Wild Mint Malachite Cheesecake (Emerald Plant Magic)

This creamy plant-based cheesecake is as beautiful as it is delicious! All of the vibrant greens are obtained with natural ingredients, including a science experiment with a secret ingredient you probably already have in your cupboard. Its refreshing wild mint and chocolate flavor makes it the perfect after-dinner treat!

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Can you imagine being able to taste names, or to hear colors? Have you lived a life of green Thursdays and blue Januarys? Did your first kiss literally feel like fireworks? These bizarre and magical experiences actually have a name: Synesthesia. Synesthesia is a neurological condition where the senses are cross-linked in peculiar ways, so that one sense can trigger another into action. Some synesthetes can taste emotions, others can feel smells. I have a couple of versions of synesthesia that basically result in associating everything with color or pattern. Letters, numbers, words, touch sensations, sounds, music, flavors, and even personalities: all have specific colors for me. Normally, these associations just sort of glow in my mind’s eye and I don’t pay them much attention. Synesthesia is another sense to me, like being able to smell. It is just part of who I am. 

There was one occasion, however, when it become so much more and opened the door to a pretty extraordinary experience, aided by some amazing (if unexpected) plant magic. I distinctly remember the day the herbalist I was apprenticing under (Darcy Williamson) took all of us apprentices out to dig valerian roots. Valerian is a soothing plant medicine used for relaxation and sleep. It can often be found in relaxing herbal teas or tinctures. Valerian grows in the mountains I grew up in, and its snow-white blossoms enchanted me throughout my childhood; in fact, I called them “fairy flowers” because smelling or handling them made me feel like I was flying (more on that later.)  The other herbalists and I wore gloves to dig up the pungent roots, which smelled earthy and animalistic. I felt sillier and sillier as the day went on and after a while I couldn’t stop laughing. At that point, Darcy looked at me and said “the canary is getting weird. Time to stop!” She knew that I was particularly sensitive to plants and substances, so I was a good indication of when it was time to pack up for the day. We piled into the cars and drove back to her studio. (Don’t worry, I didn’t drive.) There, a couple of other apprentices were starting to feel pretty giggly as well, while others felt a bit sleepy - it’s safe to say it wasn’t the most productive afternoon. 

Such is the pungency of Valerian. Even though it didn’t make contact with my skin and I didn’t consume any, just the vapors of the roots alone had a powerful effect on me. At the end of the day, I hopped in my car and turned on the radio. Suddenly, my world filled with emerald green, with malachite swirls projected in front of me in response to the music, as if I was inside the gem itself! I sat there in awe as I felt bathed in that rich deep emerald green. Then, I turned off my car, realizing that I was in no fit state to drive. Instead, I wandered down the snowy sidewalk of the small mountain town. I discovered a peppermint in my pocket and popped it into my mouth and once again felt like I was swimming through a thick haze of rich green, like I was deep in the ocean or in another world. Even after the candy was gone, little green whisps accompanied me into the local yarn shop. I immediately felt a strong connection to the pile of deep green yarns in the corner. It’s an understatement to say I was captivated. I was completely enchanted, soaking in that particular color as if it were some kind of visual medicine my soul was craving. Eventually, the strong effect of this magical plant wore off and I felt safe driving home, many hours later than I had planned. 

Upon later reflection, I realized I had always reacted to Valerian very strongly; those “fairy flower” associations were more than just a child’s imagination. With every snowy white crown I braided from them in my childhood, I was feeling the magic of this powerful plant that I seem to have a really strong sensitivity to. (For most people, valerian is just gently soothing and relaxing, used as a sleep aid. My reaction was unusual, and probably mostly due to my synesthesia. I don’t recommend trying to use valerian as a way to experience some kind of hallucinatory high!) While I tend to keep more distance from Valerian ever since that strange experience, it will forever remind me of that unexpected emerald-bathed day of magic, and the allure of malachite swirls. 

Ah, malachite. The first time I saw it in a rock shop I was wandering through, I was speechless. How could such a vibrant and intense color come from a rock? And how did it get such lovely concentric circles?? I was certainly not the first to be enchanted by this stone; some claim that it was mined about five thousand years ago in Ancient Egypt. In fact, it was revered everywhere it was discovered; from China to Russia to the Aztecs of central America. 

