Raw Lemon Coconut Slice

Raw Vegan Lemon Coconut Slice

Okay so let’s begin with the story of how this lemon coconut slice recipe came about… There I was, lazing in the sunny patch of my room, reading my current favourite book of the moment (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, for anyone wondering), when suddenly – I was hit with a severe case of the munchies!

Now, these weren’t your average, ‘can be satisfied with anything’ munchies. These were the kind where your tastebuds and your brain collaborate and think up flavours that they’re craving and nothing else will hit the spot apart from that chosen combination! That day’s case of these specified munchies had me hankering for something quite sweet, yet fresh and tangy. And voila! Into my brain popped remembrance of the taste of lemon coconut slice, and BOOM – my body was on a mission to satisfy that want.

So this slice, dare I say it, totally outdoes it’s heavily processed, preservative-full counterparts that are common in today’s food world. This slice is deliciously moist, bursting with flavour and sets in mind the image of a tropical getaway where you’re lounging by the beach surrounded by fresh fruit sipping on a young coconut, what more could you want?!  

To sweeten the deal even more, this slice is like next level on the ridiculously healthy scale. It’s totally raw, vegan, refined-sugar free, made entirely of wholefoods AND I did something funky in the kitchen to attempt to make this dessert suitable for my not-so-tummy-friendly-with-nuts friends – so it’s nut free as well!

Base

·         ½ cup oats

·         ¼ cup buckinis (or same amount of oats)

·         ¾ cup dates, soaked in warm water for at least 15 minutes

·         ¾ cup coconut shreds

Lemon layer

·         1/3 cup melted coconut oil

·         ¼ cup rice malt syrup or maple syrup

·         Juice from 3 lemons

·         ½ cup coconut shreds

·         1-2 bananas

How to:

For the base - pulse the oats, buckinis and coconut in a food processor until they are fully mixed and become a flour-like texture. Next, drain the dates of the water, and add them to the mix. Process until it all sticks together in nice big clumps that are easily mouldable. Push this mix evenly into the base of a square cake pan and put in the fridge.

For the lemon layer - blend all the ingredients until silky smooth, adjust by adding more lemon juice to your taste if necessary. Once blended, pour this mix onto the chilled base and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Place in the freezer for an hour, then remove and leave to set in a fridge overnight.

The next day, remove and cut into slices! Then nom nom nom to your hearts desire.

I hope you guys all enjoy this slice as much as my friends, family and I did! Here’s to imaginary tropical getaways in the middle of a Sydney winter, all made possible by a bit of homemade deliciousness! 

Samara xx