Steemit Culinary Challenge #12: Purely Paleo. Strawberry Key Lime Cashew-Cheese Cake

I adopted a full 100% Paleo eating lifestyle in 2011. I'd been eating a lower carbohydrate, higher fat diet since 2003, but didn't fully give up grains, corn, soy, dairy and white potatoes until I made the decision to give the "Paleo protocol" a whirl.

My body never felt better and as a result I never looked back.

Eating the Paleo way works for my particular body and I can honestly report that it only took 3 days following the Paleo particulars, before I started to notice positive changes.

I had more energy. I started sleeping better and the general body aches and pains that tend to creep into the picture once you enter your 4th decade, quite literally vanished. 

You might be wondering why I chose to showcase a cashew-cheese cake as my entry for this week's culinary challenge. There are 2 reasons:

1. I wanted to show that incredibly delicious, very nutritious desserts can still be enjoyed without deprivation;
2. and that with relatively few ingredients, (some seeds, coconut, plantains, limes and strawberries) you can create a wonderful gastronomic experience that you do not have to make excuses for to your family or friends. You can absolutely hold your head up high when you are entertaining others at your table.

Tools Needed:

1. a food processor;
2. a high power blender;
3. a stand mixer;
4. a selection of measuring cups and spoons;
5. a frying pan;
6. a spatula;
7. and a 10 inch springform pan.

Here are the Ingredients:

Crust:

2/3 of a cup of ground plantain chips;

1 tsp of ground cinnamon;

and 2 tbsp of medium chain triglyceride coconut oil.

Strawberry Chia Jam Layer:

1 lb or 454 grams of fresh strawberries;

2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice;

4 tbsp of chia seeds;

and 4 tbsp of maple syrup. 

Key Lime Cashew Cheese layer:

1.5 cups of unsalted cashews (soaked for 4 hours);

1.25 cups of Key Lime juice;

2 tbsp of sunflower lecithin (This is a natural emulsifier which keeps water and oil mixed. Do not omit this or the cake won't set and it will be a runny mess.);

3/4 of a cup of maple syrup;

1/2 a cup of pure creamed coconut;

1/4 tsp of pink Himalayan salt;

1 tsp of vanilla bean paste;

and 2 tbsp of chia seeds.

Fresh Strawberry layer:

1 lb or 454 grams of fresh strawberries.

Coconut Whipped Cream Layer:

2 400ml cans of Coconut milk (that has been refrigerated for 24 hours);

and 4tbsp of maple syrup.

Garnish:

1/4 cup of toasted unsweetened desiccated medium shred coconut.

Directions:

• Grind plantain chips in the food processor.  

This is the level of crumb that you want to achieve:

• Add 2 tbsp of medium chain triglyceride coconut oil and 1 tsp of group cinnamon.

•  Blend well.
• Line the springform pan with plastic wrap. (Make sure to leave extra around the edges of the bottom of the removable plate so that you can lift the finished cake and easily place it on a cake plate for ease of serving.) 

This is the plate portion of the pan on its own.

• Press the ground plantain mixture into the bottom of the pan. It will become the crust for the cake.

• Make the strawberry chia jam by blending 1 lbs of cleaned and stemmed berries, 4 tbsp of chia seeds, 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 4 tbsp of maple syrup in a blender. To see this process, step by step, you can view it here: https://steemit.com/paleo/@rebeccaryan/holy-crap-jam-that-s-paleo-and-raw

• Spread the jam in a thick layer on top of the crust.

• Put this in the freezer, while you make the Key Lime Cashew layer.
• Squeeze 15 Key Limes to make fresh juice or used store bought lime juice if Key Limes aren't in season.

Note: Key Limes weren't in season, the lime in this picture is not a Key Lime but the juice in the 3 bottles is. Each bottle contains the juice of 5 Key Limes.

• After soaking the cashews for 4 hours, drain and rinse them well. The reason for soaking the cashews is so that you can limit the amount of phytic acid that they contain. This will help them to blend into a thick creamy sauce and will make it easier to digest.

• Blend the cashews, pure creamed coconut, maple syrup, salt, sunflower lecithin, lime juice and vanilla bean paste in a food processor. Blend well until a creamy consistency is achieved.

This is what it should look like when it's blended:

• Add the chia seeds and blend again.

The finished cashew mixture, should be a very thick consistency but you should still be able to pour it.

• Pour this mixture on top of the chia jam layer and return the cake to the freezer and freeze for 8 hours.

• Clean and remove the stems from one pound of fresh strawberries.
• Slice them into thirds and lay them a single layer deep on top of the frozen cake.

• Return to the freezer while you make the coconut whip cream, by combining only the cream that has solidified on the top of each can with 4 tbsp of maple syrup in a stand mixer. To see this process, step by step, go here: https://steemit.com/food/@rebeccaryan/paelo-friendly-high-fat-vegan-whip-cream
• Loosen the cake ring and lift the cake off the spring form pan bottom plate and put the cake on a serving platter.
• Put the coconut whip cream on top of the strawberry layer and return the cake to the freezer while you toast the coconut over medium heat in a frying pan on the stove.
• Keep the coconut moving in the pan as you are toasting it. It only takes about 3 minutes and can burn quickly if left unattended.

The coconut will change colour. Keep stirring it as it toasts.

• Take the cake out of the freezer and garnish the top of the whipped coconut cream with the toasted coconut.

Let's take a closer look:

This shows all the layers quite nicely.

 Let's enjoy a piece:

Just as a side note, there is a lot of nutritional density in each slice of cake. As a result, I often eat a piece as a meal in itself. (Yes, I  even eat this cake for breakfast.)

A big thank you goes to: 

@kiwideb, the guest judge this week.

@oaldamster, the logo designer.

@vegascomic, the trophy designer.

@smooth,

@sirwinchester,

and @knozaki2015 for sponsoring the prize purses. 

Let's not forget @englishtchrivy for all the work she does to keep this challenge/contest going.

I welcome your comments and invite you to follow me on my journey.

~ Rebecca Ryan