Raw, Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake Bars

Fresh berries will always go hand in hand with the sunshine and fun of summer! If you’re like us you’ve stored a little bit of that joy away in your freezer to partake in throughout the winter. This gorgeously purple recipe by Gena Hemshaw of Choosing Raw calls for blackberries, and while of course fresh is best, you can also use frozen – organic or wild harvested of course. The crust is a simple mixture of walnuts and dates, and the filling turns out smooth, creamy and cheesecake-like; sweet of course but with that perfect hint of tart from the berries. If you have a hard time slicing the perfect raw cheesecake slice you’ll find freedom and portability with the bar structure of this recipe. Enjoy!

Yield: 15-20 bars

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided in half
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup cashews, soaked in water for at least two hours and drained
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Instructions

1. To make the bottom layer, place the walnuts, dates, and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt in a food processor and pulse to break the ingredients down, till they’re crumbled. Run the motor and process till the mixture is ground up and sticking together when you squeeze a little in your hand.
2. Press the bottom layer into a small casserole or baking pan that has been lightly greased with olive or coconut oil (I used 11″ by 7.5″). Set aside while you make the top layer, or chill overnight.
3. To make the top layer, blend the cashews, blackberries, oil, remaining 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, and syrup in a high speed blender or food processor till they’re as smooth as possible. Pour the top layer over the bottom layer in the pan. Use a spatula or inverted knife to smooth the top layer over very evenly.
4. Transfer the dish to your fridge and chill for at least three hours. Cut into bar shapes and serve.