Hi friends!
It’s a miracle when your girl gets her act together for a holiday. If you didn’t know, Valentine’s Day is coming up and if you’re like me, I like to make my boyfriend healthy treats vs. buying a generic box of chocolate. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I personally don’t eat dairy and most boxed chocolates are full of refined sugar and dairy etc. So even though the boxed chocolates would be for him, let’s be real… they’re also for me!
These bars are raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free & grain free! I love creating raw no bake bars like this so if you’re looking for other flavours, check out my other recipes here:
- No Bake Matcha Oatmeal Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Squares
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Squares
It’s best to keep these bars frozen until right before eating. Just let them thaw for a few minutes before biting in.
I hope you try this recipe out and let me know what you think! Please tag me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @balancingandie so I can see your lovely creation friends! It just makes my day!! To never miss a post again, you can subscribe to my blog on your right hand panel and receive a freebie too!
Notes
To eat, just remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for a few minutes.
I'd suggest cutting the bars as soon as the bars are firm enough instead of waiting until completely frozen.
Please use full fat coconut cream for the middle layer only. If it's watery, it will turn icy. If you have a hard time splitting a can, refrigerate a can of coconut cream overnight. The can will naturally separate.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 6 medjool dates, pitts removed
- 2 heaping tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 heaping tbsp unsweetened almond butter
Middle layer:
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)
- 1 cup coconut cream (thick part of coconut can only)
- 1 tsp psyllium fiber (or 1 tbsp tapioca starch)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Berry Topping
- 3 cups fresh berries (I used raspberries & chopped strawberries)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Soak cashews for the middle layer in cold water for 4 hours or overnight. Drain in the morning.
- Line a rectangular baking pan with parchment paper (the smaller the pan, the thicker the bars).
- Mix crust ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Mixture should be slightly sticky. If not, add more almond butter. Pack down the crust mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate while making middle layer.
- Mix all middle layer ingredients in a blender until well combined. Pour onto prepared crust. Transfer to freezer for at least 1 hour until set (firm to touch)
- Lastly make the berry sauce by adding berries to a pot and cooking on medium low heat until the berries are soft and the liquid is beginning to reduce (about 15 minutes).
- Add chia seeds and maple syrup and stir well. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Once middle layer is set and berry mixture is completely cool, top with berry mixture and transfer to freezer again until frozen (1-3 hours).
- Cut into squares and enjoy! Store any excess in the freezer for 1-2 weeks.
