Suma Bloggers Network - Blueberry Cheesecake

The first recipe I'm sharing from the August menu is my Blueberry Cheesecake. I couldn't wait to receive my Suma Package this month so I could set to in the kitchen and make this delicious vegan cheesecake. 

As you know from my first Suma post - Vegetable Tagine, every two months I will be sharing a recipe I have created using ingredients from the Suma Co-op.

Suma is the UK’s largest independent wholefood wholesaler/distributor and are a workers’ co-operative committed to ethical business. If you haven't already you must check out their on line shop, everything they sell is vegetarian and many products are vegan.

All the ingredients for this recipe are from the store cupboard bar two fresh ingredients; blueberries and lemons.

Thankfully I have a blueberry bush in my garden and after I've picked this last harvest the berries will be few are far between, but they will still be enjoyed with my homemade muesli for breakfast over the next few days.

I've had two large harvests of over 300g from my blueberry bush and then handfuls every now and again which I have collected in the mornings. There is nothing better than going outside first thing, picking some berries to have with your breakfast.

Overall, I have been extremely lucky to have harvested just over 800g from my sole blueberry bush this year and I'm hoping to reach the 1kg mark with the last few berries on the bush, but its looking doubtful, especially as the blackbirds have found how to get to the berries even though it is netted! Oh well, I can honestly say every berry has been delicious and savoured!

So without further ado here's how you make my blueberry cheesecake.

Ingredients
275g Cashews
200g Medjool Dates, de-stoned)
120g Brazil nuts
80g Walnuts*
200g Blueberries
1½ Tbsp Maple syrup
1 Tsp Vanilla paste
100ml Lemon juice
100ml Coconut oil
Blueberries to decorate
* You can reduce the amount of walnuts if you want to add another nut to the mix. I have used 25g of Linwoods milled flaxseed, cocoa and berries and 55g walnuts with good results

Method

Soak the cashews in 400ml water overnight, drain, rinse and drain again.

Add the brazil nuts and walnuts to a food processor and pulse till the nuts are broken into coarse breadcrumbs, be careful not to go too far and process to a paste. Add the medjool dates and pulse a few more times until the dates are chopped and mixed into the nuts.

Transfer to a loose bottomed cake tin and press the mixture into the tin, put in the fridge to harden off while you make the cheesecake filling.

Add the blueberries to a blender with 1 Tbsp of the maple syrup and the vanilla paste and blend until you get a puree. I used my Vitamix and because it gets hot the puree was almost jam like! I must remember that for the future. Transfer the puree to a dish and set aside. Rinse out your blender ready for the next step.

Transfer the soaked cashews to a powerful blender (I used my vitamix which does the job perfectly, a standard blender may take a little longer to obtain the creamy filling). Add the lemon juice and remaining ½ Tbsp of the maple syrup and blend until a thick creamy paste. Add the blueberry puree and blend again, the mixture should loosen ever so slightly.

Melt the coconut oil so it can be added in liquid form. Add to the blueberry and cashew mixture slowly while the blender is running.

Spoon the mixture on top of the nut base and smooth over the top. Return to the fridge for at least 2 hours so the mixture can set. Decorate with more blueberries.

EDIT POST

I'm so proud of my gorgeous blueberry bush, I thought I would share some of the photographs I have taken throughout this season. The photos span from April through to August, you can tell how proud I am from the number of photo's I've taken!
Ha ha ha........

Blueberry & Pineapple Smoothie

This morning I fancied a smoothie, the sun was sort of shining and my blender had rested for over a week, so I thought it was time to put it back into action. I checked what fruits I had on hand and came up with a Blueberry and Pinapple Smoothie, which was delicious, even though my blender couldn't handle the blueberry skins. 

Ingredients

1 Orange
1 Banana
¼ Pinapple
¼ Punnet of blueberries
Water (if blender not powerful)



Method
Squeeze the orange and add the juice to the blender, then add the pineapple, banana and blueberries. Blend, adding a touch of water if needed to get everything going. Oh one day I dream of owning a Vitamix!