Paleo chocolate-nut bars
This healthy, yet decadent treat is inspired by a recipe from Elana’s Pantry, New York Times best-selling author Elana Amsterdam’s website. A no-bake dessert with five simple ingredients layered thick for a perfectly divine summer sweet: rich, dark chocolate; wholesome dry-roasted nuts; raw cacao nibs; toasted coconut shavings; and homemade jam.
I love these bars, not only because they are insanely delicious, but also because they are a memory bite for me. The first time I actually had these bars was over my dear friend Kristen’s house. She had invited me and hubby over for what would be their farewell dinner. She and her husband Ahren were moving that next week to Arizona to begin a brand-new chapter in their lives. We spent hours sharing a pot-luck style meal, laughing, talking, and just doing life together. Kristen and I have very similar health journeys and approaches nourishing food, so we love being in each other’s company when food is involved. We get each other. Because of our dietary restrictions, neither Kristen nor I rarely get to enjoy desserts; so, when Kristen brought out these paleo chocolate bars after dinner, my heart skipped a few beats. This is true friendship. Between the four of us, we nearly devoured the two batches Kristen made, with chocolate-smudged fingers and lips to prove as evidence. It was a bittersweet evening. We left with our hearts and bellies full, but also with the ache of sadness of seeing our friends move across the country.
I still keep in touch with Kristen regularly, and whipping up a batch of these bars stirs up those precious memories with dear friends that make food that much more enjoyable – a memory bite.
Completely paleo, this recipe is as clean as desserts can get, with no grains and no added junk; the only added sweetness comes only from homemade jam. The original recipe calls for raspberry jam, but I opted for Neat Nick Preserves Strawberry Cherry Jam, since it’s the peak of strawberry season in here Maryland and Neat Nick Preserves uses the freshest, in-season fruit from local farms.
Blending the sweet, fresh jam with the roasted nuts forms a nice, thick base for these bars, which are then enrobed with luscious dark chocolate (I recommend using a chocolate that’s at least 60% cacao). Instead of using just almonds in the base, I love the combination of almonds, cashews, and walnuts, as each nut lends a unique texture and flavor. I sprinkled the top with toasted coconut shavings and raw cacao nibs for a crunchy explosion. For me, chocolate makes coconut taste more coconutty and coconut makes chocolate taste more chocolatey, so inevitably, they are divine pair.
There’s no baking involved with these treats, only a stove to melt the chocolate, which makes them perfect for summertime! All you need is a glass baking dish, a spatula, a food processor, a pot and/or a stove-top-safe bowl, and you’re minutes away from chocolatey goodness…okay, well a few hours if you count the time to chill the bars so the chocolate sets.
Paleo chocolate-nut bars
1 cup dry-roasted almonds
1 cup dry-roasted cashews
1 cup dry-roasted walnuts
½ cup Neat Nick Preserves Strawberry Cherry Jam
12 oz. dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. raw cacao nibs
1/3 cup unsweetened toasted coconut
In the bowl of a food processor, blend the nuts and jam. Pulse until a smooth paste forms. Spread out into an even layer in a glass baking dish. Set aside to chill in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate. Gently melt the chocolate over a stove in a pot or double-boiler, being careful not to over-heat the chocolate. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring it every 30-60 second to ensure the chocolate does not over-heat. Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the heat and pour into an even layer over the nut-jam base. Scatter the cacao nibs and toasted coconut on top of the chocolate and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and chill once more before serving.