Recipe: Raw Choc Mint Slice

This raw choc mint slice recipe is a super simple gluten and nut free creation that is a great lunch box addition or quick pick-me-up snack.

It contains no refined sugar, of course. Just the sweetness and goodness of dates. The seeds and quinoa puffs add protein. Coconut oil provides healthy fats. Cacao powder provides magnesium. Plus with a few drops of pure peppermint essential oil it may even help improve focus, energy, stomach aches and soothe digestive issues!

Keep in mind this is still a sweet treat due to it's sugar content. But atleast it isnt devoid of nutrients like many other sugary options.

Unfortunately the picture doesn't do it justice. I hope to update at some point!

Raw Choc Mint Slice Recipe

10 medjool dates - soaked for approx 5 minutes in hot water, then drained.

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup of quinoa puffs

1/4 cup of cacao powder

1 tsp real vanilla essence or extract

1/4 tsp of fine sea salt

2 T of coconut oil (melted)

2-3 drops of 100% pure peppermint essential oil

Soak your dates, then drain the water. Throw all the ingredients into a food processor, blend, press into a dish and you are done!

Here are a few tips:

• It keeps best in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

• If you find medjool dates too expensive, use regular dates, but since they are smaller you may want to add a few more. If not using medjool dates it is even more important to soak the dates until they are lovely and soft.

• If you don't have raw organic cacao powder, regular cocoa powder will do. I just love the added nutritional benefits of cacao powder.

• This can also be made into bliss balls. Roll into balls and then into shredded coconut or dust with cacao powder.

• If you don't like small crunchy bits you may want to blend the quinoa puffs and seeds first before adding the dates and other ingredients.

• I prefer to use the pure essential oil of peppermint in my baking due to the potential health benefits. It is super strong, so a little goes a long way. Very few essential oils are recommended for ingestion due to their quality, contamination or the fact they are not entirely 100% pure (despite what they say on the bottle). This is one of the reasons I choose doTERRA essential oils. You can of course just use peppermint oil flavouring from your supermarket.