Looking for a vegan keto dessert? Of course you are! I was vegan when I started a ketogenic diet (all those years ago!), and even though I’m not vegan anymore, I still like to make recipes that are as accessible as possible – so, welcome, vegan and dairy-free friends! This recipe is for you.
When I lived in Canada, nanaimo bars were a BIG DEAL. I don’t know whether it’s because I have a ridiculous sweet tooth, or because Canada is just on point with their dessert game, but there’s something magical about these bars. Years later, I still crave those delicious (and sugary) treats, so I decided to create a version that was compliant with a keto and low carb lifestyle, while also being a delicious vegan treat for all to enjoy. Huzzah!
You can use Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts or cashews (if you’re less carb-conscious) for the filling. Macadamia nuts are the most delicious, but are pretty cost-prohibitive. I used Brazil nuts for this batch, and they still taste awesome! If you’re making this for a party and are willing to splurge, I would definitely recommend the macadamia nuts, though! They really add a level of richness to this.
Yeah, these guys are basically a fat bomb. A delicious, vegan keto fat bomb. So, without further introduction, I present… low carb vegan nanaimo bars!
Ingredients
-
For the Crust
- 1 cup pecans, ground
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup coconut manna/butter
-
For the Filling
- 1 cup Brazil/Macadamia/Cashew nuts, soaked overnight (or for a half hour in super hot water)
- 1/2 cup coconut manna/butter
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 10 drops liquid stevia
-
For the Glaze
- 1/4 cup unsweetened (or stevia sweetened) chocolate
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Method
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ground pecans, cocoa powder and softened coconut manna/butter. Mix until a dough forms.
- Press crust dough into an 8x8 baking dish.
- Chill crust for about 15 minutes.
- While crust is soaking, toss soaked nuts, coconut manna/butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract and liquid stevia into your blender or food processor and blend. Slowly add in the 1/4 of water and keep blending until the mixture is totally smooth. This took me about 3-5 minutes (with stopping to scrape down the sides).
- Pull crust from the fridge and smooth the filling over top as evenly as possible.
- Return to the fridge for another 45 minutes.
- Make the glaze by melting the chocolate and coconut oil over low heat, stirring well. Pour over the smoothed filling (it helps to smooth it once more once chilled), and swirl the dish until the glaze is evenly distributed.
- Chill for another 15 minutes, slice and enjoy! Store in the fridge.
