Final day of the essentials

Today i graduated from the 5 day Essentials course!  not without a 6 page exam first, which i have to tell you i did very well on.  either the questions were set up for us to know easily or i really learned the information well.  

Cherrie and her staff are great teachers as well so i think it's a combination of it all.

before the exam & graduation we made a black cherry cheese cake to have after our graduation ceremony.  

i will share this recipe, it's really easy and fun to make. and best of all NO CHEESE!!!  

CHERRY VANILLA CHEESECAKE

makes 12 servings

CRUST

2 1/2 cups pecans, soaked and dehydrated

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice or rapadura 

     (or sub raw agave nectar if you wish)

1/4 cup seedless raisins 

FILLING

2/3 cup pitted dates, packed

     (make into date paste first for easy blending)

1/4 purified water

3 cups cashews, soaked 2-3 hours and drained

1 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup soy lecithin powder

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

TOPPING

1 pint fresh or frozen pitted cherries or berries of choice, thawed  

1. for the crust: put the pecans, sweetener of choice and raisins in the food processor and blend using the "s" blade and process until the crust mixture begins to stick together.  press the mixture evenly into  the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan. cover the bottom with a round parchiment paper.  that helps to release the bottom.

2. for the filling:  Loosely separate dates, and combine them with the water in the food processor.  process until smooth.  add lemon juice, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, and puree once more until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  this takes a few minutes.  notice the texture.

3. to assemble the cheesecake: pour the filling into the crust and spread it evenly.

4. for the topping: spread the cherries or berries over the top and gently press.

5. chill for 2 to 3 hours

ENJOY....it's delish!

here's a RAW GOURMET TIP for the day:  Coconut meat blended in a high speed blender until smooth, them spread on a teflex sheet and put in the dehydrator for a few hours on a low temp. makes great raw "rice paper" wrappers.

i will be posting more pictures that i have taken on my my space page.  www.myspace.com/brandie_michelle. it's too time consuming to put them on my blog as well.  the blog spot is mostly for me to write and such.

overall i have been having an exceptional experience here at Living Light!  i am very excited for the next 12 days i have left.  tomorrow starts the two day Science of Raw Food. i am really looking forward to this part of the training.  i will be taking my flower essences all day so i have a better chance of staying focused.

since the second grade i have been a "daydreamer"  and often i find my self drifting off into the other world known as "brandieland".  some friend named that place for me a few years ago.  flower essences help me with that habit.  i will do my best to get the most out of the next two days of lectures.

it has been raining nonstop for about 24 hours here in fort bragg.  just like cambria, the town hunkers down when the rain shows up.  tonight at the inn a bunch of students and i watched a dvd called the pleasure trap and sipped on tea.

well, i am going to end this.

much Love!

b