Today, malachite is associated with both courage and determination to face some kind of transformation. These associations have been passed down through the ages as well, according to this fascinating overview: 

“Long before it became admired in Europe, Malachite played a key role in ancient Egyptian rituals. The hieroglyph used to represent Malachite (wadj- meaning green) symbolized vegetation, new life and fertility. Egyptians recognized the cycle of vegetation, meaning that death and resurrection were part of the circle of life, as humans would enter a paradise upon death, often described as the ‘field of malachite’.” 

It seems appropriate that I am reminded of malachite’s intense beauty in the early days of the New Year. After all, many people see the start of a new calendar year as an end and as a beginning: a fresh start to set resolutions to better themselves in some way. These can sometimes be motivational, but this practice can also lead to negative self-talk. I prefer to do what a good friend of mine does: rather than writing a list of resolutions, we write lists of what we want to learn or do in the coming year. Those lists become a guide map of adventure to make the year so much more interesting! Whatever your goals are for the coming year, malachite is said to increase your ability to take steps or to embark on a new path. 

Those rich, swirling greens will always indicate a threshold to magic for me. I am still filled with wonder every time I view the vibrant natural color of this fascinating stone. There is more magic to be found in emerald greens, too, and one source of magic may just be hiding in your kitchen cupboard already, disguised as a simple snack. 

Can you believe there is no food coloring in this beautiful plant-based tart that I created in honor of those magical malachite memories? All you need to achieve such a rich deep teal-green are some raw sunflower seeds and a little chemistry! Sunflower seeds contain high levels of chlorogenic acid, which is an edible compound found in many other foods as well. When it is exposed to an alkaline environment and oxidation, it produces a rich dark green. In some ways, it is surprisingly similar to copper, which also oxidizes to a lovely green color and is the base of many green gems like malachite! The color transformation of brownish seeds into little emerald jewels is completely magical. Blended with other natural greens and the refreshing flavor of wild mint, they create a plant-based dessert that’s perfect for some reflection. Even better: serve these tarts at a gathering of friends and ask them to write down five new things they want to learn or do within the next year to turn the experience of eating dessert into a meaningful ritual. 

Wild Mint Malachite Cheesecakes: 

Layers of chocolate and mint make this treat dynamic and delicious. It seemed appropriate to make this dessert created in honor of plant and mineral magic entirely plant-based. In this case, it is also gluten free! (As long as you use gluten-free cookies for the crust.) 

The creamy non-dairy vanilla cheesecake base is complimented by just the right amount of mint flavor, which blends perfectly with the crisp chocolate cookie crust. It’s a delight to look at AND a delight to eat!  To make this project, you’ll need 4 clean squeeze bottles or 4 piping bags to create your design.  

I considered adding some valerian to this recipe to tie it to my malachite memories, but I didn’t for a couple of reasons. First, valerian is very potent and doesn’t have a pleasant flavor and it would be hard to mask in something so delicate. Secondly, it is a strong herb and can interact with medications or other supplements and should only be consumed at the advice of a qualified doctor or herbalist. And finally: valerian is an herb of sleep, while I wanted these tarts to taste bright and awake! Instead, I’m using wild mint, which can be found in the warmer areas of the Pacific Northwest throughout the winter season. Fresh mint can also be easily purchased from most grocery stores. 

Makes 4 mini cheesecakes

This recipe is gluten free and vegan 

Ingredients: 

Crust: 

1 ½ c. vegan chocolate cookie crumbs

5-7 Tbs. refined coconut oil, melted

¼ c. brown sugar 

Base layer:

2 c. vegan cream cheese (2 - 8oz containers), at room temperature

⅔ c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla 

1 vanilla bean

¾ c. coconut cream

½ tsp. Agar agar powder

½ tsp. Blue spirulina, optional (for color) 

Dark green: 

1 ½ c. raw sunflower seeds 

1 tsp. Baking soda

½  c. coconut yogurt

1/2 c. melted coconut oil

2 tsp. Vanilla extract 

2-3 tsp. mint extract*  

½ c. coconut cream, room temperature

⅛ tsp. salt

1 c. powdered sugar

Matcha, optional

Blue spirulina, optional

1 Tbs. black cocoa (save for later)

Other greens: 

