Hubby had a chequered start growing a Meyer lemon in our backyard beside the sea. He planted it beside the herb garden and it suffered from salt spray. He replanted the small tree in large terracotta pot, positioned in a sunny sheltered position beside the screened garden and it flourished. More than five years passed and our lemon tree has budded yielding many lemons. Today I made a special dessert tasting of sweet Meyer lemons to showcase these little yellow jewels.

Our organic Meyer lemons taste quite sweet and I used very few soft dates for a healthy sweetener. Maybe let the type of lemons you use dictate the amount you need.

Health benefits:

·       Lemons are well known for fighting acne and colds, and reducing anxiety. Yet a little less known fact is that lemons can be used to fight fatigue; simply pierce the lemon and suck through a straw for a fast acting remedy.

·       Lemon juice in water before breakfast is an inexpensive way to rejuvenate skin and body healing, an aid to digestion and detox, helps with weight loss, boosts your mood and energy and is packed with vitamin C. 

LEMON & BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

Use a 23 cm (9 inch) tart tin

PB, V, GF, DF

Base:

½ cup (45 g) organic whole rolled oats

1 cup (140 g) cashews

1 cup (145 g) almonds

¼ cup (62 ml.) rice malt syrup

8 soft medjool dates, pitted

Lemon filling:

1½ (210 g) cup raw cashews, soaked in boiled water for 20 minutes, drain

½ cup (125 ml.) full-fat coconut milk

½ cup (125 ml.) maple syrup

¼ cup (57 g) solid coconut oil, melted

2 lemons, juiced and zest

Blueberry topping:

a few frozen blueberries, thawed

½ cup of filling

1 tbsp (15 g) lemon juice

Toppings: lemons slices, blueberries and rose petals to decorate

Line the base of a spring-form cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides with coconut oil. To make the crust, add the cashews and almonds to a food processor and process until it becomes a crumb-like mixture. Add the remaining ingredients, except the blueberries, and process to combine. Press the base mixture into the cake tin evenly with the back of a spoon.

Place all the filling ingredients into the blender and pulse until silky smooth. Pour this mixture into the cake tin, leaving ½ cup in the blender for the blueberry topping, and return the cake to the freezer. Place all blueberry topping ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over the cake and smooth gently with the back of a spoon. Place the cake in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight to set.

Before serving, allow to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to evenly thaw before transferring the cheesecake onto a cake stand. Decorate with thin slices of lemon, blueberries and rose petals. Cut into wedges and serve.