Berries | Coconut and Berries

We interrupt today’s scheduled post for chocolate! I had something else planned for today but then I made these and decided I had to post them straight away. Not that you shouldn’t be excited about my next post of course, but chocolate is always prioritized.

I’ve been baking up a storm in my kitchen recently (more on that to come soon…) and as much as I love doing so, admittedly I don’t feel my best after eating a ton of flour, even if it is wholegrain.

Avoiding flour and still enjoying a sweet treat is no problem at all though when raw desserts are so darn delicious!

I’ve made many a raw brownie in my time but almost always date and nut based ones. I thought I’d go down a different route this time and try and replicate a cooked brownie texture. It was certainly a fun experiment and a resounding success if I do say so myself! They turned out fudgy but with a slightly fluffy “crumb”. They are still very rich so to cut that I added a layer of berry cream using some mixed berries I had in my freezer from the summer, which took these over the top.

The secret to the texture is coconut flour! I know, I just said I didn’t want to use flour, but coconut flour is rather different. Being made from coconut it’s of course gluten and grain-free. It’s also very high in fibre and low in carboydrates.

Please do not try and sub homemade coconut flour in this recipe- it will not work! Store-bought coconut flour is defatted, unlike shredded coconut, and acts like a sponge soaking up liquid and giving these brownies their moist cakey texture. It’s widely available in health food stores, large supermarkets and online.

Raw Berry Cream Brownies:

(Adapted from Practically Raw Desserts)

Brownies:

1T Water
1/2t Vanilla extract
1/4C Maple syrup OR Agave nectar (I used 2T of each)
1/3C Unsweetened apple purée
1/3C Raw cacao powder
1/3C Coconut flour
1/3C Almond flour/blanched ground almonds
Pinch of salt

Berry Cream:

1/2C Mixed frozen berries, defrosted (You can use fresh if in season)
1/4C Cashews, soaked, rinsed and drained
1T Maple syrup
1t Lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2T Coconut oil, melted

Line a small baking tin or container with parchment paper to help you remove the brownies later on (I used a 5 1/2” by 3” container)

In a food processor combine water through to apple purée. In a separate bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the food processor and process again until fully incorporated. You will have a very thick mixture.

Spread the mixture into the prepared container and smooth out the top. Refrigerate.

For the berry cream, blend the first five ingredients. When smooth add the melted coconut oil and blend again.

Pour the berry cream on top of the brownie and refrigerate or freeze for a few hours. Use the parchment paper to remove from the container and cut into pieces.

Store in the fridge or freezer as the topping will melt if left at room temperature.

Makes 6

PRINT RECIPE HERE

I’m submitting this recipe to the weekly link parties, Raw Foods Thursdays and Healthy Vegan Fridays.

I’d like to try a raw vanilla cake with coconut flour too I think…

Have you used coconut flour before? Any must-try recipes to send my way?

Eating out as a vegan can have it’s challenges. Nothing that can’t be overcome with a little forethought and planning though.

Despite best intentions I found myself caught out when trying to get breakfast at a UK airport recently. My usual safe-bet is porridge since I know of at least a couple of mainstream coffee shop chains which will make it up with soy milk for you. Add a banana, and if you’ve been really prepared, a squeeze pack of nut butter or some trail mix and you’re good to go. But at this particular airport none of my usual porridge spots were to be found! I traipsed around surveying the options only to find porridge pre-made with dairy milk or oats mixed with dried milk ready for hot water to be added.

I’m being a little dramatic about my little adventure as after all I did have a snack bar and banana in my bag which I settled for instead. Not ideal but not exactly disastrous.

My airport wanderings weren’t entirely fruitless either, since on the way I picked up some inspiration for breakfasts to make-over at home, this parfait being one of them. Yogurt pots with fruit and granola seemed to be all the rage, again all unfortunately using dairy.

Still with more rhubarb to get through, I combined it with an assortment of berries from the freezer- blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, some coconut sugar to sweeten and a teeny dash of vanilla to make this beautiful compote. When warm it was divine over creamy oats, and the following day it had thickened it nicely and was turned into this parfait.

The compote was delicious layered up in a jar with soy yogurt and granola and eaten with a long spoon like an ice cream sundae! I took the easy option using store-bought granola and yogurt but have ambitions to make a variation of this with home-cultured almond yogurt and homemade granola. The choice is yours.

Rhubarb + Berry Compote, Yogurt + Granola Parfait:

Rhubarb Berry Compote

2 1/2 C Chopped Rhubarb, 1 inch pieces
1 1/2C Mixed Berries, frozen or fresh ( I used blackberries, raspberries + blueberries)
1/4C Coconut Sugar
1-2T Agave (optional)
Dash of vanilla extract

Combine chopped rhubarb and berries in a large pot and add coconut sugar and a couple of tablespoons water.
Simmer gently over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until rhubarb is very soft and berries collapsing.
Stir through vanilla and taste for sweetness. Add agave if necessary.
Leave to cool if making parfaits or serve immediately over hot porridge for breakfast or with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Makes enough for 4 parfaits

Putting it together

You will need (for 1 parfait): a mason jar or tall glass, 1C plain non-dairy yogurt, 1C rhubarb-berry compote, 1/3 C nutty granola.

Carefully pour half of the compote in the bottom of the jar, then half of your yogurt on top. Sprinkle over half of the granola (It sort of gets lost in the pictures but it’s delightful delving into the jar and finding the little crunchy gems). Repeat layers, reserving a little compote for the top.