Delicious V-Day (or anytime!) Healthy Desserts

What is Valentine's Day without something sweet? Or chocolate? Here are some yummy recipes, easy to make and HEALTHY!! Yes, actually GOOD FOR YOU! All vegan, some raw, some gluten-free, and all loaded with Omega-3s, EFAs, fiber, vitamins and minerals, perfect for the whole family - even the kids! Feel the difference when you eat things that are innate for your body, instead of things that are not. And, you won't feel guilty! ~ Enjoy





Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars (Vegan) - From "Delicious Living" - (BTW, this is my new favorite magazine - FREE at most nutrition stores - with tons of great raw, vegan, gluten-free recipes, or go to the  website)
2 1/2 Cups rolled oats
1 cup almond meal
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup raw cocoa powder
1/2 cup EV Coconut oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 (or less) natural cane sugar or sucanut

Preheat oven to 275*. Combine oats, almond meal, coconut and cocoa powder in bowl. Combine coconut oil, agave and sugar in a saucepan over med. heat. Stir until sugar is disolved, do not boil. Pour over oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Press into 8" X 8" pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Keep refrigerated. (I am going to try not baking this next time, just putting straight into the refrig, or dehydrating first)

Chocolate Banana Smoothie - (vegan, raw, gluten-free) - From Jenn Cohen of http://www.the-natural-mama.blogspot.com/

2 Bananas
1 heaping tablespoon of raw almond butter
Almond milk - (as much or as little as you want)
1 tablespoon of raw cocoa powder or chips
1 tablespoon of flax seeds or flax seed powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Large hand-full of ice

Place all items in blender and blend until smooth.

Chocolate Mousse - (vegan, raw, gluten-free) - From Jenn Cohen of www.the-natural-mama.blogspot.com
1/4 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 - 2 Avacados
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder - or more to taste
1/4 cup water

Place dates, agave, and vanilla in food processor and process until smooth. Add avacado, cocoa and water and process until creamy. Refrigerate before serving.


Almond Bars - (vegan, raw, gluten-free) - From Victoria Rechcygl of http://www.innatemama.com/
2 cps raw almonds
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup Raw almond butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup EV coconut oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tablspn vanilla extract
Melted chocolate (optional, to pour on top after bars have set)

Place almonds, flax meal, shredded coconut, almond butter, and salt, in food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Melt coconut oil over low heat, mix in vanilla and agave.Add coconut oil mixture to food processor and pulse until combined and forms a paste. Press mixture into 8 x 8 glass pan, lined with parchment. Place in fridge for an hour, until set.

Date Bars - (vegan, raw, gluten-free) - From Kristen Suzanne of http://www.kristensraw.blogspot.com/
Date Ingredients:
25-30 medjool dates, pitted*
1/4-1/2 cup soak water (from the dates)
Crumble Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
2 tablespoons raw coconut oil
pinch Himalayan crystal salt
Date Instructions:
Place the pitted dates in a bowl with water to soak them for about a half hour. *If your dates are large, you can use 25 and if some of them are smaller, then use a few more. Once the dates are soaked, place them in a food processor, fitted with the "S" blade, along with 1/4 cup of the soak water. Process until smooth, adding a little more water as needed. Set aside in a bowl, while you make the crumble.
Crumble Instructions:
Place all of the crumble ingredients in a food processor, fitted with the "S" blade, and process until it starts to stick together a bit when pressed gently between two of your fingers.
Assembly Instructions:

Almond Bar (L) and Coconut Oat Bar (R)

Take the crumble mixture and press it on to the parra-flex sheet for the dehydrator. Keep it thin. Spread the date filling on top, keeping it a thin layer. Dehydrate them at 115 degrees F for about 2-3 hours or more. Try texture and flip over if you want and dehydrate more. Store leftover Date Bars in your refrigerator.

Date Bars in the dehydrator