RAW CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH BITES

I love no cook simple raw desserts.  There's something so satisfying about them.  This is a recipe that literally could be tweaked so many different ways to give you many, many delicious treats.

I took my Raw Cranberry + Sweet Cacao Nibs Icebox Cookie dough recipe and just changed it up a bit.  It almost tasted like you are savoring some chocolate truffles or something.  I hope you love them just as much as I do.

RAW CHOCOALTE COOKIE DOUGH BITES

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup dates
2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons raw agave or honey
Shredded coconut for coating

Process the nuts in your food processor until finely chopped.  Add in the dates and process until the ingredients are mixed well and it starts to get moist from the dates.  Add in the cacao powder and agave or honey and process to combined.  Roll the dough into bite size rounds and roll the balls in a plate of coconut shavings to coat.  Chill for about 1 hour in an airtight container and they are ready to serve!  So simple!

You can get creative and use other delicious goodies to coat your cookie dough bites.  Yum!

Bon appetit!

RAW NUTELLA (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD)

 

 



I only know one or two people who have never tasted Nutella, which is strange because you would think everyone must have tasted Nutella once in their life! It's nostalgic to me.  Growing up, I loved the taste of spreading it on toast, eating it with fruit or just taking a spoonful to into my mouth.  Who doesn't like Nutella, really?  When I starting eating more plant based and more raw, I had a ton of friends ask me to figure out a raw Nutella recipe.  Well, here's a great start.  I got my inspiration from Fragrant Vanilla Cake.  Amy is so good at transforming our old favorite desserts into fabulous raw creations!  This recipe is not as super creamy as the original Nutella, but let me tell you, its super chocolatey good for sure.

 

RAW NUTELLA (CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD)

1 cup raw hazelnuts
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond milk

Blend the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground.  Add the sea salt, agave, cinnamon, and Vanilla and process utnil its combined well.  While the motor is running, add the almond milk slowly to make it smooth, for 1-2 minutes or more.  Blend it until is very smoooth.  Store in an air tight jar in the refrigerator and enjoy!

What do you like eating your raw nutella with?



Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite raw chocolate spread recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.



RAW CRANBERRY ALMOND BARS WITH RAW CACAO FROSTING

 

Written by Contributor Britney Manuel of BtanJerine, Family Sponge and A Simply Raw Life.  This recipe was originally posted on Family Sponge HERE. It was so popular, that we had to bring the recipe to our viewers as well.  Enjoy!

 

 

At about 3 o’clock PM everyday a little man inside of me says, “it’s time for chocolate!”, and when he talks…I listen! And sometimes much to my dismay, this little man has cheap taste. So in an effort to be proactive I knew I had to at least make a healthier version to tame this wild beast of a chocolate monster within me. So this is what I did!

 



 

 

Raw Cranberry Almond Bars with Raw Cacao Frosting

Bar Ingredients

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4 cups raw almonds
2 lbs. dates
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 cups dried cranberries

Frosting

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1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
2/3 cup cacao or carob powder

Directions

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For the Bar

 

Blend the dates in a food processor until it makes a thick chuncky paste, and place in a bowl.  The pulse the almonds in the processor until they are finely chopped and add to the bowl. (I left some bigger chunks so that the texture varied).  Next, pulse the shredded coconut for a few seconds and then add to bowl followed by the chia seeds and dried cranberries.  Work mixture together with your hands until it makes a sticky ball.  Line a 9×13 cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add mixture to parchment paper. Cover ball with another sheet of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten the ball into about 1 1/2 inches. Place the flattened mixture into the freezer for 1 hour.  Cut the bars in individual bar size pieces, then frost.

 

For the frosting

 

Add the maple syrup to the blender first followed by the coconut oil and cocoa powder. Blend well until smooth and then spread desired amount onto each bar. 

After frosting, wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to a week.  They are now ready to eat!   (I'll tell your right now, they won't last that long!)
 

 

Amazingly delicious!!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite raw bar or granola bar recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

 



RAW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

 

 

 

I am not complaining, but I have been so busy this week.  And sometimes there are those days where you just crave something sweet.  I am seriously craving these raw chocolate turffles that I made this past weekend at The Matthew Kenney Academy.  This recipe is so easy that you won't know why you've never made these before.  And I LOVE the fact you can easily change the flavors by simply changing the toppings you use to coat the truffle.

 

Here's the rundown...for these basic cacao truffles...
 

RAW CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup cashew butter

1/2 cup agave

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup cacao butter, melted

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup cacao powder

Pinch of salt

 

Directions:

 

Blend all the ingredients together except the cacao powder in a high speed blender until smooth. Add the cacao powder and blend just until the ingredients are incorporated.  Pour the mixture into a bowl and place it in the refrigerator or freezer until the mixture firms up.

