No matter what crazy things are going on in life, when I enter my kitchen, it’s a haven of peace. It’s my sanctuary from the ‘storm’, whatever what is going on in the crazy world ‘out there’. It’s my heartfelt expression of culinary alchemy.

It brings me so much joy to see which ingredients want to dance together to create a recipe. Nothing is ever the same twice, most especially when I make no-bake sweet treats. It’s like a mystery that unfolds as I dance from one ingredient to the next.

Raw or no-bake treats have been something I’ve relished since the beginning of my conscious kitchen journey. I take great joy in knowing that each little morsel nourishes my mind, body and soul in some beneficial way.

The recipe that I am sharing today is enriched with the blissful properties of coconut, sweetened with dates. It’s naturally gluten-free, totally plant-based and incredibly delectable.

Like so many of my recipes, I first created this when catering for a group of beautiful souls on retreat. The response was priceless!

Please do check out the video I’ve made here and let’s do this together…

I do use creamed coconut in this recipe. Creamed Coconut (not to be confused with ‘coconut cream’) comes in a pure, solid, concentrated block that melts on heating. It is the unsweetened dehydrated fresh meat of a mature coconut, that has been ground into a semi-solid white cream. It solidifies at normal room temperature.

You can find it along with coconut milk in health food stores and it is often available in the world food section of a supermarket too.

If you have coconut butter, then that will work in exactly the same way. Read all about creamed coconut (and watch my short video) here: What is creamed coconut?

I hope that you enjoy this as much as we do here. If you love it, then you’ll go crazy for my latest book Angelicious.

It has two dessert sections (yes TWO) – one of which is entirely dedicated to the most delicious, no-bake, super healthy sweet treats.

Please do let me know how you get on with this recipe and feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Chocolate Covered Coconut Bliss Bars (vegan, gluten-free, no-bake) Yield: 12 bars Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes A delectable no-bake chocolate covered, coconut bliss bar, naturally sweetened with dates. Print Ingredients Main part 250g (2 cups) pitted dates

100g (1/2 cup) raw sunflower seeds

150g (1 3/4 cup) walnuts

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

75g creamed coconut grated (1/2 to 2/3 cup finely grated and loose) or coconut butter

50g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut Chocolate coconut topping 75ml (1/3 cup) coconut oil

50g creamed coconut or coconut butter (1/3 - 1/2 cup)

2 heaped tablespoons raw cacao powder or 2 tablespoons maple syrup Instructions Main part Soak the dates an hour ahead of time and then drain off the water. Grind the sunflower seeds to a 'meal' in a food processor (a 'meal' is more rustic than flour consistency). Add the walnuts, drained dates, cinnamon, vanilla and then blend in the food processor until everything has broken down BUT is still chunky (you don't want a pate). Finely grate the creamed coconut block and add to food processor along with desiccated coconut. Pulse the processor a few times to mix together. This should be very quick - remembering to keep it rustic (check out my video to see what I mean). The consistency should hold together when pressed with fingers. Line a container (approximate size: 22cm x 15cm/ 9in x 6in) with unbleached parchment paper and evenly compact the mixture into it. Press down firmly to ensure that everything holds together. Pop it into the fridge whilst you create the chocolate topping. Coconut Chocolate Topping Melt the coconut oil. Melt the creamed coconut block (or coconut butter) with the oil by placing them into a heatproof glass bowl/jug and placing that bowl into a small pan, with about an inch of water in it. Add the cacao powder. Add the lucuma powder. If you don't have lucuma powder, then just add an extra tablespoon of cacao powder. Add the maple syrup and mix together until there are no lumps. The gentle heat should have melted the coconut. Only a gentle heat is needed. Pour the coconut chocolate on top of the main part, making sure that everything spreads evenly. Pop into the fridge or freezer for half an hour (longer is fine if you want to go back to it later). When ready, slice up and serve and enjoy!

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