A final Christmas post - my main meal plans and a raw vegan mango cheesecake to say Happy Christmas

My Christmas food posts didn't stretch to main meal options this year. There is a reason for this, and it isn't just laziness (promise!): others have done a far better job on the topic than I could. Plus, many of the dishes I posted in round-up form last year, and the year before, still look appealing. I suspect you didn't want or need another round-up now.

This year, my own Christmas dishes will make use of Angela's brilliant Christmas-themed menu on Oh She Glows. I separately bookmarked her Best Shredded Kale Salad (with pecan parmesan and cranberries) and Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls (with a cranberry-pear sauce) as Christmas ideas, and when she included them in her Christmas menu planning post, it was reinforcement that they were meant to be. After Johanna's post on her experience with the lentil balls, I will be following the recipes exactly - I have even tracked down  the required sherry vinegar!

These vegan dishes will be complementing a traditional roast turkey dinner with roasted vegetables (for my family), and an assortment of desserts. My dessert contributions will be a layered twist on the (vegan) Christmas ice cream I shared in 2011, and some homemade chocolates.

With Christmas menu planning done and dusted, my main focus for today is saying happy Christmas to you. Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, winter solstice (yesterday!), summer solstice (also yesterday!), or just plain season.

Much as I'd love to send you all some chocolates, cookies, flavoured nuts, or whatever you would most like...that's a little bit tricky to pull off. So instead, I'm sharing a recipe. I know you don't want to make another dish this week, and it seems a bit mean to make you create your own present. However, trust me when I say you do want to make this dish eventually, and it is super easy to make.

This mango cheesecake is adapted from the 'Fijian' cheesecake of my raw desserts workshop. It is raw, vegan, and takes about 10 minutes of active preparation time. It will keep in the freezer for 3 months, or in the fridge for 5 days. If you don't have fresh mango? Tinned would work within the cheesecake itself, and you could top with berries instead.

It might be the best raw vegan cheesecake I've had...and I am developing quite a repertoire of past experiences.

Mango cheesecake

This dessert has the creamy tartness of traditional cheesecake, but makes use of whole food ingredients

Raw and vegan
Food processor required

Makes 1 cheesecake to give 12 slices

Adapted from Rawsome's Fijian cheesefake recipe

Print recipe

Ingredients

For the crust 
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup dates

For the filling
2 cups cashews soaked in water for at least 8 hours, and drained
Flesh from 1 medium-large mango, roughly chopped (retain any juice too)
1 banana (probably optional but this lightens the filling slightly)
1/2 cup agave
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup coconut oil

To top
1 medium-large mango, sliced

Method

Line a pie dish with baking paper, or make use of a cake pan/pie dish with removable edges.

To make the crust, process the almonds, coconut and dates in a food processor until finely ground and starting to clump together. Press firmly into the bottom of your dish/pan and set aside.

Rinse your food processor bowl and then add the soaked cashews, mango pulp and banana. Process until smooth, at least 1 minute. Add the agave and vanilla and then gradually add the lemon juice and then coconut oil while the food processor is running. Allow to blend for 30 - 60 seconds after all ingredients have been added.

Pour the cheesecake filling over your base. To facilitate setting, set in the freezer for 2 hours before transferring to the fridge for an additional 6-8 hours. Alternatively, allow to set in the fridge for closer to 12 hours before removing from the pan.

Top with additional sliced mango before serving.

Submitted to Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

A recap of my 2013 Christmas-themed posts...
Vegan pumpkin pie berry pancakes
Hazelnut and cherry carob cookies
Edible gift ideas
18 lower sugar Christmas cookies

This will be my last post before Wednesday - so Happy Christmas!

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