Monday, May 26, 2014

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bites


 

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake


What would you do if I told you that you could have your cake and eat it too? 
These amazing cheesecake bites are Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Raw, and Vegan. 

I know, you are thinking; "So what is in them then?" If you are like me, you don't like much of the dairy substitutes. I try to limit soy products, so tofu just is not for me. I prefer God given foods. Stuff that man didn't mess with, is what I mean by God given. 

The truth is, I wish you could try them without knowing what is in them. Can you trust me? Can you please just make them and try them without judging the ingredients? If so then I will tell you. 

The main ingredients in this amazing caramel goodness: Zucchini, Cashews, and Coconut Milk. That makes these treats completely fine to eat for breakfast, or snacks, or dessert. You choose. It replaces yucky processed, high in sugar desserts that I used to eat. In fact one of my most popular recipes ever on this blog is my caramel cheesecake bites. They are full of sugar. These taste just as good if not better, and they are HEALTHY. Give them a try! I have yet to have someone try these and not gasp at their goodness. 

Now while you can make these treats with normal coconut oil. I am going to share with you a wonderful new product that I used in this recipe. Again, you can use normal coconut oil, but let me tell you why I think you might want to go out and get this amazing organic coconut oil with added nutrients. It is called QUOQUOS.


So in case you don't already know the health benefits of coconut oil, let me educate you. Extra virgin coconut oil can be beneficial for maintaining energy, metabolism and immune system health and much much more. Coconuts have special fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). New studies show that when these types of healthy fats are broken down in your liver, you burn energy more efficiently. Coconut oil is the most abundant natural source of Lauric Acid on earth, with about 50 percent lauric acid. Our bodies convert lauric acid into monolaurin for maintaining immune system health. It’s also high in fiber, which most of us need more of. A PubMed study found that women who consumed about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil a day for 12 weeks had lower amounts of abdominal fat. This fact is a huge factor for me, abdominal fat is always the fat I struggle with the most. 
How is Quoquos different from other coconut oils and what are the advantages
of Quoquos compared to other virgin coconut oils? Coconut oil with its high content of MCTs is great for maintaining energy, metabolism and immune system health, but some people have trouble digesting the 3-5 tablespoons a day needed to gain those benefits, and may experience stomach cramps or bloating. Quoquos solves that problem by adding just the right amount of sunflower lecithin to support digestion. 

Here is a chart breakdown of the benefits. 

So what are you waiting for? Go get yours at www.quoquos.com

Now let me tell you how to make these wonderful treats of bliss. 

Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Raw, Vegan Dulce De Leche Cheesecake Bites



For the base:

1 cup almonds
1 cup pecans
4 tablespoons organic raw cacao powder
1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
2 tablespoons coconut oil (I used Quoquos Coco Choco Boost)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling
2 cups raw cashews soaked overnight in an airtight container
1 cup organic zucchini (peeled and cubed)
6 drops vanilla creme Sweet leaf sweet drops -or- 1 tsp stevia
4 tablespoons coconut oil (I used Quoquos Coco Lecithin Boost)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the dulce de leche topping:
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put all the ingredients for the crust in a food processor and process until a wet and crumbly texture.

Divide evenly into a lined 12-cavity mini cheesecake pan and press down firmly.

Put the cheesecake pan in the freezer to harden the crust while you prepare the cheesecake filling.

Prepare the filling:
Peel and dice the zucchini. 

Put all the ingredients for the cheesecake filling into a Blender and blend until a smooth and creamy. You want to run several cycles and scrape down the blender. Because you want it as creamy as you can get. So plan on several minutes here. 

Remove the cheesecake pan from the freezer and evenly distribute the filling on top of each crust. Place back in the freezer while you prepare the caramel topping. 

Prepare the topping: 
In a large saucepan with a thick bottom combine coconut milk, honey and maple syrup and salt.

Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and let reduce for about 50 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add coconut oil and cook for further 5 minutes until it reaches a deep caramel color.

Don’t rush it. The process could be faster or slower, depending on how hot your burner is. Stir every so often towards the end, to keep the bottom from burning too much.  Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool for about 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.

Take out the cheesecake pan from the freezer and top with caramel. 
Place back in the freezer for a couple hours or overnight to set. You can bring them to the fridge the day you are serving. They can be served right out of the freezer or for a softer texture, at fridge temperature. 
For the full dairy, fat, and full sugar version of this cheesecake, you can find it here: 

If you like my recipes, please support my work and get my cookbook! Featuring 150 recipes, 100 of which are not on the blog. That's right! 100 new recipes! Gluten-Free Made Easy is the perfect guide to your new lifestyle! Learn dozens of tips and tricks for avoiding gluten and over 150 tasty, simple recipes. Going against the grain has never been easier!
"Gluten-Free Made Easy" is available for sale at Barnes and NobleBooks and ThingsCedar FortAmazon and many other great bookstores.

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