Raw Blueberry Pie

If you’re looking for a way to eat healthier and lose some weight in 2010, try eating more raw food, like the following pie recipe.




Raw Blueberry Pie



2 cups raw almonds



½ cup dates, pitted



5 cups blueberries, divided



2 ripe bananas



1½ tablespoon raw honey (see note)



The night before, soak the almonds in enough water to cover for at least eight hours. Then drain and rinse. Soak the pitted dates in enough water to cover for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and rinse. To make the crust, grind almonds until fine in a food processor. Add the dates and blend until smooth. Remove from processor and pat into pie dish.



To make filling, combine 4 cups of blueberries, bananas and honey in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Remove from processor and add remaining cup of blueberries. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.



Note: Raw honey can be purchased at health food stores.



Yield: Serves 8.



Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 322 calories, 18 grams fat, 47 percent of calories from fat, no cholesterol, 38 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 9 grams protein, 2 milligrams sodium

Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberry) Cheesecake Recipe


* Note that the "blueberry" part can be exchanged with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches and/or whatever your favorite fruit compote is
 
Cheesecake base:


2 cups of crushed graham cracker (I used tea biscuits this time because it was what I had, so I used less sugar because those tea biscuits are sweet)

1/2 cup of softened, room temperature unsalted butter

1/4 cup of sugar

a pinch of salt (if you're using regular butter, you don't need this pinch of salt)



Cheesecake filling:

2x 250grams Philadelphia Cream Cheese

3 tablespoons of flour

1 cup of granulated sugar

1 cup of 2% fat yoghurt

5 eggs, separate 4 egg whites into a different bowl

1 tablespoon lemon rind

1 tablespoon vanilla extract / 1 vanilla bean, scraped



Method:



Preheat your oven to 350F or 180C. Grease your 9-inch cake pan with some butter. I used a 9x6-inch tray pan.



1. Make your base first by combining all the cheesecake base ingredients together. Mix it well with your fingers until the biscuit crumbs can form a ball.

2. With that greased pan, press the biscuit crumbs on the base of the pan to form a nice base. Once that's done, let the cheesecake base chill out in the fridge while you prepare the filling
 
At this point,start the blueberry sauce to get it cooking. Start by adding 2 cups of frozen blueberries into a small pot and 1/4 cup of sugar with juice of half a lemon. When it comes to a boil, bring it down to a simmer and let it cook for until it reduces into a shiny, thick sauce. Let it cool in the fridge until ready to use.




3. Now to make the filling; Using an electric beater or your trusty standmixer, cream the cream cheese, flour and sugar together until it all comes into a thick creamy spread. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl every now and then to ensure even creaming.



You can use a whisk and beat the cream cheese by hand but you will have to make sure the cream cheese is really soft before you do that. Otherwise, you're going to give up at this point and throw a fit on your kitchen floor like Julie Powell
 
4. Add the 4 egg yolks + 1 egg, one at a time until it is evenly incorporated. Now I asked for 5 eggs, and I asked you to separate 4 eggs whites out of that. Please don't add the egg whites in here yet - you'll see why. Now you can add the yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla extract/scraped bean in and mix well.




Set this mixture aside while you whisk the egg whites. The egg whites are an important step because they give your cheesecake a light texture. It's like how souffles work...but it won't be as fluffy as a souffle but it definitely gives a nice fluffier texture than the usual dense cheesecake. This is the *secret* behind all those raves. ;)



5. With your egg whites whisked till stiff, fold it gently into the cheese batter until it is incorporated. Don't worry if there are small lumps, they're the magic.


6. Take the cheesecake base out of the fridge and pour the filling in. IMPORTANT: Bake in a 350F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 250F / 120F (approx) and continue baking the cheesecake for another 1 hour or until the cheesecake is firm around the sides with a slight wobble in the middle. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let it cool completely before serving.






It is important that you let your cheese cool before topping it with anything. The flavor of this cheesecake improves with time and will continue to "mature" up till 5 days before it starts to get a little stale.

Cherry Berry "Cheesecake"

Today's recipe is a combination of the new and old: cherries and berries atop a filling of cream cheese and mascarpone encased in a biscuit crust. It is not for the diet conscious, but once in a while it's good to remind yourself of what you are doing without.


This is all measured in the metric measurement, so you will have to convert here in the states.




Ingredients





2 cups raspberries

2 Tbsp icing sugar

1 1/2 packets wine biscuits

200g melted butter

300ml firmly whipped cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

250g tub cream cheese

200g tub mascarpone

2 Tbsp brandy

2 Tbsp caster sugar

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup raspberries

1 cup blueberries

1 cup cherries



Method: Place the first measure of raspberries in a small pot.



Gently heat then add the first measure of icing sugar.



Cook for a minute then remove from heat and pass through a fine sieve.



Discard the contents of sieve and refrigerate the sauce.



Place the rest of the fruit in a bowl and sprinkle with the caster sugar. Stir gently and cover with cling film.



Crush or process the biscuits until fine then add the melted butter.wLine a 22cm springform tin with cling film.



Ad Feedback If using small tins prepare six.



Press the buttered crumb into the tin, making sure the sides are well covered.



Use the back of a spoon for a smooth, even result.



Refrigerate for at least two hours.



Place cream cheese in a bowl with the brandy and second measure of icing sugar.wWork until smooth then add the mascarpone. Beat well.



Fold in the whipped cream then fill the chilled crumb case.



Refrigerate for two hours.



Just before serving, spoon over the macerated cherries and berries then dribble the raspberry sauce over the fruit