8ozblock cream cheesereduced-fat or full-fat ,softened
½cupplain Greek yogurt
¼cuphoney
3tablespoonslemon juice
1teaspoonvanilla extract
⅛teaspoonsalt
blueberriesoptional, for garnish
lemon zestoptional, for garnish
Instructions
To prepare the crust:
Put almonds in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Put dates in a bowl, and cover with hot water. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Line 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, waxed paper or foil. Set aside.
Drain water from almonds. Put almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until chopped, but not until they turn into butter (about 45 to 90 seconds, depending on your food processor). Add oats, and process until incorporated (about 20 seconds).
Drain dates, and reserve water. Add dates to the food processor, and process until incorporated (about 30 seconds).
Add vanilla extract, salt and 3 tablespoons of the reserved date soaking water. Process until the mixture starts to lump together to form a ball. You might need to add an extra teaspoon or 2 of the reserved date soaking liquid to help the mixture come together. You want it to hold together, but not be wet. (Add extra liquid slowly to prevent a soggy crust.)
Press the crust mixture into the prepared baking dish, and place in the freezer to set while preparing the filling, or for at least 15 minutes.
To prepare the filling:
Add the dates to the clean bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping periodically to scrape the sides. (May take about 1-3 minutes.)
Add the cream cheese, yogurt, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt. Process until completely combined and there are no lumps.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the frozen crust and spread in an even layer. Cover lightly with parchment, wax paper or plastic wrap. Freeze until set, at least 8 hours. Remove from freezer when ready to eat, and cut into bars. Top with berries and lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
*Recipe originally from Between You and Meme, Mobile Bay magazine article*Do not use fat-free cream cheese