First and Foremost:
Happy 29th Birthday to my wonderful (so-happy-he-puts-up-with-my-craziness) hubby, Justin! You are THE best, I love you!
Now, for any of you who are sitting there right now asking yourself “naniam-a-what-what?!”… the Nanaimo Bar is a Canadian treat that originated from none other than Nanaimo, British Columbia in the 1950’s (thank you Wikipedia)!
It turns out that these bars were so freakin’ delicious that they gained popularity all over the country and have now become a dessert staple. If you go to any kind gathering… baby shower, retirement party, office get-together, or even wedding, you can bet there’s probably going to be a big platter of Nanaimo Bars there.
The traditional Nanaimo Bar recipe is very dessert-esque with it’s wafer crumb-based layer topped by a layer of custard, flavoured butter icing which is covered with melted chocolate made from chocolate squares (again, thank you Wikipedia). It’s decadent to say the least. It’s also a no-no for me with that dairy-rich butter icing and chocolate…
So, what’s a girl with a diary allergy to do?
Make my own of course!
I popped on over to pinterest (check out my amped up Pinterest page!) for some inspiration and came across these amazing Nanaimo Bars by DAMY Health. They looked so delicious and contained not a hint of dairy! Perfect!
I adapted the recipe and created my own Nanaimo concoction, then decided that individual Nanaimo Cups made in a muffin tin would add that extra special twist to this already delicious dessert!
By using only raw, whole, unrefined ingredients, these bars get an A+ in the nutritional density books! (Did I just say that? Holy crap I’m a nerd.) Although the Nanaimo Cups do contain a good amount of dietary fat, the fats are mainly unsaturated and definitely nourishing to the body. Also, these Nanaimo Cups ARE still a DESSERT treat, so moderation is key!
I actually couldn’t believe how well the Nanaimo Cups turned out when all was said and done. Chocolaty, rich, coconut bombs with a perfect, and I mean perfect, consistency. Soft, but not too soft, melt-in-your-mouth, seriously satisfying!
Have you ever tried a Nanaimo Bar? Have you made your own healthier version of this Canadian treat? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
- For the crust:
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup pitted dates
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cupraw cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- For the coconut cream layer:
- ¼ cup softened coconut oil
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- ¼ cup coconut cream(from a can of full-fat coconut milk, scoop out the cream)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- For the top chocolate layer:
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 100g 70% dark chocolate
- Prepare the crust by adding all crust ingredients to a food processor and blend until a dough-like consistency is reached.
- Place cupcake liners in each muffin tin cup and divide the crust mixture among the cups.
- Press down firmly in each cup.
- Clean your food processor and add in the coconut cream ingredients and process until smooth.
- Pour the cream evenly among all the muffin cups over the crust layer.
- In a small saucepan over low heat add the chocolate layer ingredients and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and pour evenly among the muffin cups to top the coconut cream layer.
- Using a knife, swirl the chocolate layer slightly with the coconut cream layer to make a pretty design (this step is optional but nice for look!).
- Add the muffin pan to the freezer and let set for 2-3 hours.
- Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from DAMY Health
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
Christal
Nutritionist in the Kitch
Ah! We used to sell Nanaimo bars where I used to work! I found myself snacking on the off cuts of the nanaimo off cuts when I was peckish… So good, but SO unhealthy! This however – I can dig! Wouldn’t mind having one of these when my body cries for something sweet 🙂 x
They are so good and these ones definitely hit the spot for those sweet cravings but the healthy fats keep them satisfying too!
YUMMMMM! These tasty cups would definitely satisfy my sweet tooth in a healthier way!
Ooo yes! They are seriously satisfying! Thanks Bethany!!
So do you have any substitutions if a person isn’t BIG on coconut in these Nanaimo cups? S. Morton
Hmmmm.. coconut is such a pivotal part of the recipe, I’m wondering if maybe you could use nut-butter instead!? Like almond or cashew butter in place of the coconut cream..
Looks amazing! Nanaimo bars are some of my favorite treats! Can’t wait to try to make them! Quick semi-related question, can you go on to use the rest of the coconut milk for another dish or will it have lost its sense of purpose without the cream?
Hey Lauren! I would actually use the rest of the coconut in a smoothie! 🙂