Day 5 - Raw Chocolate and Walnut Bars

I had the pleasure of attending a raw food workshop a few weeks ago. While it was very interesting, I have no intentions of becoming a raw vegan any time soon! But I sincerely tip my hat to those who do make such a sacrifice in the name of healthy cuisine. For me, it just seems a bit extreme. However, that does not mean I will not try to include as much raw food into our weekly diet as possible. I see the health benefits and I'm not going to ignore them.

On that note, here is a recipe for raw chocolate bars with walnuts. My kids really, really like them and hopefully yours will too! 

The downside is that like many raw sweets they are best kept refrigerated until the minute you eat them so they are not transportable to the park or school. The upside is that they freeze very well so I have had mine in the freezer for the past week and we eat them straight from the freezer as a delicious mid-afternoon or post dinner treat.

1/2 cup (118 ml or 88g) coconut oil (healthfood store)**

1/4 cup (64g) almond butter

1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder or raw cacao powder 

1/2 cup (118ml) maple syrup

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of fine sea salt

3/4 cup (82g) walnuts, finely chopped
**If the coconut oil is too cold to scoop/pour place the jar in hot water to melt it

With an electric mixer beat together the coconut oil and almond butter until smooth. Sift the cocoa powder in and beat until well combined. Add the maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt and mix to combine. Remove beaters and stir the walnuts into the mixture. 

Line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour mixture into the pan. Freeze for several hours before cutting into squares. Wrap your dish well and keep the bars stored in the freezer.

Voila!

Note - I found this recipe on Oh She Glows - a beautiful Vegan recipe website