I made berry bounty bars by combining two tried and true favourites - coconut bars and berry chia jam, then coated bite-size morsels in chocolate. A virtuous sweet treat.

Coconut layer:
2 c desiccated coconut
1/3 c maple or brown rice syrup
1/4 c coconut oil, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt

Berry layer:
4 dates, pitted
1/3 c water
2 c fresh or frozen berries
2 Tbsp chia seeds

500g chocolate of choice (70% dark chocolate is best)
Sprinkles of choice such as shredded coconut, freeze-dried or d...
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A fresh and zingy dessert with no refined sugars or processed ingredients.

Base:

1 c almonds

1/4 c dates

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, if desired

Filling:

2 c cashews, soaked for at least an hour

1/2 c filtered water

1/2 c honey or rice syrup

2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c + 2 Tbsp coconut oil, softened

1/2 tsp xanthan gum or 1 Tbsp lecithin powder or 1 tsp psyllium powder

fresh strawberries, if desired

Coulis:

2 c fresh or frozen berries of choice...

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With the oven still bung I made these wholesome raw cookies in the dehydrator. Dehydrated food sometimes doesn't look the most appetising so I tszujed these up with some white chocolate decoration. This recipe is adapted from The Complete Book of Raw Food (Hatherleigh Press, 2005).

Makes around 30 small cookies
2 c sunflower seeds, soaked for 6-8 hours and rinsed
2 apples, cored
2 bananas
1/2 c dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c raisins or cranberries
1 c walnuts, soaked for 6-8 hours and ...
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My oven broke down a week before Xmas! So I've turned to my trusty dehydrator to whip up some raw treats (not quickly though). This is a basic recipe for a raw cookies. You can substitute any nuts or dried fruit if you wish, add spices or essences such as peppermint or orange.

Makes 25-30 small cookies
1 1/2 c cashews
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A couple of options for sugar-free treats that you don't need many ingredients for or special equipment. If you don't have silicone moulds you can use mini muffin tins, or a loaf tin and cut into squares once firm.

Peanut butter fudge:

1/4 c cacao butter, melted

1/2 c peanut butter

2 Tbsp maple syrup, brown rice syrup or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

silicone moulds

Melt the cacao butter in a bowl. Whisk in peanut butter until fully incorporated and smooth. Whisk in sweetener and vanilla...

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Bliss balls are the easiest cheat sweet. Just bung everything in a food processor and press the button. Start with a base of nuts or seeds, add your dried fruit of choice and bind with sticky sweeteners such as maple syrup, dates, brown rice syrup, or nut butters. It's a good way to use up things that have bene neglected in your pantry.
If you're time constrained or just too lazy to roll into balls, just make into a slice.

200g dried fruit (I used apricots, use whatever mix you like. Get tropic...
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Raw slices are great to make because they keep in the freezer for months and you can just take out slice as you need and defrost for half an hour before eating. You could also use other berries for the filling such as blueberries, raspberries or strawberries. This is from Donna Hay's Modern Baking (Fourth Estate, 2018).

Base:

1 c cashews

1 c desiccated coconut

1/4 c brown rice syrup

Filling:

1 c desiccated coconut

120 g fresh medjool dates (about 6-7)

1/3 c melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract or ...

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For a quick healthy chocolatey snack, just blitz all these ingredients in a food processor and chill!

Line a loaf tin with cling film, making sure it hangs over the sides.

1 c almonds (you can use other nuts or pumpkin/sunflower seeds)
1 c dates
3 tbsp goji berries (you can use other dried berries)
3 tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa)
3 tbsp coconut oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until sticky. Press evenly into your loaf tin, cover and chill in fridge until firm enough to cut into...
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First attempt - used stick blender and only did one coat of chocolate - very nice


Second attempt - doubled the recipe, used Omniblend, double coat of chocolate - extremely nice

Yum - guilt-free treats that are full of nutrients. Everything tastes better coated in homemade chocolate, right? A stick blender is best for this recipe. I tried processing the filling in my Omniblend but there wasn't enough mixture for the blades to mix.

Makes 14
100g cashews
3 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp date syrup
1 tbsp caca...
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I must admit when I first made this I didn't get much green tea or mint flavour, so I've upped my quantities and now use a larger tin to get thinner slices. Whatever works for you though, thick slices are just as good too. Thanks to Lola Berry's Food to Make You Glow (Plum, 2017) for the inspiration.

Base:
1 c desiccated coconut
1 c almond meal (I ground almonds in a coffee grinder)
2 tbsp almond butter (or any nut butter you prefer)
1 c dates (medjool are best but I also use deglet nour)...

