Superfoods 24/7 Cookbook + Minty Matcha Nanaimo Bars

Superfoods 24/7 Cookbook

​+ Minty Matcha Nanaimo Bars 

Jessica Nadel of the blog Cupcakes and Kale is a serious girl boss. She runs a beautifully designed blog and has put out not just one, but TWO cookbooks this year: her first, Greens 24/7 + her latest follow-up, Superfoods 24/7. I don't know how she found the time to do all that, keep her website going, stay consistent on social media AND run her organic bakery, Oh My Bakeshop and her restaurant Tuco's Tacos, in Ontario, Canada- she is SERIOUSLY rockin' it! 
Superfoods 24/7 is filled with over 100 creative, healthy, superfood-packed recipes from Jessica complimented with beautiful photography by my friend and Vegan Yack Attack blogger Jackie Sobon. This book keeps a focus, as you may have noticed in the name, on packing Jessica's Top 40 superfoods into regular, everyday recipes for you to enjoy. From on-the-go breakfasts to afternoon snacks an effortless dinners, this cookbook has something for everyone to enjoy. And if nutritional info is your jam, you're in luck - Jessica includes the nutritional breakdown for each recipe so you can stay on top of what you're taking in. Recipes I'm excited to try? The Coconut Kale Soup with Cashew Creme Fraiche, Sunflower Seed and Sprout Pad Thai, and Adzuki Bean Brownies! We made her Minty Matcha Nanaimo Bars and just had to share with you guys - they were SOO good! I have made several batched since. I love them! And they're perfect for sharing - you get about 20 small bars per batch. Scroll down for the recipe, and find a copy of Superfoods 24/7 for yourself here! 

INGREDIENTS
For the Base:
½ cup (50 g) walnuts
½ cup (85 g) almonds
1 cup (180 g) medjool dates
3 tablespoons cacao powder
¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
pinch of sea salt

For the Middle Layer: 
3 cups (225 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon pure mint extract
2 teaspoons matcha powder

For the Top Layer:
Easy Raw Maca Chocolate Bark:
½ cup (125 ml) melted coconut oil
¼ cup (60 ml) agave nectar
½ cup (65 g) cacao powder
2 tablespoons maca powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
(we just used about 1 cup of melted chocolate chips instead)

DIRECTIONS
For the Base:
Line an 8 x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking dish with parchment paper and set aisde. For the base, grind the walnuts and almonds in a food processor until the consistency of a coarse flour Add the remaining ingredients and process until broken down; when pinched between your thumb and forefinger the mixture should stick together. If not, add a tablespoon of water and try again. Transfer to the baking dish and press down firmly in an even layer. Place in the freezer.

For the Middle Layer: 
For the middle layer, wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Add the shredded coconut and process until it turns into coconut butter, about 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients and process to combine. Add this layer on top of the base layer and smooth out with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Return to the freezer. 

For the Top Layer:
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the coconut oil and agave in a bowl until completely mixed. Add the cacao powder, maca powder, and salt, whisking continuously until smooth. Work quickly as the mixture will start to solidify. OR alternatively you could do like we did and just melt about 1 cup of chocolate chips. Add this to the pan as the final layer, smoothing it out with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Return to the freezer for 20 minutes. 

Slice into 25 bars using a heated knife to cut through without breaking the chocolate layer. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to two weeks. If storing, in the freezer, remove 20 minutes before serving (10 minutes if storing in the refrigerator). Enjoy! 

print recipe

Credit line: Recipe from Superfoods 24/7: More than 100 Easy and Inspired Recipes to Enjoy the World’s Most Nutritious Foods at Every Meal, Every Day © Quantum Publishing, 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Cover photo by Jackie Sobon. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com