Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake RECIPE (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake RECIPE (gluten-free, vegan)

Saturdays are my favorite days of the week to get in the Give It A Whirl Girl kitchen and whip up a tasty treat for my family to enjoy. This weekend I created a vegan and gluten-free, no-bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake. Is there anything in this world better than edible chocolate chip cookie dough? Hell no! This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is completely safe to indulge in and does not contain any eggs which are typically found in cookies. The filling is of this cheesecake mimics the real deal quite well and my little family of 3 absolutely loved this faux cheesecake recipe.

I think that it is a universal idea that raw cookie dough is the bomb! When I was a little girl and my mom whipped up a batch of cookies I always had to have a taste of the cookie dough on the spatula. I would give it a good lick and the taste of raw cookie dough is pure, straight up comfort food! Am I right?

Raw cookie dough almost always has eggs in it, and let’s face it… raw eggs can get you sick with salmonella nowadays and that is the last thing in the world that anyone needs. This recipe is perfect for those that admire that taste of raw cookie dough. If you don’t feel like creating an entire cheesecake with this recipe, go ahead and just create the filling and indulge in that with a spoon or use something to dip in it. The filling on its own makes a great dip!

Vegan-friendly and gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Creating the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

This cheesecake has a very rich taste thanks to the 4th & Heart ghee that I used. If you are able to get hour hands on the 4th & Heart vanilla ghee I am sure that would be fantastic in this recipe as well. In my cheesecakes, I always go with coconut oil but for this one, I swapped that out for ghee since chocolate chip cookies are full of butter. The ghee turned out the be a wise choice. When I took that first bite of this cheesecake I knew that using ghee in this recipe was a smart decision. I used coconut oil a couple months ago to make a cookie dough cheesecake, and while it was delicious this recipe with the ghee knocked it out of the park!

It may seem as though this recipe has a lot of ingredients. If you have a well-stocked pantry, chances are you already have most of the items on the ingredient list. There are also some kitchen items, such as a good-sized food processor, that you will need. A springform pan is essential as well in order to create a cheesecake. A standard 8-inch size will do. If you use anything larger you will have to increase the amount of the ingredients in the chocolate ganache topping.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake crust

The first step of this recipe is to create the crust of the cheesecake. For the crust of this cookie dough cheesecake, I used a mix of Medjool dates, raw almonds, almond flour, finely shredded coconut, maple syrup, cacao powder, ghee, and some pure vanilla extract. This results in a chocolatey crust due to the added cacao powder. If you do not want a chocolate crust, simply just omit the cacao powder. The crust is gluten and grain-free. The crust has a nutty texture (from the almonds) and the perfect amount of chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough chocolate crust pressed into a springform pan

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake filling

The filling is composed of raw cashews, almond flour, coconut flour, ghee, maple syrup, lemon juice, coconut sugar, and vegan dark chocolate chips. This is the part of cheesecake that is all about that edible cookie dough flavor. The soaked cashews mixed with that little bit of lemon juice, believe it or not, are going to imitate a cheesecake. This type of formula with the cashews and lemon juice is very versatile and you can totally get creative here with your non-dairy, vegan cheesecake. I posted some other recipes for cheesecakes at the bottom of this post.

Filling made... just need to stir in some chocolate chips — Filling made… just need to stir in some chocolate chips

Filling smoothed out over the crust. Just needs a chocolate ganche topping.

Close up of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake topping

For this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake, we are going to top it off with a simple chocolate ganache that is only 2 ingredients: vegan dark chocolate chips (from Enjoy Life Foods) and just a dab of coconut oil to smooth it all out. This is my daughter’s favorite part of any cheesecake that I create. Gee, I wonder why? Could it be because she is a chocolate lover like myself? This is the first part that she always goes for when I cut her a slice.

Melting down some dark chocolate chips for the topping

Slice of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Continue reading “Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake RECIPE (Vegan, Gluten-Free)” →

October 28, 2018 1

Healthy Hot List – Must-Have Health Food Products For Your Lifestyle (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole 30, or Keto)

Healthy Hot List - Must-Have Healthy Food Products For Your Lifestyle (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo, Whole 30, or Keto)

I would like to start up a new regular feature on the blog featuring items that I have used and fallen in love with. I will be calling this the Healthy Hot List. These are all health food items that I have given a whirl and want to spread the word about so this fits in perfectly with my Tried It Out Tuesday weekly feature. These are healthy foods that can fit into your routine.

