How amazing was the weather this past weekend guys? I feel like it is almost getting warm enough to swim outside! This past Friday night we went to Ramen Tatsu-Ya and had some of the best ramen ever. We went to the location on the north side of Austin and waited in a long line that wrapped around outside but it didn't really take that long once we got inside. It was so good and is definitely one of my new favorite restaurants in Austin now.
On another note we feel like we have passed a major stepping stone as dog parents because we can now let Sibbie off leash at the dog park near our apartments! It's a non-fenced in area, and technically all dogs are supposed to be on a leash but nobody abides by that rule. Everyday around 5-7pm is puppy hour and a lot of dog owners bring their dogs to let them run around and play. I started letting her off leash gradually for short periods of time and would basically stress out the entire time because I was afraid she would run off like she has in the past. But for the past few weeks we have been letting her off for a good twenty minutes or so and she happily plays with the other dogs without running away! It may seem silly to you but for us it's a big deal, lol.
Now onto these vegan cheesecakes! Are they as good as regular ol' cheesecake? Not quite. But they are super creamy, slightly tangy, nutty, cold, and sweet. They are the perfect afternoon snack when you want something sweet but are trying to be healthy and stay away from the Reese's PB eggs you bought that were on sale after Easter. What's also great about them is they are the perfect snack size!
If you don't have tahini you can sub peanut or almond butter!
Mini Tahini Vegan Cheesecakes
adapted from Minimalist Baker
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked in water for 4-6 hours
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup honey (or if vegan, use maple syrup or agave nectar)
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp. coconut milk
Directions:
In a food processor, blend together the dates and walnuts until a loose ball forms. Texture should be similar to a meal or paste and should be sticky.
Grease a 12-pan muffin tin. Scoop 1-2 tbsp of the walnut-date crust into the bottom of each muffin tin. Press down with fingers or with the back of a spoon. Move to freezer to harden while making the filling.
Clean out food processor (or use a high speed blender instead), and add in the softened cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut milk, honey, and tahini. Blend until creamy and smooth. This may take a few minutes.
Taste the filling. Add in more sweetener or tahini if desired. Otherwise, take prepared muffin tin out of the freezer and evenly distribute the filling amongst the 12 muffin tins. Tap the muffin tin against the counter to remove any air bubbles.
In a small bowl, microwave the coconut milk until very warm, about 30 seconds. Pour over the chocolate chips, and stir slowly until chips are completely melted. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons atop each cheesecake, swirling with a toothpick.
Cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap and freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight. Pop out of the muffin tins (I ran a knife along the edges and it came out easily), and let them sit out for 5-10 minutes to soften. Enjoy!
P.S. I’m so excited and honored because I’m featured in the summer issue of Artful Blogging! There are a few of my photos and a short article I wrote about my passion for photography, our move to NYC, and how I started blogging. I loved reading all the inspiring stories in it as well. It’s available on May 1st!
