It’s nearly Valentine’s Day, which means pretty pink food at the Oat So Delicious household! Valentine’s is a bit of a marmite holiday, but whether you have someone to spend it with or not, a bit of self-love can never go wrong in my eyes! What better way to show self-love than make yourself a big batch of yummy raspberry, chocolate and coconut bars?

Self love has been on my mind a lot at the moment. The last month I’ve struggled a bit with managing my full time job in Digital PR and running this blog. I love both and am perfectly happy working on this blog in my evenings, but without a proper plan of action, I find myself stressing and rushing around to finish a blog post in time to hit publish. Rather than putting more time into my blog, I’ve actually decided I need to take time out and lessen my workload. For me, this means tech-free Thursdays – no social media post and no working on my blog once I’m home from work. As I work in front of a computer all day, it’s time for me to take a screen break at least one evening a week!

To make sure I’m still keeping on top of my blog/social media, I’ve created a spreadsheet documenting my monthly plan. This is where I input everything I’m going to work on that week (minus Thursday’s). Planning each day in advance means 1. I know exactly what I’m doing each night, 2. I can plan in what tasks need to be done for each post and 3. I can relax knowing if plans change I still have time to finish a post, and therefore I’m no longer rushing around. Whether this is editing photos, writing a blog post, developing a recipe or writing my next month of content ideas, I have the piece of mind that I’m keeping on top of my workload whilst also giving myself a break!

Raw desserts are some of my favourite recipes to make at the moment. Yes, they may take a little longer to create as you need to allow time for each layer to set, but the final outcome is so worth it! There’s nothing better than cutting into that first slice and seeing colourful layers and textures. Raw desserts are also one of the easiest ways to make a recipe gluten free, dairy free and vegan – that way everyone can have a slice!

I love experimenting with vibrant berries to create the most delicious recipes – the colour from these raspberries is so beautiful! When scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest, it’s always the vibrant and colourful recipes that catch my eye. Whether it’s layered desserts like these, beautiful smoothie bowls or fun rainbow cakes – you can’t go wrong with beautifully colourful food!

This time of year means frozen raspberries are my go-to ingredient when creating fruity recipes. I don’t know if it’s just around me, but it’s so hard to find fresh raspberries at the moment! Because of this, I’ve found a new love for the frozen variety. They don’t go off half as quickly as fresh berries and create a pretty texture contrast on top of my morning porridge. As long as the berries are completely thawed before using, they work just the same as fresh berries and perfect in this recipe!

These coconut and raspberry bars are;

Smooth and creamy
Deliciously fruity
Topped with a thick chocolate layer
Dusted with shredded coconut
Perfect for sharing (or eating all yourself)
Easy to make
and are the most moreish raw dessert I’ve ever made!

If you need any last minute Valentine’s gift ideas, don’t forget to check my latest blog post on gifts for gluten free foodies! Featuring yummy chocolate truffles, quirky gluten free books and fun DIY gifts. Even if you’re not looking to buy a V-Day present, they’re suitable all year round and going straight on my next birthday list (even if it is in September…)

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Base
35g cacao powder
150g medjool dates, de-stoned
50g pecans
75g whole almonds
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Raspberry Filling
125g frozen raspberries, thawed
60ml maple syrup
25g shredded coconut
150g cashew nuts, soaked  in water overnight*

Chocolate Topping
100g coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder
120ml maple syrup

Extras
25g shredded coconut

RECIPE

1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Start by adding the base ingredients to a food processor and blend until the nuts and dates have broken down. Pour the mixture into your baking tray and press down to create a solid base layer. Pop into the freezer whilst you make the other layers.
3. Add the filling ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a couple tbsp of almond milk to make the mixture smoother. Pour the raspberry mix on top of the base layer, making sure it’s as even as possible. Put the tray back in the freezer.
4. Lastly, add all the topping ingredients into a small pan and heat until the coconut oil is melted and everything is silky smooth. Pour on top of the raspberry layer until it fills all the corners then sprinkle over the extra shredded coconut.
5. Leave in the freezer to fully set (around 1-2 hours) then cut into squares.
6. Let it thaw slightly before eating. Store in the fridge.

Sophie x