Berry Cheesecake

This nearly-raw treat is light, full of berries, and completely fruit-sweetened! A lot of plant-based cheesecakes rely on large amounts of nuts and oils to create a rich texture. Instead, we use agar, a natural thickener, to make this cheesecake smooth and creamy. We enjoy this treat for breakfast as well as dessert.

Crust ingredients:

• 1 cup nuts or coconut shreds
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ⅓ cup dates (packed)
• 4-5 Tablespoons water
• 2 Tablespoons coconut shreds

Filling ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh or frozen berries
• 1 cup cashews or ½ cup coconut butter
• ⅔ cup dates (packed)
• 2 ½ cups water
• 4 Tablespoons agar flakes or 1 Tablespoon agar powder

Directions:

1. For the crust, place the nuts or coconut shreds and oats in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add the dates and water and process until the mixture sticks together into a ball. Add a little more water if the mixture needs more moisture to stick together.
3. Grease the base of a 9" pie plate, or similar sized glass dish and sprinkle the 2 T coconut shreds evenly on the bottom (to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom).
4. Place the crust in the pie plate and evenly spread with your fingers to cover the whole base and an inch up the side. Set aside.
5. Place the berries, cashews or coconut butter, and dates in a blender.
6. Place the water and agar flakes or powder in a small saucepan and heat on medium, stirring often, until the agar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).
7. Pour the agar/water into the blender and blend until well combined.
8. Pour the filling into the crust and place in the refrigerator to set (at least 2 hours).

Yields: 8-12 servings