Healthy Lemon Bars With Jam Topping
A creamy and delicious raw no bake dessert. Free of eggs, grains, gluten, dairy, and refined sugars. Its comforting to know that eating healthy can taste good too!This lemon raspberry slice recipe is so delicious with a crunchy base, smooth cashew, lemon filling and a berry chia jam on top - a very delicious dessert! Made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, these bars look as impressive as they taste, and you will love that they are naturally sweetened and start off with a simple date and nut “crust,” which is blended and then pressed into a pan. Cashews are the base for the creamy lemon filling. They are full of vitamins and minerals, and contain healthy fats,similar to those found in olive oil. For the topping, I made use of one of my favorite super foods: raspberries and chia seeds! These little seeds are full of fiber, protein, and are great source of omega-3s.I love chia and add them to whatever I can, like drinks, smoothies, puddings, oatmeal, cookies, and popsicles, to name a few. They are such a versatile ingredient and their super cool feature is that they absorb up to 10 times their weight in water. This means they make a good thickening agent, which is how I get mashed raspberries to become jam-like. This no bake recipe is easy to make and bursting with flavor, using good-for-you ingredients. The perfect portion-controlled treat for an any time healthy snack or dessert! Or any time you are craving a little something sweet.!Creamy and delicious, this recipe is sometimes called ‘cheesecake’ but this recipe is nothing like a regular cheesecake. Instead of using cream cheese and loads of sugar or condensed milk, this is made with cashews, coconut cream and flavoured with raspberries, lemon and vanilla. The cashews are soaked until they become plump and moist. They are then thrown in a blender with coconut cream to form the irresistible creamy filling. It makes me excited that such a beautiful and delicious creation can be made purely from natural ingredients.I love that you don’t have to use your oven, and they are just the right size to satisfy a sweet tooth without overindulging. Creamy, slightly tart, perfectly sweet, and 100% irresistible. Better than real cheesecake and the perfect healthy, simple dessert to feed a crowd (or just you).A cross between a cupcake and cheesecake and these bars make a delicious handheld, two-four bite, sweet treat for parties, brunch, pot lucks, family gatherings and are a real crowd pleaser. They are as cute as they are delicious. Perfectly tart with a bit of sweetness. The sweet and fruity raspberry topping is a nice contrast to the lemon filling too. They are stored in the fridge or the freezer, so it’s best to let them thaw a bit so that they are more creamy, less popsicle-y.They are sure to be a hit and you will be asked for the recipe. Or you can keep this beauty for yourself. Simply cut into small pieces and store them in the freezer to have on hand when you crave something sweet and delicious at night when you can relax for a moment and enjoy something yummy just for you.
Servings 16
Ingredients
Base Crust
- 1 cup almonds or walnuts
- 1 cup dates, soaked 30 minutes and drained
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Cashew Filling
- 2 cups cashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut cream, full fat (solid part only) *see note below
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2-3 lemons, juice and zest (depending on how lemon-ey you like it)
Raspberry Chia Jam Topping
- 2 cups raspberries (or any other berry), fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
Instructions
- I like to make the jam topping first to give the chia seeds time to gel with the raspberries, thicken and cool down.Jam Topping In a medium sized pot, add berries and honey and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn down the heat continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until the berry mixture thickens and most of the fruit is broken up.Stir through chia seeds and continue to simmer for a further 3-5 minutes until thick and the chia seeds swell.Pour jam into a small mixing bowl and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to cool and thicken while you make the base and lemon filling layer.
Base Crust
- Note: Place the can of coconut cream in the fridge or freezer for at least 1-2 hours before making these bars to allow coconut cream to separate.Line an 8 x 8” baking pan or dish with parchment paper on the bottom and sides leaving some overhanging to act as a handle to get the bars out easier for cutting. Or use a silicon baking pan.Place almonds and coconut into a food processer and process until broken down and crumbly. Add dates and vanilla and continue to process until mixture is sticky and well combined. Be careful not to over process as its nice to have texture variance and different sized “bits” in your lemon bar base.Press the base mixture into the bottom of your pan or dish evenly. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Lemon Cashew Filling
- Open chilled can and scoop out the cream that has separated and set hard on the top. Save the remaining coconut water to use in a smoothie, drink, or discard.Place all filling ingredients, cashews, coconut cream, coconut oil, honey and lemon juice and zest into the food processor and process until smooth and creamy.Depending on the power of your blender this might take a few minutes. Stop blending to scrape the sides if necessary and continue to blend until smooth. Taste test and add more honey or lemon if you think it needs it.Pour the filling over the chilled crust and spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then place back in the refrigerator.
Jam Topping
- Drop spoonful’s of chilled raspberry jam all over the filling and spread out evenly. Cover and place into the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until mixture has firmed.Once set, remove slice using the parchment paper handles and cut into 16 bars or more smaller squares.If the bars are frozen, thaw for 10-15 minutes before serving. Best eaten when cold, but creamy. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. Store leftover bars in the fridge for 4-5 days or in a sealed container in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.
If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites
