So if you said, “Your favorite fruit? 30 seconds. Go.” I’d say, without hesitation, MANGOES! Oh my, oh yes, mangoes. Can you think of a sweeter, sexier fruit? No way. Nothing compares. Mangoes are in a class all by themselves. No wonder they are called the King of Fruits and the Love Fruit.

Uh huh, the love fruit, baby. Among their myriad of benefits, mangoes are also considered an aphrodisiac said to boost the libido and regulate hormones. So, with Valentine’s Day coming up, um, maybe you’ll want to give this little recipe a try.

Start the night before or first thing in the morning, by soaking raw cashews in coconut milk. Let this sit in the fridge as the cashews absorb the milk and thicken up.

Then blend the cashews with some maple syrup and vanilla; this is the filling for your cheesecake. Next, make a crust using macadamia nut and shredded coconut in the food processor. Ridiculously easy.

Now we get to the sensuous mango part. To pick out ripe mangoes at the store, look for ones that give slightly to the touch (if they are hard, let them ripen at home for a day or two) and have a reddish blush to the skin. Slice the fruit of the mango away from the large pit lengthwise. Then peel and cut into small dice. Taste a few just to make sure they are perfectly sweet. If you would like, toss the diced mango with a little coconut nectar to make them even sweeter for your sweetie.

To serve, place some macadamia nut mixture on the bottom of a clear glass. Spoon or pour the cashew cheesecake mixture over that dividing between four glasses. Top with the sweet mango and some toasted coconut chips. Then feel the love.

Raw Coconut Cheesecake with Sweet Mango

Serves 4

2 cups raw cashews

1 can full fat coconut milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla

1 cups raw macadamia nuts

3 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

1 Tbsp coconut sugar

pinch of pink sea salt

1 Tbsp Earth Balance or coconut oil, melted

1 mango, peeled

1 tsp coconut nectar or to taste, optional

2-3 Tbsp unsweetened coconut chips, toasted in a dry skillet until lightly brown

Soak cashews with coconut milk about 6-8 hours in a large bowl in the refrigerator. Transfer mixture to a high powered blender and add maple syrup and vanilla. Blend on medium high speed until smooth. Set aside.

Combine macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, coconut sugar and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until nuts are finely chopped. Add melted Earth Balance and pulse a few more times until combined. Set aside.

Slice ripe mango into small dice. Toss with coconut nectar in a small bowl if desired.

Place two tablespoons each of macadamia nut crust mixture in the bottom of a small glass. Press down with your fingers to make and even layer. Spoon or pour cheesecake mixture on top, dividing evenly. Top with sweet mango and coconut chips. ♥ ♥ ♥