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These raw crackers are pretty tasty. Great by themselves or with dips and spreads. It's from The Unbakery by Megan May (Beatnik, 2014). You'll need a dehydrator - the crispier the better.

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours
1 cup flaxseed, ground (I use a coffee grinder)
1/4 c flaxseed
1 beetroot, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 red onion, finely chopped
3/4 c filtered water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp rosemary or thyme, choppe...
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Here's another version of a raw caramel slice. I've tweaked the ingredients to make it simpler. If you're not averse to peanuts, peanut butter makes a very good caramel base. The prunes add a lovely sweetness to the base.

Base:
1/2 c pitted dates
1/3 c prunes, optional
1 c almonds (toasted if you like)
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
pinch sea salt

Caramel:
1/2 c pitted dates (or date syrup)
1/2 c maple syrup
1/3 c peanut butter (I prefer smooth)
1/4 c coconut oil

Topping:
1/4 c cacao powder
1/4 c coconut oil, so...

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Would you believe our oven broke down two days before Xmas! I couldn't bake any cakes so a good excuse to make raw treats. I updated my usual bounty bars with strawberry chia jam. Thanks to Little Bird Goodness by Megan May (Penguin, 2017) for the inspiration. The jam is so versatile - it can be used to jazz up muffins, granola, ice cream and swirl it into these bounty bars to make a healthy 'cherry ripe'.

Berry jam:
1/4 c ground chia seeds
1/4 c filtered water
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp...
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Banoffee is usually a mix of bananas, cream and toffee but this one is banana, coconut cream and coffee - brilliant! It's a super easy pudding/mousse/parfait that can be indulged in any time of day. In the morning top it with yoghurt and granola or for dessert add whipped coconut cream and nuts. The recipe is from Kings Plant Barn.

Makes 8 servings
1 can coconut cream
2 c cooled espresso coffee (if making for kids, use a non-dairy milk)
1 c ground chia seeds (I like mine ground, for a smoother pu...
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These are rather like after dinner mints, but you won't feel guilty having one, two, or more... It's no. 13 of 26 alphabetical bakes!

Makes 36

3 x 12 mini muffin tins
1 c desiccated coconut
1 c cashews
2 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp coconut oil, warmed

chocolate coating:
1 c cacao butter
3-4 tbsp maple syrup or brown rice syrup
1 c cacao powder
pinch salt

Blitz the coconut and cashews in a food processor until crumbly. Add the peppermint, honey and coconut oil and mix until fu...

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There are a few recipes for homemade chocolate on Bake Club. I've experimented and tweaked amounts many times and have found this one works best for me if I want to make hard chocolate as it's easy to remember and measure. You can use any size moulds you like. I wanted generous servings filled with a nut/fruit mix so I used heart-shaped silicon muffin moulds. The servings weigh around 40-50g each. The good thing about chocolate is that if you make any surplus to needs you can just store in an...
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Did you know the lamington was invented in New Zealand not Australia?! They first appeared in art in New Zealander J R Smythe's still life 'Summer Pantry' in 1888, featuring inside a cottage with a view of Wellington Harbour. They were known as Wellingtons - soft sponge covered in chocolate and coconut to resemble the snow-capped mountains of NZ.
However, Australians have claimed the cake as their own, named after Lord Lamington, governor of Queensland, who visited NZ in 1895, and was ...

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This is the third raw cheesecake to appear on Bake Club. It's always good to experiment with these things. I made a double recipe to fit a 25cm round cake tin, one of the three cakes I made for my birthday party. I only throw a party once a decade. so I'm happy to make the effort to cater for a whole bunch of diets. I have a few vegan gluten-free friends so I decided to make all the cakes free of gluten, dairy and sugar.

This recipe is adapted from Raw Cake by Daisy Kristiansen and Le...

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Quick and easy party food/lunchbox fillers.
Makes 24 squares
1/2 c tahini
1/3 c sweetener such as rice syrup, coconut nectar, maple or honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
4 c brown puffed rice crispies (you can also used puffed millet)
1/2 c activated buckwheat, optional

Line a brownie tin or 20x20cm cake tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl mix the puffed rice and buckwheat. Melt the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Pour over the puffed rice and mix quickly to coat every grain. P...
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A wholesome chocolatey hit.

1 c dates, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
1 c sunflower seeds
1 c nuts or activated buckwheat
2 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 tbsp psyllium
1/2 c cacao powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c cacao butter, melted

Icing:
1/4 c cacao butter, melted
1/3 c cacao powder
1/3 c rice syrup (or maple syrup)

Whole walnuts, pecans or almonds for decoration

Blitz the seeds and nuts in a food processor until crumbly. You can leave chunks in there if you w...