1 ½ c. raw cashews

½  c. coconut yogurt

½ c. melted coconut oil

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

¼ c. fresh mint leaves

½  c. coconut cream, room temperature

⅛ tsp. salt 

½  c. powdered sugar

¼ tsp blue spirulina powder

1 tsp. Matcha powder

Clear Jelly (optional):

3/4 c. water

1/2 tsp. Agar agar powder

2 tsp. sugar 

tiny pinch saffron

Small pinch butterfly pea powder (or about 5 flowers) 

Directions: 

1. Add all of the crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse until they are mixed into a crumbly mixture. Add extra melted coconut oil until the mixture can be pressed together. Press it firmly into four (4”) mini cheesecake pans. 

2. To make the base layer, split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds. Add them and the pod to a small saucepan with the coconut cream and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, add the vegan cream cheese, vanilla, salt, optional spirulina, and powdered sugar to a high-speed blender. Once the coconut cream is simmering, remove the vanilla bean pods and sprinkle the agar agar over the top evenly and whisk well. Let cook for one minute. While it’s cooking, start blending the cream cheese mixture. After one minute of cooking, slowly pour a small stream of it into the blender while it is running. Once everything is well-mixed and incorporated, pour into the cheesecake tins and let chill in the fridge, covered, overnight.  While it is chilling, prepare the green sunflower seeds as they will also need some time to oxidize overnight. 

3. Add the raw sunflower seeds from the dark green mixture to a large pot with the baking soda and add about 1 ½ c. of water, to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the seeds and spread them out on a baking sheet to oxidize overnight. They’ll come out a bit yellow-ish but will darken with exposure to oxygen. It’s really fun to sneak out and see how much they change! Don’t be alarmed by the baking soda smell; most if it will go away after rinsing, and the slight hint remaining is covered by the flavors of the cheesecake. 

4. To make the dark green mixture, rinse the green sunflower seeds really well and strain, then add them to a high-speed blender along with everything but the black cocoa. Blend until very smooth, adding a little extra melted coconut oil or rice milk as needed to thin the mixture to a smooth puree. If you’d like a darker green, add a little matcha powder and blue spirulina to get a darker shade. Blend until incorporated. Pour roughly ⅔ of the mixture into a squeeze bottle and put on the lid. Then, add the black cocoa to the blender and blend until completely incorporated. Pour the resulting dark mixture into another squeeze bottle. 

5. Rinse out the blender, then make the “other greens” portion of the recipe. Add the cashews and everything else except the matcha and spirulina to the blender and blend until very smooth again. Pour half of the mixture into a squeeze bottle. Add the spirulina and matcha to the remaining mix and blend again until even and fill the last squeeze bottle. You should have a variety of colors: nearly black, dark green, mid green, and pale green. It’s best to work on the next step while they are all still warm from the blender. (if they start to set up, just microwave for short blasts - 10-20 seconds should soften them up again. Don’t microwave if you are using piping tips!)

6. To decorate your tarts, set the four green-colored mixtures in front of you and pull out the chilled cheesecakes. Randomly add spots of each color onto the surface, adding more color on top to create rings and shapes. Every now and then, tap the pans on the counter to even out the surface and just keep building up concentric circles until the pans are filled to ¼” from the top. Put them in the fridge to set up for another couple of hours. 

7. The last layer of a thin jelly is optional, but it adds a lovely clean shine to the cheesecakes to make them look more like a polished gems. To make it, bring the water to a boil and add the saffron and butterfly pea. Let steep just until it’s a light blue-green, then strain. Add back to the pot and bring the water and the sugar to a boil until the sugar dissolves, then whisk in the agar powder. Simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until agar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly (but not too much, as it sets up quickly.) Once it has chilled but is still liquid, gently pour a very thin layer over the set top of the cheesecakes. As soon as it is set, the cheesecakes are ready to be enjoyed! 

8. If you want to bump up the magic of emerald green, have a listen to this song while you eat your malachite treats! 

*To make your own mint extract, just place fresh mint stems and leaves into a jar and top with vodka. Let infuse for a few days or up to a week. Depending on the potency of the mint you use, you may want to use less or more of the extract to get the flavor how you like it. Peppermint and spearmint extracts are easily found at grocery stores. 

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