Cocomo Bars

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Nanaimo bars are a Canadian treat hailing from a city in British Columbia from which they’re named after. Typically made with layers of sweet wafer crumbs, vanilla butter frosting and chocolate, these treats while yummy, are obviously not the most healthy for us. Erin Bosdet of Simply Dish has created a simple raw vegan version with ingredients you’ll feel awesome about putting in your body. This recipe also happens to taste amazing as well giving traditional Nanaimo bars an overall run for their money! Share them with your family, your children, and your friends!

Yield: 1 loaf pan

Ingredients
For the base:

• 1c of soaked dates (soaked for at least an hour)
• 1/2c of cacao powder
• 1/2c of unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2c of almonds

For the middle layer:

• 1c of unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2c of coconut oil
• 1/4c of coconut nectar (or agave)
• a pinch of turmeric (optional)
• 2tbsp of coconut flour

For the top chocolate layer:

• 1/4c of cacao powder
• 2tbsp of coconut oil
• 1/4tsp of vanilla powder

Instructions

For the base:

1) Process the above in your food processor until it all comes together…about thirty to forty five seconds.

2) Press the mixture into your lined loaf pan, flatten the top and set aside.

For the middle layer:

1) Process the first four ingredients in your food processor until smooth, remove the blade and stir in your coconut flour.

2) Now you’re thinking…turmeric?  Yep.  A little goes a long way and it will help you achieve the yellowy look, similar to a ‘traditional’ nanaimo bar.  And I personally think it levels out the sweetness a bit.  Yay!

The mixture will seem a bit moist, that’s only because the coconut oil has melted from the heat of the food processor.

Don’t worry, it all works out.

3) Pour the mixture over your base and smooth out the top.

4) Place it all in the freezer for about thirty minutes.

For the top chocolate layer:

1) Place the ingredients into a stainless steel bowl and rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water just long enough for the oil to melt.

2) Give it all a good stir and drizzle it over the top of the first two layers.  Because the first to layers have been in the freezer, you’ll want to spread the chocolate fairly quickly so that it doesn’t harden unevenly.

And that’s it folks!

Serve:

Slice with a cool, dry knife and store the bars in the fridge.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!