and it makes a good amount for you to share. It’s a very similar process to making Risotto, so patience is key.

Notes:

• Even though the ground flaxseed is optional, I believe this is what gives it the soft yet compact texture.
• If you don’t like raisins, try adding other dry berries instead. Ex. cranberries, goji berries…
• Always use organic sugar to make sure that it’s vegan.
• Lifehack: That tea is also good for fighting the flu, colds and sometimes bellyaches.
• I prefer to let the rice soak through the day for a good 6-12 hours and then cook it at night one day before serving; just because I believe that the longer that’s left on the fridge, the better the flavors mend together.
• Got leftovers? Even though this rarely happens, if you get leftovers, they’ll be good for about a week.

Recipe: Vegan Arroz con Dulce

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup short or medium grain rice
• 5 cups full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cup sugar of choice, or to taste (I used brown sugar)
• 1 piece of ginger
• 10 cloves
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• Dash of salt
• ⅓ cup raisins, or to taste
• 2 tbsp non-dairy butter
• Ground cinnamon
• Optional: a dash of ground flaxseed

Procedure:

• Soak rice in water for about 6-12 hours, leave covered. This is best if you leave it overnight.
• In a boiling pot, add the 1 cup of water, crushed ginger, cloves & cinnamon. Boil to make tea for about 15 minutes. When ready strain to separate the tea, place aside. Save cinnamon sticks for later.
• Strain your soaked rice and place aside.
• To a rice cooking pot, add the tea, 4 cups of the coconut milk and dash of salt. Turn on the heat to high.
• When the tea-milk mixture is boiling, add the rice and lower the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
• Uncover, add ½ cup of coconut milk, stir in the sugar and dash of ground flaxseed. Cook to low heat for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Then add the other ½ cup of coconut milk and the non-dairy butter. When completely combined, add the raisins & take away from the heat.
• Place in a heat-safe container, top with dashes of ground cinnamon and allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge, covered. Optional: If you saved the cinnamon sticks from the tea, you can add them to the container too.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to know how it turned out for you! Tag me in your Instagram creations for a chance to be featured in my insta stories! Use @veggiejeva and the hashtag #veggiejevaskitchen.

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Dairy-free | Gluten-free | Soy-free| No-bake

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, the day to celebrate all of the fall foods, especially pumpkins. I figured out the most decadent fall dessert to let the season go with a bang! This would make the perfect dessert for holiday parties and fall gatherings.

Last week I shared my Vegan Thanksgiving recipes, and I promised that this week was going to be all about the dessert. So, here it is Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake! Back in high school, I discovered how perfect pumpkin pie is; no joke I could eat half of that Costco pie. But all that dairy and sugar? The perfect recipe for a tummy ache.

This year I wanted to try to make it, but I have to admit, I’m no pie baker. I definitely still need some practice. So I thought what else can I make, that it’s not traditional?

After seeing how successful my No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake was, I knew I had to make a fall version. Now, the idea of a vegan cheesecake is nothing new, I know. However, in all of the cashew cheesecake experimentation I’ve done so far through my vegan journey, I haven’t touched on pumpkin yet. And so, Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake was born! Creamy, rich, subtly spiced, and just the right amount of sweetness, filled with good healthy fats, protein, and fiber!

Oh, and did I mention that this is a no-bake recipe? Yup, just assemble the crust, blend the filling ingredients, and pop in the freezer for a couple of hours.

Now, let’s talk about the crust. I got two words for you: scrumptious & comforting. For this, I decided to go off the beaten path and created a crust by combining nuts, berries, and dates, making this cheesecake crust naturally sweet and hearty. However, you can totally try this with a more traditional graham cracker crust or make another creative crust, make it your own!

This was a hit among my family, my mom even said that this might be my best dessert yet!

The best part? You can have it for breakfast without an inch of guilt. Instead of having a slice with heavy dairy and sugar, you’ll have nuts, maple syrup & coconut. I hope you’ll love this as much as much as I did! 

Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• ½ cup cranberries
• 1 cup medjool dates, pitted
• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• Optional: ½ cup coconut flakes
• Pinch of sea salt

Cheesecake Filling:

• 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked & drained
• 1 lemon, juiced (approx. 2 Tbsp)
• ⅓  cup light or full-fat coconut milk
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup maple syrup or light agave nectar (plus more to taste)
• ⅓  cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• cinnamon, to taste
• Pinch sea salt

Optional Toppings:

• Coconut whipped cream
• Cranberries
• Cherries (my fave)
• More cinnamon
• Pumpkin seeds

Procedure:

1. Line an 8″ diameter x 2.4″ depth Springform Pan (or 8×8 removable bottom pan) with parchment paper.
2. To a food processor, add dates and cranberries and blend until it forms a ball. Remove and set aside.
3. Then add the walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and salt to food processor and process into a meal. Add back the dates and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. Tip: if too crumbly, add a few more dates,  if too sticky, add more nuts.
4. Add the crust dough to the pan, and press down with fingers to evenly distribute or use the back of a spoon to press down firmly. Also allow some of the crust to come up the sides, evenly. Set in the freezer.
5. After the cashews are soaked and drained, add to food processor with the other filling ingredients and blend until very smooth; this might take 3-5 minutes. If you find that the mixture is too thick or you have some trouble blending, add some more coconut milk.
6. After it’s completely smooth, taste and adjusts flavor/sweetness to your preference. Here you can add a bit more pumpkin puree, cinnamon, vanilla and/or maple syrup.
7. Pour filling into your parchment-lined pan. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum paper and freeze until firm; for about 4-6 hours, depending on the size of the dish.
8. Once set, leave out of the freezer for a couple of minutes before serving, to soften up a bit.
9. Serve with your favorite toppings. I chose frozen cherries, and it was heaven!
10. Store leftovers in the freezer for 7-10 days, though let’s be honest, it will not last that long.
11. Enjoy!

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