Pumpkin "Cheesecake" - Healthy Choices Recipe by Dr. D. Blaney (Vegan)

Delicious Vegan "Pumpkin Cheesecake"

This "Pumpkin cheesecake" is another one of the recipes that was demonstrated at the Healthy Choices cooking class by Dr. Darlene Blaney, PhD Nutritionist, on March 29th at our Church. It's baked in a casserole dish or a spring-form pan, maybe the reason for calling it a "cheesecake", but to me it tasted like the perfect Pumpkin Pie!

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups/150 g Graham Cracker crumbs (or GF cookie crumbs)
• 1 cup/120 g      Raw Walnuts, ground fine
• 1/3 cup/72 g    Grape Seed Oil
• 1 tablespoon/14.8 ml. Liquid Honey or Maple Syrup

1. Mix ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. With a fork, press mixture in the bottom of a lightly oiled (use a non-stick spray) 12" spring form pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F/277 degrees C. for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before filling.

OR Ginger Snap Crust: this recipe was just suggested by a member of the Best Adventist Recipe Swap on Facebook. Great idea, Gayle! It is not on the Nutrition Chart at this time.)

• 1 1/2 cups /255 g Ginger Snap Cookies (9 ounces or so of ginger snaps)
• 1  cup/120 g   Raw Walnuts, fine ground
• 1/3 cup/72 g   Grape Seed Oil
• 1 teaspoon/5 g ground Cinnamon (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon/14.8 ml Liquid Honey or Maple Syrup

1. Use a food processor to break the ginger snaps into fine crumbs.
2. Use a food processor to break the walnuts into a fine grind.
3. Mix all of the ingredients (cinnamon is optional) together in a mixing bowl.
4. With a fork, press mixture in the bottom of a lightly oiled (use a non-stick spray) 12" spring form pan
5. Bake at 350 degrees F./277 degrees C. for 10 minutes. Cool before filling.

For the Filling:

• 2 x 390 g Pkg. Firm Silken Tofu
• 2 cup/232 g  Pumpkin, cooked and mashed
• 1 cup/200 g  Organic Cane Sugar
• 3 teaspoons/15 g Pumpkin Pie Spice or 2 tsp./10g Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp./2.5g Ginger, 1/2 tsp./2.5g Nutmeg 1/4 tsp. 1.5g
• 4 tablespoons/32.48 g  Corn Starch
• 1 tablespoon /14.8 ml Lemon Juice OR 1 tablespoon/14.8 ml Organic Lemon Flavoring

1. Place all ingredients into a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into crust.  Smooth out nicely.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F./277 degrees C. for approximately 1 hour or until set and it begins to brown on top.
3. Remove from oven and drizzle with melted carob (or chocolate) chips.
4. Chill.

Serves 12-16

Nutritional Information (Per Serving, assuming 12 servings):

Crust:

• Calories: Approximately 167 kcal
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Sugars: 5g
• Fat: 12g
• Fiber: 1g

Filling:

• Calories: Approximately 200 kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Sugars: 20g
• Fat: 7g
• Fiber: 4g

Nutritional Information (Per Thin Serving, assuming 16 servings):

Crust:

• Calories: Approximately 125 kcal
• Protein: 1.5g
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Sugars: 4g
• Fat: 9g
• Fiber: 1g

Filling:

• Calories: Approximately 150 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Sugars: 15g
• Fat: 5.5g