Vegan Chia Seed Cheesecake

Chia seeds are a great superfood- chia seeds have:

• 15 times more Magnesium than Broccoli
• 6 times more Calcium than whole milk
• Nearly 9 times more Omega 3 than Salmon
• More fiber than flax and bran flakes
• Nearly 3 times more Iron than spinach
• More Protein than soy

Chia Cheesecake Filling
1 tub of toffuti  vegan cream cheese

1 block silken tofu
1  tsp vanilla or almond extract
¼ cup dry chia seeds
1 cup raw sugar or maple syrup or 10 pitted dates
2- 3 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
1/2 tsp pink salt
optional: add in 1/2 cup soaked and drained cashews for a more rustic texture.

Raw Oat Nut Crust
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup oats

1-2 dates

Tsp Pink salt
dash cinnamon and nutmeg

Directions:
1. In a Vitamix or food processor, add the crust ingredients. Pulse until a smooth crumble forms. Press the crust firmly into saladmaster pie plate. Might need to add a few T. of water to make it to the right texture to form into the pie pan.
2. In Vitamix  or food processor blend the filling mixture, Do a taste test. Adjust salt and sweetener if needed.
3. Pour filling into crust. Place in fridge for about 2 hours to fully chill before serving. For quicker chilling you can place the cooled-slightly pie dish in the freezer for first 20 minutes. The Chia Seeds help the pie set up nice and Creamy.
Serve with fruit.

What Chia Can Do For You!

1. Helps Stablize blood sugar and reduce junk food cravings - Check out the picture of the gel around the chia seed above? The gel forming is due to soluble fiber in the chia. In your digestive system, this gel actually slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, thus helps to stablize blood sugar. By eliminating the peaks and valleys of your blood sugar, you get a more consistent energy level and reduced cravings.
   
2. Help your concentrate and improve your mood- Chia is an excellent source of Essential Fatty Acids, which are critical for concentration and other brain functions.
3. Energize now, Sustained energy later! -Chia has great nutrients like proteins, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and fiber, and complex carbohydrates to energize you. Chia can provide good stamina and energy over time due to its slowing of the sugar conversion mentioned in point 1. In fact, it has been called the runners food and was used by the Aztec Indians for long distance runs and endurance.
   
4. Fills you up - Chia seeds actually swells in water and help to make you feel full and potentially eat less. Take a look at the chia seed picture again and see how much each seed actually swells in just a ew minutes
   
5. Lower your cholesterol and heart health - Remember what is causes chia to swell in water? Chia is high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower cholesterol.
   
6. Digestive Health - Chia has both soluble fiber (which forms the outer gel), and insoluble fiber. Both types of fiber are healthy for the digestive system. The insoluble fiber helps cleans the intestinal tract. The soluble fiber can act as a prebiotic and help feed the good bacteria in your digestive system.
   
7. Help build lean muscle mass - Chia is high in protein and helpful in a weight loss or muscle building diet. It is even low-carb and vegan.
8. Get Better nutrition from other foods - Remember the gel ? Well, by maintaining the proper level of hydration and electrolytes in your stomach you actually optimize your bodies ability to effectively absorb other nutrients. Also. the essential fatty acids in chia help the body emulsify and absorbs the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
   
9. Build strong bones - Chia not only contains calcium, but it also contains the trace mineral boron, which speeds the rate at which calcium is absorped and utlized by the body.
10. Healthy nails, skin, and hair - Remember that chia seeds are loaded with over 60% essential fatty acids? Not only are they good for your mental clarify, those same essential fatty acids help skin, nails, and hair grow strong and healthy. They are also a great source of protein, which is essential to grow healthy hair, nails, and skin.
11. Maximum hydration - Chia is said to help maintain hydration which can be helpful for endurance athletes. Presoak chia seeds before your workout and consumption.