Many of these health food items fall within the realms of several different diets: gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole 30, keto, and vegan.

Whenever I try out a new product and I become a fan I do my best to promote these items and spread the word about them. I would love my good words for these brands to travel far and wide because they earned it with their quality health food products. Hope you enjoy this list and let me know if you have tried anything on this list.

Healthy Hot List – Health Foods Your Pantry Needs

Caulipower Variety Pack – Cauliflower Crust Frozen Pizza – Gluten-Free

I recently blogged about this Caulipower pizza. I tried the veggie one out and doctored it up a bit. I was really impressed with the quality of this frozen cauliflower crust pizza. This is a low carb pizza alternative and features a gluten-free crust. The cauliflower crust mimics a regular crust quite well considering the fact that it is all veggie!

Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo

This Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil mayonnaise is a must-have in your fridge. It is paleo-friendly and Whole 30 compliant. It is also egg-free and dairy free. I have made tuna salad, potato salad, and macaroni salad with this mayo and the flavor of it was impressive.

Check out my: Primal Kitchen Lemon Turmeric Chicken

Terrasoul Superfoods Cacao Nibs

Did you know that chocolate in its purest form is actually quite healthy and good for your body? These raw cacao nibs from Terrasoul Superfoods are an antioxidant powerhouse. Cacao nibs are also vegan-friendly. I enjoy eating these on top of my smoothie bowls or incorporating them into my nice-creams.

Mamma Chia – Chia Squeeze – Variety Pack of 4 flavors

I consider myself a big fan of Mamma Chia. I often purchase their chia drinks and chia seeds. The squeeze pouches are an awesome on-the-go snack. These pouches come in at 70 calories and contain 1200-milligrams of Omega-3. These squeeze pouches are also a great source of protein, antioxidants, and fiber.

Enjoy Life Foods Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – Package of 6

Here is another brand that I am a huge fan of- Enjoy Life Foods. At the moment these are my favorite chocolate chips. They are a trusted brand for me and the only brand I purchase my chocolate chips from. I usually use the dark chocolate chips. They are free from common food allergens. If you are looking for a dairy-free, vegan option for chocolate chips this is the brand I recommend going with.

**Find out how I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips in THIS RECIPE!**

4th & Heart Grass-Fed Ghee Butter – Variety Pack

A lot of talk about ghee these days! Ghee is a clarified butter with all milk solids removed. It is a dairy-free option to butter and this can replace your current butter or cooking oil with a 1:1 ratio. I use 4th & Heart ghee for my cooking and my baking. The smell of a ribeye steak cooking in some ghee is divine. I will never turn my back and go to regular butter again. Ghee not only tastes better but it also has some health benefits as opposed to butter. This variety pack includes regular ghee and a vanilla ghee, which would be great for your next baking project!

Banza Chickpea Pasta Variety Pack of 6

If you are looking for a lower carb pasta that is gluten-free and high in protein look no further than Banza! I have been using Banza quite often in my pasta dishes and it is one of my favorite pasta that is gluten-free. You can check out the macaroni salad that I made with Banza HERE. I whipped that up for family and even though it was gluten-free the pasta salad was a smashing success. Pro tip: undercook your pasta just a tiny bit. I always do a minute or 2 less than the suggested time on the box. I also give my pasta a rinse before serving.

Nut Cravings Raw & Unsalted Cashews

If you are interested in making a vegan and paleo cheesecake raw cashews are a must! Nut Cravings has pretty reasonable prices. Raw cashews can be quite pricey! When the raw cashews (soaked overnight) are mixed with a bit of coconut milk and lemon juice you end up with a faux cheesecake filling. I honestly prefer my raw paleo cheesecakes over traditional nowadays.

Thai Kitchen Coconut Cream

Coconut cream is essential for paleo or vegan baking. If you are in need of a dairy-free whipped cream the best way to go is to use Thai Kitchen coconut cream. You simply refrigerate the can overnight and then scoop the solids out of the can (no water) and then use your whisk attachment on your stand mixer.

Kiss My Keto Chocolate

Sugar-free, low-carb chocolate bars? Can I get a hell yeah! Check out this variety pack of chocolate bars from Kiss My Keto and let me know which flavor you will try out first!

What health food items have you tried from this Healthy Hot List and what are your thoughts? Leave me a comment and let me know.

