Recipe: Mini Cheesecake with Nut Crust and Cranberry Compote

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

• For the Crust:

• 1 cup pitted dates

• 1 cup cashews

• ⅛ teaspoon salt

• For the Cheesecake:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain

• ⅓ cup honey

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• ⅛ tsp salt
  

• For the Compote:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup water

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 tbsp chia seeds 

• Optional add ins: 

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp fresh or ground ginger

Method:

Make the crust: Add the dates, cashews, and salt to the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until a loose ball forms. If your dates were a little dry, you might need to add a tablespoon or so of warm water and then process again until the mixture starts to come together.

Line a muffin tin with muffin liners. Add about a tablespoon of the crust to the muffin liners and use a spoon to press it into the bottom.

Make the cheesecake: Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process until smooth (about 1 minute). Spoon the cheesecake mixture evenly into the muffin tin. Use a spoon to smooth out the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Make the Compote: Place cranberries, juice , water and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to medium heat. Once bubbling, reduce heat slightly and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, occasionally mashing fruit to combine. Turn off heat and add in chia seeds and optional add-ins at this point.

Remove from heat and transfer to a clean jar or container to cool thoroughly. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in ice cube molds for up to 1 month. Reheat to serve.