Raw Dreamy Cacao Walnut Bars
I have been fixated on omega 3’s (more on that in a minute). I have also been fixated on creating a new dessert bar recipe (I think you can understand that one). Two fixations came together and these tasty raw cacao walnut bars were born.
First, lets talk omega 3’s. Why the fixation, you ask? Well, they are critical for brain and heart health, fight inflammation, and reduce your risk of depression amongst other things. Our bodies don’t make them, we need them and vegan diets tend to be heavy on omega 6 and lacking in the 3’s. In fact, an omega 3 deficiency is prevalent in our diets today because of how our food is processed and the dietary choices we make.
One of the first things we think of for Omega 3’s is fish and fish oil. Interestingly enough, with fish being farmed and fed diets of grain instead of their traditional diet of plants and algae, the levels of omega 3 have been seriously declining. But since a raw, vegan diet doesn’t include fish, where else can you get your omega 3’s? Great sources are flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts! It is good to note that greens also contain higher levels of omega 3’s so drink your green drinks!
With it’s own antioxidant properties, cacao (chocolate) makes a great pairing with walnuts. I made a quick raw cashew crust (yes you can find raw cashews here), a lovely walnut filling and topped the whole thing off with a tasty, easy cacao ganache. Delicious and filling, these bars shout bakery case…no one will believe they are a healthy raw snack!
For the crust, I used raw cashews from Navitas Naturals. They use a special process to keep the extraction under low heat so they are truly raw. You can find them here: Raw Cashews .
To get a fine flour, I used the dry container for my Vitamix.
To get the finest flour, process the cashews in batches, sift and reprocess the left over chunks with the next batch. You will get a beautiful, fine cashew flour that will mimic a real pastry crust.
Raw Walnut Cacao Dreamy Bars
MAKES 64, 1-INCH BARS
Crust
- 1 cup cashews
- 3 tablespoons cacao
- 1 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
- Process cashews in high-speed blender in three batches. Sift out chunks between batches.
- Stir in cacao powder, melted coconut oil and sweetener.
- Press into glass 8 x8-inch pan and place in refrigerator.
Filling
- 1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
- 2/3 cup dried coconut, unsweetened
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup coconut butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (not raw but used in many raw recipes)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Mix all ingredients together, spread over crust layer, return to refrigerator.
Glaze
- 1/4 cup cacao
- 1/4 cup agave (or other liquid sweetener)
- 1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
- Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Pour over crust/filling mixture. Chill until set.
Summer wrote on August 23, 2012
Do you think this recipe (or other desert recipes that call for it) could be made without the oil?
Susan wrote on August 23, 2012
The oil is what binds the ingredients together and adds structure. So, you would have to rework the entire recipe and I don’t have any suggestions as to what you could substitute. Cheers!
Amy @ fragrantvanillacake wrote on August 23, 2012
These sound amazing! Love the layers and all the ingredients! I wish I had one to indulge in right now!
Karen Faivre wrote on August 23, 2012
My gawd those look insanely great! I would love to make them.
Diane wrote on August 23, 2012
Susan, I made these for my girlfriends last weekend and they LOVED THEM!!! I didn’t have much agave, so I substituted raw honey. They were so decadent! They are very rich, but my girlfriends were happy to take some home with them…LOL
Joy DuPuis wrote on August 23, 2012
What beautiful photography!! And great response about the agave!
Lynda wrote on August 23, 2012
These look and sound awesomely good. Quick question; coconut butter, can regular butter be substituted for it or coconut oil?
And yes, three cheers to agave. Liver health has recently become one of big interest to me. Please folks think about, next to the skin, the liver is the biggest organ. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING including our hormones and what we put on our skin needs to be dealt with by our liver.
Eat well, be well, live well
Susan wrote on August 23, 2012
In this recipe, I would not sub coconut oil for the coconut butter for flavor. But in a pinch, it would function similarly, just not taste the same. Butter? I have no idea but I would doubt it as it doesn’t have the same properties as the coconut butter. I honestly don’t even have it in my kitchen and never use it. Cheers!
Tanya @ Playful and Hungry wrote on August 22, 2012
Wow, these look so great… I can almost taste them! 😉
Pamela wrote on August 21, 2012
The substitution of almond meal for the cashews worked very nicely. This recipe was so simple and delicious. This was my first visit to your web site.
Linda B wrote on August 21, 2012
Make them and they are delissssous…of course I did not just eat one. like a whole row..