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September 25, 2018 1

Paleo Matcha & Chocolate Cheesecake – RECIPE – Gluten-Free

Let it be known that making these cheesecakes are one of my favorite things to do in the Give It A Whirl Girl kitchen. These desserts are rich, flavorful, and actually quite nutritious. They are a much better alternative to regular cheesecake. The basic ingredients in these are fruit (medjool dates) and a variety of different nuts (mostly cashews). I am not going to lie, sometimes I even sneak in a slice for a filling breakfast. This matcha chocolate cheesecake dessert is unique in its flavor. If you are a fan of matcha (green tea) this recipe for a matcha chocolate cheesecake might just be perfect for you. I love everything about this particular one: the crust, the filling, and the chocolate ganache on top. It all marries together harmoniously to make one hell of an awesome cheesecake.

This almost-paleo matcha chocolate cheesecake requires several different components to make it all come together. I broke it down into sections for you. I suggest gathering up all of your ingredients first so you can breeze through this recipe with ease.

Continue reading “Paleo Matcha & Chocolate Cheesecake – RECIPE – Gluten-Free” →

September 17, 2018 6

A Day Of Good Eats With Good Family

We had an awesome day yesterday full of good eats and great times with family. I got super lucky and won a prize pack from Coleman Naturals on Facebook. I won a variety of organic hotdogs and sausages. As soon as I received my prize pack I knew I had to host a family get-together. I am always looking for an excuse or reason to have people over and cook for them. It brings me a lot of happiness and joy putting a party/family gathering together. Is there really anything better in life than having your good family come together to have a day full of great eats? So we had some hotdogs, sausages, potato salad, macaroni salad, and corn on the cob. It all added up to a scrumptious meal. My sister also brought some side dishes and my mother-in-law brought a fruit tray. We had quite a few healthy foods to eat.

This was my first time trying out anything by Coleman Naturals. I did a bit of research on their products and think that they are an incredible brand. Hotdogs and sausages are often filled with weird, garbage ingredients but not Coleman Naturals. They do not use antibiotics, hormones, steroids, they are non-GMO, use only all natural ingredients, are gluten-free, are free range, and only use organic ingredients. I don’t feel so bad about eating a hotdog or a sausage when I know that they are only made with quality ingredients.

These hotdogs and sausages were the stars of the show yesterday. I had most of my family over and we all enjoyed these. There were chicken hotdogs, pork & beef hotdogs, apple chicken sausage, and some andouille sausage. I also created some other dishes to go with the gathering. I made a healthy potato, a gluten-free macaroni salad, and I also made paleo dark chocolate fudge cupcakes. My dad and my stepmom also brought over some Michigan sweet corn. I brushed mine up and down with some ghee and was in corn heaven!

On Friday night I got home from our day trip out to Birch Run and I had to get my potato salad and macaroni salad done. For both salads, I used my jar of Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo. This was my first time using this mayo and I had no doubt it would be great because I love everything that Primal Kitchen has to offer. This avocado oil mayo can be found on Amazon but the price at Primal Kitchen is a tad lower.

The Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo is Whole 30 compliant, paleo-friendly, keto-approved, sugar-free, gluten-free, and has ZERO grams of carbs! I was super pumped to try this healthy mayo. I love when I come across a food product that is REAL FOOD and allows me to eat clean. Primal Kitchen always comes to mind when I think about clean food. I am so happy to be able to represent and work with a brand that offers nothing but the best when it comes to eating healthy and well.

Continue reading “A Day Of Good Eats With Good Family” →

August 26, 2018 2

Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie Mix REVIEW – Gluten-Free Baking Mix – From Ordinary To Extraordinary

Last night I made a wonderful healthy dinner. We had chicken marinated in Primal Kitchen Honey Mustard and some roasted broccoli. I really wanted a dessert though and then I remembered that I had a bag of Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie & Bar Mix stored away in the pantry. I am a big fan of Pamela’s line of gluten-free products and I have tried several and have been quite satisfied. It was a first for me, though, making her oatmeal cookies. I doctored up the cookie mix to take it from ordinary to extraordinary. No shame in using a mix to create your baked goodies! This mix was outstanding and the cookies are disappearing quick! Read my Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie review to find out more about this gluten-free baking mix.

My Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie Mix review

Ingredients used for my gluten-free oatmeal cookies

McCormick Organic Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Chia

I gathered up my ingredients for the cookies I was making with Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie & Bar Mix . The recipe called for butter but instead of butter, I ended up using Barlean’s Butter Flavored Coconut Oil. This coconut oil is a healthy alternative for butter and can be used in place of butter in most, if not all, recipes.

I knew raisins belonged in my oatmeal cookies and I had some Simple Truth raisins in the pantry, a nice fresh bag!