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I scoured the net and came up with a mix-and-match raw vegan banoffee pie recipe. This is different from my other banoffee pie, which uses cashew cream.

For the base:
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c walnuts
1/3 c desiccated coconut
6 deglet noor dates (use medjool if you have them, I was just saving $)
1 tbsp rice malt syrup
1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the caramel:
10 medjool dates, pitted
1 c coconut cream or milk or other nondairy milk
2 heaped tbsp almond/cashew/peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

2 banan...

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Apparently white chocolate isn't technically traditional chocolate because it doesn't contain chocolate solids, ie cocoa/cacao powder, but homemade white chocolate is next-level goodness! You can use any dried fruit or nuts in this recipe, and pour into any shaped moulds. Pistachios and gojis are perfect for Christmastime.

1 c cacao butter...

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Why are hazelnuts so expensive? I love these lil' nuts but I only buy them for special occasion bakes. Or nonbakes as the case may be. These fudgy bars start melting as soon as they're out of the freezer but I'm gonna attempt to take some on a flight to Wellington tomorrow for our vegan friends - wish me luck!
This recipe is adapted from Vladia Cobrdova's A Whole New Way to Eat (Murdoch Books, 2017). She adds fresh ginger to hers, caramelised with honey. I did a cheat's version and just used o...
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It all started with our daughter wanting chocolate chip cookies. I decided to make healthy chocolate chip cookie bliss balls and found this easy recipe from Wholefood Simply. Then I decided to make my own recipes using different sweeteners, flavours and flours, but all still raw, whole, organic, sugar and gluten free.

Makes about 24
2 c rolled oats
1/3 c tahini
2 tbsp honey or rice syrup
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/3 c dark chocolate chips
Blitz the oats in a ...
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This is adapted from Eleanor Ozich's apricot and chocolate slice. I love the combination of prunes and chocolate, and have made my own chocolate in this recipe. This is another entry into #PlantBasedChallengeNZ #LittleBirdGoodness

1 c prunes, chopped
2 c ground seeds/nuts/grains - this is YOUR choice! I used 1 c rolled oats, 1/2 c sunflower seeds, 1/2 c activated buckwheat groats (you can also use pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, cashews, walnuts)
1 c desiccated coconut
1/3 c coconu...

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Thank you Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley for this super easy recipe that feels like such a treat.
Makes 40-50 
250g organic unsulphured apricots, chopped
1 tsp salt
80g coconut oil
2 Tbs hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate coating:
200g cocoa butter
12 Tbs cacao powder
2 Tbs maple syrup or rice syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
In a food processor blend the apricots, salt, oil, hot water and vanilla until smooth.
Roll into little balls and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. If mixture is...
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Two more easy raw recipes from The New Enlightened Eating by Caroline Marie Dupont (Books Alive, 2012).
For the vanilla bliss balls:
2 c walnuts
2 Tbs rice malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/2 c cashews
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c desiccated coconut

Blend walnuts in a food processor until smooth, Add sweetener, vanilla and salt and mix until combined. Add cashews and raisins and process until evenly distributed but not completely smooth so the mixture has some texture. Roll into little balls and r...

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Great little heatlhy naturally sweetened crackers for a seriously moreish snack.
1/2 c flaxseeds (golden or brown)
1/2 c flaxmeal (just blitz in a coffee or spice grinder)
3 apples - 2 chopped into small pieces, 1 grated (leave skin on)
1 Tbs cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp orange zest
juice of an orange
1/4 c water

In a blender put in the flaxmeal, chopped apple, spices, juice and enough water to blend into a paste. Transfer into a bowl and stir in the flax seeds and grated apple. Let sit ...
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This is another Little Bird beauty that I adjusted with my ingredients on hand. It has a great gingery taste and not too sweet. I do find their bases can be a bit thick and dry and one note so I like to add buckinis (activated buckwheat) for a bit of crunch and a bit less of the nut flours so make a thinner base.
Makes 24 pieces
Base:
1 c cashews
1 c almonds
1/2 c coconut flour
1/2 c buckinis
1 c pitted dates
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 pinches salt
1 tsp lemon rind
Ginger topping:
1 c melted coconut oil
2 c ...
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I’ve been out of commission for a whole month thanks to a perforated ear drum  (yes – ow!) but this weekend I was well enough to do some cooking and baking. It gave me so much pleasure and I’m starting to feel human again! I started with making hummus with canned chickpeas, then made a meringue from the chickpea brine (aquafaba meringue). Then I decided on a ‘major’ project – raw carrot cake from Little Bird’s Unbakery cookbook. I usually go for the cheesecakes at...