 

Take a small scooper and scoop the mixture and roll them in to small balls about 3/4" in diameter.  Chill until they are ready to serve. 

 

You can also roll the truffles in different flavor toppings to add that next level of flavors.  If you would like to do this, have small bowls with your toppings ready so you can roll the truffle in them and then chill until serving.

 

Here are some ideas of flavor mixes you can use:

• Pistachio , Salt, Cardemom
• Cacao nibs, Cinnamon, Coconut Sugar
• Cacao Powder, Maca Powder, Cinnamon
• Pumpkin Spice, Cayenne, Cinnamon
• Cacao Powder, Cayenne, Sea Salt
• Pumpkin Spice, Ground Ginger

 

There are so many other flavors you could blend and use, the sky's the limit.  I am sure you will find your favorite.  Mine was the Cacao Powder, Cayenne and Sea Salt.   I think I need to pick up or make some lemon salt for this recipe.  Lemon salt, cacao powder and cayenne for a little spice kick sounds awsome!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interesting in trying more of Matthew Kenney's recipes you should definitely pick up one of his many fabulous COOKBOOKS. 

 

You can find other delicious raw chocolate recipes in his Raw Chocolate cookbook too.

 

 

 

 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite Chocolate Dessert recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

 





RAW DESSERT: MEXICAN SPICED BROWNIES



My friends have been waiting for a raw dessert recipe and so I have finally posted a super, super easy and delicious recipe.  Most of my gal pals LOVE chocolate.  When I say LOVE, I really mean LOVE!  So, this recipe is right up their alley and will definitely satisfy that craving for chocolate.

 

Now, please do not get afraid when you see the word raw in the dessert title.  Many people get afraid when they see a raw recipe.  But really, it only means "uncooked" and "keep in the nutrients" and so really, you can, in this case, equate it to simplicity.  You will not believe how EASY this is!

Lately, I have been loving that fact that I am able connect with some wonderful people over Instagram.  What a great way to connect with other Raw, Vegan and Vegetarians all over the world and exchange food ideas and recipes.  This recipe is adapted from what I originally saw on A Life Unhurried.  I recently connected with her on IG.  Her recipe was adapted from Judita Wignall's famous Mexican Spiced Brownies. So delicious!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 1 to 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:

BROWNIE BASE
4 cups walnuts*
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup medjool dates, pitted
2/3 cup cacao or carob powder
1 tablespoon Mexican (ceylon) cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely ground star anise
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
pinch of sea salt (optional)
2 tablespoons water

*preferably soaked 6-8 hours and dehydrated but not crucial.  For this version, I did not soak or dehydrate them and they came out very nice.  Just a tad more chunkier than it would be soaked.

1. Place walnuts into a food processor and grind into the consistency of a meal. Don’t over process or it will release too much oil.

2. Add the raisins and dates and process until the mixture is well combined.

3. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, star anise, cayenne and sea salt and process again until mixture is sticky yet still crumbly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the water and mix well using your hands. It should start to resemble a dough.

5. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

FROSTING:
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
2/3 cup cacao or carob powder

1. Add maple syrup to the blender first followed by the coconut oil and cocoa powder. Blend well until smooth.

2. Spread topping over brownies and chill at least 1-2 hours.

3. Remove brownie by lifting up the parchment paper and slice into desired size pieces.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for one month.

NOTE: Try substituting cayenne pepper with chipotle or ancho pepper for a whole new experience. Chipotle is smoky and spicy while ancho is mild and sweet. For a traditional brownie omit cayenne, anise and cinnamon.  My next batch will be the Traditional Brownie.  (Actually, think I will make this and not tell anyone its raw and see what they say.  Hee hee!)

Makes 12 to 16 servings

These are incredible!

Check out Judita's book Going Raw HERE.

Enjoy!




RAW: CHOCOLATE BANANA SHAKE

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone's morning is going well!  When I am craving some chocolately goodness, I LOVE making this chocolate shake.  It's simple, but sooo good.  I alway, always try to keep a stash of frozen bananas in the freezer.  When you use frozen bananas in a shake no one can fault it.  It makes any smoothie or shake rich and creamy.  You never know when you want to make some kind of creamy goodness.

 

This recipe serves 2 to 4

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

3 cups frozen bananas

2 cups almond milk or your favorite nut milk

1/4 cup agave nectar (or 2 packets of stevia)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 heaping tablespoons of organic raw cacao powder or carob powder

pinch of sea salt

 

In a blender puree all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENTLY SNACKING ON... MEXICAN CHOCOLATE

Trader Joe's Stone Ground Salt & Pepper Dark Chocolate

This chocolate is extremely tasty as a hot cocoa...a bit strong alone...can't wait to try it on a dessert.

Magazine: Dwell 

Mug: Anthropologie