Apricot Squares

A nut free treat that's perfect for school lunch boxes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups dried apricots

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  

• ​1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  

• 1 Tbsp rice malt syrup OR maple syrup

• ​1 Tbsp coconut oil
  

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  

• 1/4 cup desiccated coconut, extra

DIRECTIONS

1. 
   

   1. Place the sunflower seeds into a food processor and process until finely ground.
      

   2. Add the apricots and 1/4 cup desiccated coconut and process on medium speed until well mixed.

   3. Add the remaining ingredients except for the extra coconut and process until well mixed and clumpy, like dough.

   4. Line a cake loaf tin in baking paper (20cm x 8cm) and spoon in the apricot mixture, pressing it firmly into the corners so it is well packed and flat. Freeze for 30 minutes.

   5. Once firm, remove from the loaf tin and cut into three long, thick rectangular logs.

   6. Lightly dust a dinner plate with the remaining coconut and roll the logs into the coconut so that it sticks to the outside.

   7. Cut the logs into squares to serve. Freeze or refrigerate.

RAW TIP: To change the colour, add 1 tsp beetroot powder for pink or 1/2 cup baby spinach for green. You can't taste it!

This recipe is featured in The Raw Food Girl's Sweets & Treats eBook, along with 50 others nutritiously raw snacks.

A word from The Raw Food Girl

I’ve used this recipe too many times to keep track of. A nut-free version of this was pretty much a necessity, since this is the recipe I use when teaching the ‘Healthy Kids Raw Food Workshop’. Or whenever I go into primary schools to teach… The kids honestly don’t notice the difference. When making these to eat at home, I use almonds in place of the sunflower seeds. Almonds also contain extra calcium, and seeing as I don’t drink milk, a few extra almonds in my day certainly won’t hurt… :)