Vanilla & Toasted Coconut Bars (and food for traveling)

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup melted coconut cream concentrate
• 1/2 cup soft pitted medjool dates
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon vanilla stevia (to your taste)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from balancedplatter.com

Preparation

Step 1

Toast 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut at 350 degrees, stirring every few minutes until golden colored. Set aside.

To make the base:
Add to the food processor:
1/2 cup melted coconut cream concentrate (from Tropical Traditions)
NOTE: I think this coconut butter would also work, but I haven’t tested it yet.
1/2 cup soft pitted medjool dates
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon vanilla stevia (to your taste)

Puree. You may need a couple more tablespoons of water, depending on how dry your nut butter is. Add extra water slowly so your base doesn’t become thin. You want it to look like thick nut butter, as seen above.

Combine the shredded coconut and the base.

Using a flexible spatula (or your hands), press the mixture into a square dish lined with unbleached parchment paper.

Freeze for half an hour then cut into bars and store in the fridge.

Makes about 8 bars.

Mock-Peanut and Chocolate Chip variation:
Omit 1.5 cups of the shredded coconut and all of the sea salt.
Substitute SunButter for the almond butter.
Add 1 cup of salted roasted sunflower seeds and 1/4 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips.