Raw Pumpkin Cheesecake

Even though I live in San Diego, I can still feel fall being right around the corner. The days become shorter, the sky darker, and the nights colder. Don't get me wrong, I love San Diego summers, but the fall here is just comforting and wonderful. While it's definitely not Ohio fall weather, it's close enough. There is one thing that is always constant with the feeling of fall no matter where you are -- pumpkin! I decided to use up some leftover pumpkin I had in this raw cheesecake. I can't wait to start experimenting with other pumpkin recipes during this lovely time of the year!

Crust Ingredients:
1 c. dates, soaked in water for an hour
1/2 c. pecans
1 c. almonds
flaxseed meal

Crust Instructions:
- Toss all ingredients into your food processor. Let run for a few minutes, scraping down the sides every so often. You know it's ready when it's a big ball of stickiness.
- Sprinkle some flaxseed meal into the bottom of a pie pan. This keeps your crust from sticking.
- Spread out your crust into your flax-coated pie pan.

- Refrigerate until your cheesecake mixture is ready.

Cheesecake Ingredients:
3 c. raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours
1 c. pureed pumpkin
1/2 c. raw agave nectar
1/2 c. coconut oil, liquified
1 tsp. vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

Cheesecake Instructions:
- Blend all ingredients into your food processor until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Spread into your pie crust.

- Freeze your cheesecake for at least 30 minutes then pop into the refrigerator until ready to eat (although if you're ready to eat it right away, like me, I suggest waiting about 10 minutes just to make sure it sets completely).
- Eat up!!

Ohmygosh this was just perfect in every way. Since I used so many cashews and so much pumpkin, it was definitely a very heavy cheesecake. That definitely didn't stop Michael and I from devouring it, though...

I can't stress enough how tasty this was. It had just the right amount of pumpkin to overpower the taste of the coconut oil. It was so silky smooth and every bite just melted away. I can't wait to try making a raw pumpkin pie next time... maybe with a lot less cashews and a lot more pumpkin. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!