Vegan Cheesecake in a Jar with Strawberries - High Protein

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A post shared by Haggai Leffler - The Vegan Athlete (@haggai_leffler) on Jun 6, 2019 at 4:55am PDT

I really, really need to share something that's been weighing on my heart.

Before I went vegan, I absolutely loved eating cheesecakes during Shavuot. I used to make them myself using low-fat cheese, yogurt, a bit of sugar, and lots of eggs.

An protein-rich, low-calorie cake.

When I became vegan and stopped consuming animal products, I must confess that I struggled to find a worthy nutritional alternative to those "diet" cheesecakes.

Vegan "cheesecakes" are usually high in nuts like cashews or almonds, or oils like coconut oil. While that's great and I'm sure they are delicious... they are also very high in calories.

Last Shavuot, I published a recipe for a beautiful festive vegan cheesecake that is low in calories: one slice contains 10g of protein and 337 kcal, making it a truly worthy alternative.

Its only downside is that it requires a bit of work.

So, if you want to whip up something indulgent for the holiday meal that's protein-rich, free of unnecessary oils and extra calories, I suggest making this layered dessert: Vegan Cheesecake in a Jar with Strawberries.

It's very high in protein.

You can serve it in glasses, but personally, I think it looks coolest in jars.

A bit about the recipe:

For this recipe, I used Bio soy yogurt in natural flavor. I really like this yogurt because it's unsweetened and provides a pleasant, slightly tangy taste.

To create volume and add stability, I used some a major dairy brand natural tofu and a bit of oatmeal (which also adds dietary fiber). If you want to replace the oatmeal, you can use the same amount of ground green buckwheat.

You can, of course, use any fruit you like. I recommend all types of berries (such as strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, etc.).

Frozen, fresh, or even dried fruit (just without added sugar) all work well.

For those who don't know: berries are fantastic because they are low in calories, high in water content, and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

For the base, I used Petit Beurre biscuits. You can replace them with a mixture of oats and date paste (though this will dramatically increase the calorie count).

For extra flavor and nutrition, I made a quick chia jam – a wonderful source of Omega-3 and fiber.

You can definitely take a shortcut and use a tablespoon of sugar-free jam = 17 kcal.

I used coconut sugar for a deep, nutty flavor that I particularly enjoy. If you want a brighter jam with a more vivid color, use white sugar, as coconut sugar gives the jam its characteristic dark tint.

I also used one scoop of vanilla soy protein powder. If you have strawberry or even blueberry flavored protein powder, go for it! It will complement the recipe perfectly.

Nutritional Values by Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Coach Noam Bechar:

Each 250g jar of vegan strawberry cheesecake contains:

340 kcal

20g protein

49g carbohydrates

11g fat

Print

Vegan Cheesecake with Strawberries

Prep time 5 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

For the Chia Jam

• 150 g frozen strawberries 1 cup
• 15 g coconut sugar 1 tbsp
• 12 g chia seeds 2 tbsp
• juice from half a lemon

For the Cheese Cream

• 250 g a major dairy brand Bio natural soy yogurt 2 containers
• 150 g frozen strawberries 1 cup
• 100 g a major dairy brand natural tofu
• 35 g oatmeal (oats) 3-4 tbsp
• 30-60 ml a major dairy brand Light soy milk 3-6 tbsp
• juice from half a lemon
• 25 g vanilla soy protein powder 1 scoop

For the Base Layer

• 80 g Petit Beurre biscuits approx. 10-12 biscuits

Instructions

1. Prepare the chia jam:

2. In a wide pot, combine 150g strawberries, 2 tbsp coconut sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil while stirring.

3. The strawberries should release a lot of liquid. This is normal.

4. Add the chia seeds and mix well until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and set aside.

5. Prepare the cheese cream:

6. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until completely smooth.

7. Prepare the base layer:

8. Grind the Petit Beurre biscuits in a food processor until they reach a sandy texture.

9. If you want them less crumbly, add 1-2 tbsp of water or soy milk and press down firmly.

10. Assemble the dessert:

11. Place 2-3 tbsp of crushed biscuits at the bottom of a deep jar.

12. Garnish the sides of the jar with sliced strawberries if desired.

13. Pour the cheese mixture over the base.

14. Top with 2 tablespoons of chia jam and finish with fresh strawberries.