Summer is this: the feeling of having all the time in the world and the freedom to fill that time with anything and everything. When taking an afternoon nap is perfectly reasonable. When lounging under tree shade at the local park is an afternoon well spent. When you’re willing to transit two hours back to your hometown just to have dinner with a friend. When you can decide last minute to watch Inside Out (FYI, I cried). When you can attend Monday night backyard barbeques (the mosquito bites on my bum were worth it). When you can start your day with absolutely no plans and just let the road take you on an adventure. When three hour long famjam dimsum lunches are not a concern at all.
This is the light at the end of the tunnel.
Even when I was still taking my summer course, I spent every free moment with a friend, exploring the nooks and crannies of Vancouver we excitedly spoke about in the miserable winter months. Two months in and I am on a roll with crossing items off my bucket list. Whether it’s just spending an afternoon eating appies on a patio, taking a morning bike ride along the seawall, filming ridiculously funny slow-motion videos at our outdoor picnic reunion, laughing at the hidden jokes in Pitch Perfect 2, scurrying around the night market to get Disney princess socks, discovering a lovely seaside Thai restaurant, or getting stuck in a rainstorm, I’ve treasured every moment spent with my high school friends who have gone abroad for school.
Now that it’s officially summer, official because of the Summer Solstice and because final exams are over, we can charge through the rest of our bucket list activities. Just the other day, Chew and I took a short hike around the campus park, then took a random bus until we felt it was time to get off, ended up amidst a busker fest, then swiping clearance items from the craft store, and somehow in a cash-only Chinese mall to satisfy our craving for shaved ice, grabbing some pan fried rice rolls on our way out to save us from entering a sugar coma. Spontaneity was in our favour and we had a really productive day. The bright sky led us to believe it was only afternoon, when realistically it was already dinnertime. It was a really hot day and it was time to head indoors. On our way back, we took advantage of Whole Foods’ frozen sale and grabbed some ice cream sandwiches to go with our rice rolls as ‘dinner’.
I had no idea floral tape wasn’t sticky and somehow Chew found some super glue. The next two hours were spent getting super glue all over our skin in attempt to attach flowers, ‘arugula’ leaves, and tulle pom-poms to make flower crowns. While that dried, Chew squirted a lot of sriracha onto the rice rolls, hoping to prove that her sriracha was especially spicy, but it wasn’t… I ended up eating most of that while she extinguished the flame in her mouth with another ice cream sandwich. She only had half a drop though. As the sky darkened, we got comfortable on the sofa and watched The Other Woman. These are the great summer days.
The summer heat led to an early raspberry season. Summer is not complete without U-Pick. Becca and I coordinated our families’ visit to Krause Berry Farms; my family went to work and picked a years’ worth of raspberries. Another defining factor of the season is frozen desserts, of which my Vegan Nanaimo Bars are always in high demand. With 25 pounds of raspberries on hand, it didn’t hurt to throw a few into the season’s first batch of Nanaimo Bars. Nanaimo Bars originate from Vancouver Island, but the addition of local raspberries further amplifies the British Columbia-ness of this dessert.
The tang from the raspberries balances the sweetness and richness of the macadamia nut cream and chocolate ganache. I also love the pop of colour it gives to the bars. This raw vegan dessert is great for entertaining guests because it’s a large batch (a small square is very satisfying) and can be made in one food processor bowl. These bars are very freezer friendly; I often make a large batch for my family so they can have a square whenever they wish, or I make this in advance for a social gathering so I’m not scrambling the day of the event.
Any who, I hope you enjoy these Raw Vegan Raspberry Nanaimo Bars as much as my friends and family! Be prepared for more recipes utilizing fruit of the labour (literally) from U-Pick trips and more stories about accomplishing summer goals like hiking, aerial adventure, and road trips.
Leave a comment and let us know what is on your summer bucket list, besides making this recipe!
- "CREAM" LAYER
- 1 cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked in water overnight
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- CRUST
- ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted*
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted*
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1 tbsp water
- A pinch of salt
- Water, as needed
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- Scant ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup almond milk, slightly warm
- Line an 8-inch square pan with plastic wrap for easy removal.
- In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine all ingredients for the "Cream" layer and process until as smooth as possible. Transfer mixture to a separate bowl.
- Without cleaning out the food processor, make the crust next by pulsing the almonds and coconut until relatively fine. Add the cocoa powder and pulse until distributed. Add the dates and salt and process until the dates are finely chopped and the mixture is crumbly. Test the consistency of the mixture by pressing a small amount between two fingers; if it holds together, it's ready! If it's still crumbly, add water 1 tbsp at a time until it is sticky enough. Press the crust mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of prepared pan.
- Spread a thin layer of the macadamia "Cream" mixture over the crust, using a spatula to even out the surface. Sprinkle raspberries over the surface. Cover the raspberries with the remaining cream and place in the freezer while you make the final layer.
- Again, without cleaning out the food processor, add the cocoa powder and liquid sweetener and pulse to combine. Scrape down the sides before adding the coconut oil. With the motor running, slowly add in the coconut oil through the chute. The mixture will likely cease up, but don't worry! Once the coconut oil is incorporated, add the warmed milk in the same method: down the chute.
- Spread the Chocolate Ganache mixture over the top of the "Cream" Layer to complete the Nanaimo Bar. Freeze for a few hours until firm before cutting into squares/bars. Store in the freezer.
Slightly adapted from our Vegan Nanaimo Bars
Shut the front door! These look FANTASTIC! Nanaimo’s are seriously one of my favorite things evaaar! And then you added raspberries to freshen it up and summerfy it. I just can’t even right now. I need these NOW!
Whoop whoop! We’re so happy you love Nanaimo Bars like us, Meg!