Gotta have my Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips!!

To make my husband happy (because he is obsessed with chocolate chip cookies) I added in some Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips. I just can not say enough nice things about those chocolate chips from Enjoy Life. They are vegan and free from all common food allergens. They taste fantastic. I have a confession to make too. Sometimes I eat those chocolate chips straight out of the bag as a little snack. They are so freaking yummy.

Chia seeds & spicing things up!

I started up the KitchenAid Stand Mixer (my BFF in the kitchen right now!) and got all of my ingredients mixed up and then I continued to add a few more things. I added some Simple Truth black chia seeds (about a tablespoon) and then I gave it a heavy shake of my McCormick Organic Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Chia spice blend. I love that spice so much and it comes in handy for some of my baked breakfast creations.

What I recommend for bakeware

For my baking, I really love the Circulon Bakeware. I have the bakeware set in chocolate. I sprayed my sheet pan with some coconut oil and the surface is nonstick. I have never had a problem removing anything off of this bakeware. You can find the cookie sheet on Amazon. This is the bakeware I have ever owned. I have had it since early this year and I am thoroughly impressed with it.

I did not take long for these cookies to bake. I believe it took 12 minutes. That 12 minute waiting period was agonizing for me. I could not wait to take a cookie off the tray and have a nice, warm one. Warm cookies are the best… a true comfort food for most I would say!

Pour yourself a glass of milk for your oatmeal cookie

I poured myself a glass of Unsweetened Califia Farms Almond Milk and I mixed in a scoop of Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel. I dipped my cookie into the milk and a had a tremendous FOODGASM! I was really on the struggle bus trying not to consume every single cookie that was on the tray. They turned out just that good! I will admit it, I did end up eating three warm cookies. Not a healthy choice but I ended up going for a long walk with my dog to burn off some of the cookies.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal, Raisin, Chocolate Chip, and Chia Cookies With unsweetened almond milk w/ Collagen Fuel

Final thoughts on Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie Mix

I usually avoided using mixes for the past year. I figured I was better off DIY’ing the whole recipe for it myself. But if you are doing any kind of gluten-free baking the cost of ingredients really inflates and seems astronomical. So to me, it just seems more cost effective to spring for a mix. Most of what you need is there in the mix and you can doctor them up yourself any way that you would like. We all enjoyed Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie Mix and would definitely buy it again in the future!

How do you make your cookies special if you are using a mix? I’m really happy with the outcome of these. Leave me a comment and let me in on your cookie secrets! Hope you enjoyed this Pamela’s Oatmeal Cookie review and I hope it inspires you to give it a whirl!

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August 24, 2018 6

RECIPE – Make You Own No-Bake Toasted Coconut, Chocolate, & Chia Granola Bars

There are so many ways you can make your own granola bars at home. Making my own is a fun, rewarding experience for me. I ask my 8-year-old daughter, Chloe, to help with the stirring because she has some good muscles for her age and you really have to give them a big stir with the spatula. For these granola bites I used gluten-free ingredients and also paleo-friendly ingredients. No sugar was added to these, they are naturally sweet from the Medjool dates and raw honey. These are a great snack that you can just grab and go. I hope you love these paleo granola bars as much as we did. They sure went quick!

Ingredients:

1 cups pitted Medjool dates
1 1/4 cup gluten-free oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cook Oats)
1/3 cup raw honey (I used Madhava Very Raw Organic Honey)
1/3 cup almond butter (I used Maranatha No Sugar No Salt Added Almond Butter)
1/4 cup of chocolate chips or more (I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chip Morsels)
2 tablespoons chia seeds (I used Simple Truth)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I used Simple Truth)
Tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil (I used Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil)

Recipe:

The first step is to heat up some water on the stove so you can soak/soften up your Medjool dates. They will be easy to process if soaked for a few minutes. Place 1 cup (apx 8 dates) into a warm bowl of water and soak for a few minutes.
You will then heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Once the oil is warm add 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut and cook until golden in color.
Using a food processor, place your dates inside and blend them up until no lumps remain.
You will need a large mixing bowl for this next step. Place the date mixture, oats, raw honey, almond butter (you might need to warm this up to soften it), desired quantity of chocolate chips (1/4 cup works best), and chia seeds in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
Line an 8×8 square cake pan with parchment paper. Place granola bar mixture in the lined pan and spread until flat and the mixture reaches the edges. You can use a flat-bottom measuring cup to help press the mixture down.
Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Slice into bite-sized bars and enjoy.
Keep refrigerated to maintain freshness.