Matcha chai white chocolate cheesecake + how I’ve changed

When I created Rainbow Nourishments, I didn’t want it to be just about colourful food. I wanted it to be about wellbeing and nourishing yourself in a range of ways… or a ‘rainbow’ of ways. I’m so grateful that my social media channels and blog allow me to talk about more than just food. For example, in my recent blog post where I talk about my several of my physical and mental illnesses including PTSD and what I have done to better manage my life.

As my social media and blog focus heavily on food, I feel a bit intimidated and scared to venture into deeper subject matters. And it’s just intimidating to be vulnerable with my friends, let alone social media! However, when the opportunity to partner with the brand Change Chai arose, I thought it’d provide a perfect segway for me to open up. Change Chai sells amazing chai products to help people make changes in their life, whether it is replacing coffee with matcha chai or something a bit deeper! Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some delicious chai recipes with you, along with insights into my real journey to improve my wellbeing.

In my previous blog post, I basically provided my short life story on how I led a very ‘obedient’ life but went against everything 1.5 years ago by quitting my reputable full time job to focus on Rainbow Nourishments. However, the questions remain: Did this bold life change live up to what I hoped it to be? Did Rainbow Nourishments really change my life and ‘cure’ me?

Since I went full time with Rainbow Nourishments, I feel like my life has changed a lot. I can passionate about something again, I have sparked that child-like playfulness in me again and I can usually find something to look forward every day! I’m also looking forward to what the future will bring. If someone told me two years ago that I’d own a cake business and make a living through events, social media and my food blog, I’d laugh in their face… really really loudly and rudely.

Focusing more on Rainbow Nourishments was like starting a new relationship. It allowed me see my whole life differently and encouraged me to question my current relationships. Even though it’s been 1.5 years since I started earning an income from this business, believe it or not but the people closest to me still doubt me, still criticise me and still don’t provide unconditional support. It hurts and it’s tiring. With work being stupendously busy in the last month, this has come to my attention even more. I had to sit back and ask ‘Why? Is it me? Is it them?’

On one hand, I probably attracted some of these people – because I have always put up with criticism so I allowed this to happen in my personal adult life… even though I don’t like to admit it. I’m also used to having people put their personal s*** on me. It’s not cool and I’m learning to speak up for my needs. I appreciate it more than the world when I do get support from others. I’m still figuring this all out internally.

And following on from my question above: did starting Rainbow Nourishments ‘cure’ me? This is a question that people have assumed of me. They assumed that starting a new venture would completely turn over my life and all of my illnesses would be ‘cured’. I would never say that Rainbow Nourishments is a ‘cure’, but it helped me a lot and I would never say that mental illnesses can be ‘cured’. It’s not realistic to think that I’m a completely new person. I still battle perfectionism, feel dread before work on some days and struggle to look after my body. However, I’m managing some things a lot better now.Simple things that I’m learning to do to look after my body include:

1. Eating a substantial breakfast and eating regularly throughout the day. I may not always be able to sit down to have 3 meals each day due to the nature of hospitality. However, when I don’t, I make sure I have a smoothie in the afternoon and a large nourishing dinner.
2. Drink more water. It’s so easy to get carried away in the kitchen preparing food for other people but not eating anything myself. When it’s so busy, the easiest thing that I can do to look after myself is to drink more water.
3. Stop lying to myself. Look, you really didn’t have a substantial lunch or dinner so that’s why you are ravenous at 11pm or 1am. You’re not being a fat lazy vegan. You are just nourishing your body when it’s calling out for you.

At the end of the day, I am so grateful that I created Rainbow Nourishments, for meeting many wonderful people along the way and for the experiences I have had. I am still learning to nourish myself and I hope my transparency will bring some comfort to other people out there.

In celebration of nourishment, I created a recipe for a delectable matcha chai white chocolate cheesecake! I used Change Chai’s matcha chai and if you ever wondered what it tastes like, it’s like a mild chai with an earthy undertone of matcha. Surprisingly they do work well together and provide a unique experience for your palette! The white chocolate layer helps ground your tastebuds while they are trying to enjoy and reflect on other complex flavours. And the chocolate… well everything is better with chocolate right?! The shards provide a lovely textural difference to the creamy cheesecake.

I used agar agar powder to set the matcha chai layer as it makes it a bit more light than other raw vegan cheesecakes that are very cashew and coconut heavy.

I hope you enjoy this recipe xo

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear about it! Comment below or, if you post it on social media, tag @rainbownourishments and #rainbownourishments!

This post was sponsored by Change Chai. However, as always, all opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow Rainbow Nourishments to be sustainable.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Matcha chai white chocolate cake

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Base

• 1 cup raw almonds
• ¼ cup dates, soaked in water for 2 hours
• ground cinnamon, to taste

Cheesecake filling

• 2 ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
• 1 ¼ cup canned coconut cream
• ¼ cup any light-coloured sweetener, such as rice malt syrup or maple syrup
• ¼ cup cacao butter
• 1 tsp agar agar powder, + ¼ cup water
• 2-3 tsp Change Chai Matcha Chai
• Handful of baby spinach, (optional, for colour)

White chocolate shards (optional)

• ½ cup cacao butter
• ¼ cup any light-coloured sweetener, such as rice malt syrup or maple syrup, or to taste
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1-2 tsp Change Chai Matcha Chai

Instructions

• For the base, pulse almonds in a food processor until coarse. Drain the dates then add to food processor with cinnamon and whizz until combined.
• Press mixture firmly into the bottom of a 15 cm (6 inch) cake tin. Set aside.
• For the cheesecake filling, add the cashews, coconut cream and rice malt syrup to a high powered blender and blend until extremely smooth. Pour half of mixture into a bowl.
• For the white chocolate cheesecake layer, melt the cacao butter over a double boiler and mix into the bowl of cheesecake mixture. Pour mixture into the cake tin reserving about 1/3 cup then freeze.
• For the matcha chai cheesecake layer, pour the remaining cheesecake into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add agar agar and water then mix until thoroughly combined. Heat mixture while stirring for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Pour mixture back into blender and add matcha chai, optional matcha and baby spinach. Blend until smooth and combined.
• When the white chocolate cheesecake layer is dry to the touch, pour matcha chai cheesecake into tin and return to freezer.
• For the white chocolate shards, melt the cacao butter, rice malt syrup and coconut oil in a small saucepan or in a double-boiler. When melted, use a whizz stick to emulsify all ingredients. Pour half of mixture into one side of a lined baking tin. For the other half, mix in matcha chai and pour in the other side of the baking tin. Use a knife or skewer to marble colours and decorate further if desired. Set aside in freezer.
• After 1-2 hours when the chocolate is set, remove from freezer and cut into shards.
• When the cake is firm to the touch, remove from the freezer. Spoon remaining white cheesecake mixture into a piping bag and decorate as desired. Decorate cake with chocolate shards. Wait until cake has softened and serve!