To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of cheesecake. I prefer another category of cold desserts: cream pies and mousses. The issue with cheesecake for me is the consistency of the cheesecake and the fact that too much of it is cheesecake and not enough of it is the crust. In a Gregory world, cheesecakes should have a good 50/50 ratio on cake and crust. Either way, cheesecakes are extremely popular in America. For this reason we offer this Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake recipe.
Why do we need a Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake recipe? Well, restaurant-purchased cheesecake contains 4 times the ingredients than homemade ones (not to mention they triple markup the cost). Many of these ingredients are added corn sugars, food dyes, and preservatives to keep it “fresh.” In previous articles and Holistic Health News (HHN) podcast episodes we have discussed the pernicious effects of the aforementioned so if you want more info, click HERE for food dyes, HERE for corn-based sweeteners, and HERE for preservatives.
Before we focus on this Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake, let’s center our attention on two of its more popular and controversial ingredients: dairy and flour. Given that Naturopathic Earth is a Paleo-advocating site, it is not too surprising we look askance at both of these ingredients. Let’s quickly hit both of them.
Humans have been around millions of years, but we have only been ingesting cow products for about 10,000 years. While that might sound like a lot, it is a drop in the bucket vis-à-vis human evolution. As such, though we are certainly able to digest dairy, we are not MEANT to ingest it, especially in large amounts.
Dairy has two main issues. Its allergenic issues, most popularly seen in lactose intolerance. This malady is normally manifested in bloating, “brain fog,” and other GI issues. The other issue is that one of its proteins, casein, may be carcinogenic. It has been shown to be so in rodent studies. (If you would like more info, check out our HHN episode on 5 Reasons To Avoid rBGH/rBST dairy.)
Wheat flour is ubiquitous. It is seen in cakes, cookies, pasta, bread, breakfast foods, and much more. Akin to dairy, our Paleolithic ancestors did not grow and harvest wheat as they existed way before the Agricultural Revolution. They were hunters and gatherers.
Flour may case allergenic issues as well. Close to 70% of Americans may be sensitive to a protein found in wheat named gluten. This leads to issues with our microbiome as well as joint pain, autoimmune issues, bloating and more. To lend credence as to why you might want to avoid it, flour is not nutritious, for it has been stripped of its bran and fiber. Click HERE to learn more about the issues with flour.
Paleo Keto Strawberry Cheesecake
So let’s talk about our Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake. As the name suggests, we avoid dairy and wheat flour for the crust. You might be wondering is this recipe “taste free” as well. Indubitably it is not.
For the crust, we opt for actual whole foods. Sure we could switch out wheat flour for coconut or almond flour, but we use actual nuts. That way we are getting the full fat, fiber, and vitamins and mineral of pecans and almonds. We throw in a Medjool date as well, arguably the best sweetener on the planet.
Check out our Review of Non-Wheat Flours.
Check out our Review of non-Sugar Sweeteners.
For the filling, you might be wondering what ingredients can be utilized to mimic the consistency of dairy. I’ve tried different ingredients but that combo works the best. Plus they are all whole foods and are very nutrient-dense. The coconut oil and chia seeds, both very keto friendly, and the cashews will provide the thick consistency and the honey, vanilla, and strawberries will provide the sweetness.
With the strawberries, try to buy organic or farmer’s market. Strawberries commonly score high on the EWG’s annual Dirty Dozen list of fruits that absorb a very large amount of hormone-disrupting pesticides.
The beauty of this Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake recipe is myriad. It does not contain two ingredients in which many Americans are afflicted, all of its ingredients are Paleo-friendly in that they are little to absolutely not refined, and they are nutrient-dense. Plus, no food dyes, fake sugars, or preservatives. Give this Paleo dairy-free gluten-free strawberry cheesecake recipe a shot and let me know what you think.
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Place the dates and cashews in a bowl of water and soak for a minimum of 10 minutes. For the crust, spray the 9-inch pan with butter, coconut oil (or spray). Throw the pecans and almond in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the dates, coconut flakes and salt and blend into well-combined. Press the mixture into the pan covering the entire pan. Place in freezer to chill. To make the filling, cashews, chia seeds, coconut oil, lemon juice, honey, vanilla, and salt into a blender/food processor. Blend into smooth consistency. Add the cup of strawberries and blend until smooth. Place the strawberry filling on top of the chilled crust. Place in freezer for at least two hours to harden. For the topping, place the strawberries (slice or non-sliced) in a small saucepan with maple syrup, vanilla, and 1/3 cup of water. Bring to a simmer to release the juices of the strawberries. Strain the berries from the juice. Let the sauce cool slightly. Drizzle the sauce over the slices and add a couple of strawberries onto of each slice. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Instructions