Red, White & Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake Bars for Fourth of July

If you're looking for a fun Fourth of July treat (that's vegan and gluten free too boot!), then look no further! I present you with Red, White & Blueberry Vegan Cheesecake Bars!

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A lovely lady at bible study recommended that I call it a "loaf" because "cheesecake" makes it sound indulgent. What do you think? This dessert doesn't contain excess amounts of sugar but I think it's rich in its own right. But I wouldn't want people passing it over because it sounded too decadent... hmmm. Thoughts, oh my darling Sweetlings?

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Yum! Razzle dazzle me! This baby has got pizzaz!

The "cheesecake" turns out a little spotted with vanilla bean seeds and the psyllium husk powder but you can use vanilla extract instead - if you're striving for a more stark white. Vanilla beans and psyllium husk powder can be found in your local health food store, amazon (click here for psyllium and here for Madagascar Vanilla Beans), or Mountain Rose Herbs.

Oat Crust and Crumble
3 1/2 cups oats (use gluten free certified if sensitive - Bob's Red Mill sells a reputable variety)
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 TB chia seeds
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice sugar (or coconut sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup + 2 TB non-dairy (and unsweetened) milk
1/2 cup coconut oil

Red & Blue Fruit Layer
2 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 cups frozen blueberries                       > (You can use any combination of fruit that you like.)
1 TB chia seeds                                  
3 TB evaporated cane juice sugar

White Vanilla Vegan Cheesecake
1 1/2 cup cashew pieces, raw and rinsed
1 cup heavy coconut milk
2 TB evaporated cane juice sugar
1 TB psyllium husk powder
Seeds from 1 Vanilla Bean

1. Combine dry ingedients of the oat crumble. Cut in the coconut oil and non-dairy milk (or mash with a potato masher until combined and the mixture looks like gritty sand (the mashing part can be really fun for a toddler as pictured below)
2. Push 3/4 of the batter into the bottom of a 9x13 oven-safe dish.
3. Combine the fruit layer together in a separate bowl. Layer on top of the oat crust.
4. Blend in a high speed blender the ingredients for the vegan cheesecake Layer on top of the fruit layer (may need to use spatula to spread this).
5. Crumble remaining oat mixture on top of the cheesecake.
6. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 375 oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15-20 until the top oat mixture is golden. Let cool 10 minutes or completely before slicing.

My little girl loved mashing together the oat crust! Perfect bonding time and we used small measuring cups to help counting. It was a great way to have a relational and fun learning time - and we made dessert (or breakfast). Win Win!

ENJOY!

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July! And that maybe you find the time to make this festive treat. What are your plans for this lovely and very hot week?