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By Frances
These raw chocolate covered coconut bars are really easy to make - and delicious and healthy too! I adapted a recipe from Health Yeah.

2 cups desiccated coconut
1 cup of coconut cream or milk
3 Tbs coconut oil or coconut butter
4 Tbs natural sweetener (maple syrup, coconut syrup, rice syrup or date paste)
pinch sea salt

For the chocolate coating:
5 Tbsp of  organic coconut oil
3 Tbsp of raw cacao powder
2 tsp of coconut syrup or maple syrup

Mix all the ingreds except dessicated coconut in...
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By Frances
Found this recipe on Chocolatecoveredkatie.com. Very nice and went down well at a vegan party.

• 2.5 cups strawberries, or other berries (250g) (I used frozen and Fresh As strawberry slices)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder or cacao
• 1.5 cups cashews (150g)
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
• 3 NuNaturals stevia packets, or 1/4 cup agave or pure maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp salt

Chocolate pie crust:

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews (or almonds, w...

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By Sophie
Such a healthy summer meal!

Walnut "Mince"
1 cup of raw almonds
2 tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of chilli flakes

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until it has a mincey looking texture. This won't take long, making sure you don't over blend it otherwise it will turn to paste.


Cashew "sour cream"
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for two hours)
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
J...
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By Frances
On my quest to find the perfect raw caramel slice, here is version no. 3 from Keilanaskye. The caramel part is particularly good - just tahini and maple syrup really. For the base I used sunflower seeds and activated buckwheat (buckinis) instead of cashews (just over 1/2 c each). I find the buckwheat gives a nice crunch that I really like.
I'm going to enter this in November's Sweet NZ monthly blog event, hosted by Toast.


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By Frances
An easy raw slice by Petite Kitchen.

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By Frances
I found this recipe on Ascension Kitchen - a beautiful website. I tried making her coconut butter but it didn't work out so I just used more coconut oil. Really enjoying the raw treats at the moment.
I'm entering this into September's Sweet NZ, hosted by Easy Food Hacks.


Biscuit base:
½ cup roughly processed buckwheat flour* (I used buckinis [sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat], I like have the crunchy bits in the base)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 cup pecans (I used almonds)...
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By Frances
I'm on a roll with raw caramel. This time I wanted more gooey caramel. This slice is quite soft all round, the choc icing didn't set hard like the first caramel slice recipe I tried. This recipe is from All in the Raw in Australia.

Base
1 cup dates
½ cup almonds
1 tsp coconut oil

Caramel
1 cup dates
½ cup coconut oil
1 ½ tbls unhulled tahini
½ cup pure organic maple syrup
1 cup raw cashews (covered and soaked in water for an hour and then rinsed)
1/3 cup water

Top Chocolate layer
Â...

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By Frances
I had my first taste of raw caramel at Little Bird in Ponsonby - their caramel pecan bar is outta this world! This is not their caramel slice but it's still pretty good, found on the Triumph of the Lentil blog.

For the base:
1 1/2 cups almonds, walnuts or pecans
a pinch of salt
4 medjool dates, pitted
1/3 cup coconut oil, liquid

For the caramel filling:
18 medjool dates, pitted
2-3 pinches of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid
1/4 cup nut butter (hazelnut, almond, cashew or brazil nut)...

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I went to the Auckland Food Show this year and saw Dr Libby and Chef Cynthia's demo. They made this raw beetroot chocolate mud cake - turned out well. They also showed how quickly it is to make proper raw chocolate with cacao butter, cacao, nibs and peppermint oil so I'm gonna try that soon too.
I'm entering this into August's Sweet New Zealand, hosted by Sweets and Brains.


For the cake:

• 2 cups Brazil nuts
• 4 fresh medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 medi...

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After the success of my first raw 'cheesecake', I had the impetus to attempt a berry swirl cheesecake and experiment with the original recipe. It's a fine line with raw recipes and some things didn't work as well. The base is 1 cup almonds, 1 cup hazelnuts (instead of buckwheat) and 1/2 cup sunflower seeds but even the 1/2 cup of seeds meant there was too much base. I forgot the dash of coconut oil so it didn't bond together as well.
For the filling I used honey instead of maple syrup. I could...
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After several visits to Little Bird unbakery in Kingsland, I thought I'd try making my own raw cheesecake. Turned out rather well, I thought! The recipe is from a Pure Wellbeing newsletter.
I'm entering this in July's Sweet New Zealand, hosted by Homegrown Kitchen.


The Base
1 C almonds
1 C buckwheat
1/2 C dates (soak in water to soften first)
Dash coconut oil/pinch salt

Food process (pulse) the nuts and buckwheat leaving them a little chunky. Add the dates & coconut oil till the mix just b...
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