Recipe: Pleasey cheesecake

Total time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time

Servings: 10 to 12

Note: From Crops and Rawbers. Agave nectar and raw coconut oil are available at many health food stores and well-stocked supermarkets. Amanda Brown enthusiastically encourages experimentation (with ingredients as well as punctuation): “Top your pie with great organic, fresh, summer fruits in season! berries make the best toppers! go crazy with raw cacao powder for a choco-cheesecake, or switch up nuts for a different type of crust. totally up to you! buy organic! experiment! go raw!”

Crust

1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus extra for dusting the tin

Process the nuts, sea salt, dates and coconut in a food processor until the mixture is coarsely ground and clumps together; over-processing will make the crust too oily. Dust an 8-inch pie tin with coconut shreds, then firmly press the mixture into it to form the crust.

Filling and assembly

3 cups raw cashews

1 cup lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)

3/4 cup agave nectar

3/4 cup raw coconut oil

2 vanilla beans, seeded (discard the pods)

Water

Prepared crust

1. In a high-powered blender, puree together the cashews, lemon juice, nectar, coconut oil and vanilla seeds until smooth and creamy (the mixture should pour easily from the blender). Add a little water, up to one-fourth cup, if needed, to thin the consistency.

2. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate, uncovered, until set.

Each of 12 servings: 530 calories; 7 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 43 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 51 mg. sodium.