Raw Date and Coconut Bars

Makes: 12 Prep: 30min No cooking Ingredients: 400g medjool dates, halved and stoned 60g unblanched almonds 60g cashew nut pieces 35g chia seeds 2tbsp maca (powdered superfood) 2 tsp vanilla extract 20g desiccated coconut 55g unblanched hazelnuts, very roughly chopped 25g pecan nuts, broken in half Per bar: 225 kcal 11g fat 2g sat fat 31g carbs 24g sugars 5.4g fibre 4g protein Method Add dates, almonds, and cashew pieces to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the chia seeds, maca and vanilla extract, and process until the mixture binds together in a rough ball. Tear off two sheets of non-stick baking paper, put one on the work surface and sprinkle with half the coconut. Put the date ball on top then press into a roughly shaped rectangle with your fingertips. Cover with the second sheet of paper and roll out to a 30 x 20cm rectangle. Lift off the top piece of paper, sprinkle with the remaining coconut, the hazelnuts and pecan nuts, then re-cover with the paper and briefly roll with a rolling pin to press the nuts into the date mixture. Loosen the top paper, then transfer the date mixture, still on the base paper, to ta tray and chill for 3 hours or overnight, until firm. Remove top paper, cut the date mixture into 12 pieces, peel off the base paper then pack into a plastic container, layering with pieces of baking paper to keep them separate. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.