One of the best parts about taking summer school classes is meeting and making new friends in a far more casual environment.  I recently met a wonderful girl named Ashlee, who would appear to have an impressive baking repertoire- which includes a raw chocolate recipe! She shared it with me on Tuesday morning, and I haven’t made it yet… but I shall soon…

(PS: Ashlee, if you are reading this and are able to make it before me, please take pics!)

Ashlee’s Raw Chocolate Balls

• 1 cup pitted dates (I’d probably recommend honey, barhi or medjool- Maggie)
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 6 tbsp cacao/carob powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

I subscribe to VegNews magazine, which I love for its wealth of information spanning the social, economic, and cultural impacts, issues, and influences of the vegan lifestyle. They also share recipes which look fantastic (both cooked and raw vegan).  This past month, they posted a recipe for basic raw energy bars, which I have been dying to make (I can’t seem to avoid eating all the dates I buy, though):

• 2 cups raw cashewa
• 2 cups pitted dates

1. Into a food processor, process cashews until well ground.  Add dates and process until the mixture begins to form a large mass.*
2. Line an 8 x 12″ baking dish with aluminum foil.  Press dough into it until evenly thick.  Refrigerate for approx. 30 minutes, or until dough is firm.
3. Cut into 12 bars and serve.  If not eating immediately, wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in the fridge or freezer.

*Customize your bars:

• Lemon or Lime: Add 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice + 2 tbsp lemon or lime zest after processing the dates; pulse a few times.
• Cherry Blossom: Add 1/3 cup cherries to the mixture when the dates are added.
• Fancy Apple: Add 1/3 cup dried apple rings + 2 tsp cinnamon to the mixture when the dates are added.
• Chocolate Explosion (mama mia!): Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder + 1/4 cup cacao nibs after incorporating the dates, and pulse a few times.

(Note: I found this photo on organicclimber.com, which you might want to check out.)