Author Notes
A dessert that tastes luxurious and rich, but is full of surprising healthy ingredients! Bring to the next party you go to and tell your guests AFTER what's in it. They'll be shocked!
The best part about this treat? Hmm...I can't decide... The fact that it has tons of healthy ingredients like avocado, tofu, coconut oil, oats, and walnuts? Or that you can keep it in the freezer for a good month so you don't have to gobble it all up quickly before it goes bad? Or that it tastes super rich and coconut-y and luxurious? Or perhaps that it reminded me of my mom's triple layer brownies she used to make during Christmas time...
Adapted/Inspired by http://www.adashofcompassion.com/2011/11/raw-nanaimo-bars/ —Rynne
Ingredients
-
1/2 cup
walnuts
-
1/2 cup
oats
-
2/3 cup
dates
-
1/2 cup
silken tofu
-
1
avocado
-
2 tablespoons
honey or sugar
-
3 tablespoons
coconut milk
-
1/2 cup
unsweetened shredded coconut
-
1/4 cup
coconut oil, warmed until slightly soft
-
2 tablespoons
cocoa powder
-
3 tablespoons
honey
Directions
-
Line the bottom of a 10 x 5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Be sure to leave on overhang so you can remove it.
-
In a food processor, process walnuts, oats, and graham crackers into coarse crumbs. Add salt and dates and continue to process until they are broken down and the mixture is sticky. Press mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan in a 1/4'' layer. Put pan in freezer while you make the coconut layer.
-
Put all ingredients for second layer in food processor and process until creamy. Let the food processor run for about a minute--you don't want chunks of avocado in it! The mixture should be thick and creamy. With a spatula, spread on top of the bottom layer into the pan and then put the pan back into the freezer for an hour or so.
-
Whisk coconut oil, cocoa powder, and agave until smooth. Pour this on top of the coconut layer, smooth out the top with a small spatula or back of spoon. Put back in freezer until topping is set, about 1 hour. When you take the finished product out of the freezer, it won’t look that impressive (I mean, c'mon- look at the picture on the left). Don’t worry! Once you cut the rounded edges off, you’ll see how clean-cut and beautiful the layers look. To cut bars, carefully take out the parchment paper/dessert out of the loaf pan and place on a cutting board. It is best to cut with a sharp knife that has been placed in some hot water immediately before cutting (make sure to wipe the knife dry before cutting though!).
-
Store bars in an air-tight container in the freezer. We found it best to store the bars in the freezer, and then let them thaw in the fridge for about an hour before serving. When just stored in the fridge, they got a little too soft, but this combination of the freezer/fridge works well.
See what other Food52ers are saying.