These are the perfect no-bake bars that suit everyone’s sweet tooth in a heart-healthy way. And let me just add these bars are Gluten-Free, Vegan and have No sugar Added. #cheatclean
Now, let’s talk about why they’re called ‘Bliss Bars.’ Especially lately, we need to celebrate everything. You definitely don’t have to wait for a birthday, an anniversary, a bar mitzvah or a baby shower to break these out. All the moments and the things that make us happy are worthy of every day celebrations, especially during these times. And with the epic heat and fires raging around the west coast, my heart just needs a little pick-me-up. Maybe you can relate?
So, I got to work on this recipe because I wanted to create something festive to celebrate my brother and sister-in-law and their family coming to visit and needed a delicious way to use some of the last of the season’s lemons from our very prodigious tree. Can you say PUCKER UP? We are so blessed to have a tree that just keeps producing these amazing little flavor bombs – and so perfect for getting those much-needed antioxidants and mood boosters in.
To sum up the many benefits of these bars, they’re:
- No-Bake
- Easy to make
- Indulgent enough for dessert, and healthy enough to eat for breakfast
- You make the crust and the filling in your food processor, so not a lot of utensils to clean
- They’re full of fresh fruit and good fats, from both the crust and the filling, made of cashews
- Easy to freeze, so you always have something to grab later
- That crust is the BOMB…like, so good you might want to make more and just eat cookies made from it
- No eggs needed for the lemon curd. Again, this is so good you might want to just double the batch and keep some curd for later!
- Full of antioxidants, fiber, good fat and anti-inflammatory ingredients
- Could, very well, be a cake-takeover for your next party
I’m sure I could think of many more but that’s hopefully enough to have you try them. So here you go! Let me know if you do, would love to hear what you think.
No-Bake Blueberry ‘Cheesecake’ and Lemon Curd Bliss Bars
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST:
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecans
- 1/2 cup quick cook oats
- 2 tablespoons raw coconut oil (I love Garden of Life)
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR THE BLUEBERRY “CHEESECAKE” FILLING:
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in boiled water for 1 1/2 hours, then drained
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, washed with eatCleaner
- Juice from 1 whole lemon (wash lemons with eatCleaner before slicing)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup monkfruit sweetener
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- a few tablespoons water
FOR THE LEMON CURD:
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons corn starch (I use a non-GMO one)
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (for color)
DIREX
For the crust:
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Line the bottom of a 10×10 square pan with wax paper. Place the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until evenly processed and a fine crumb forms. You may need to stop and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula.
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Press the crust ingredients onto the wax paper and form an even layer. Refrigerate the crust while you’re preparing the filling.
For the blueberry cheesecake filling:
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Place all of the filling ingredients in the food processor and retain 1/4 cup of whole blueberries. Pulse until smooth and creamy, adding a tablespoon at a time of water if needed to get a creamy consistency. Add whole blueberries to the batter, then pour onto the firmed-up crust and refrigerate until set.
For the lemon curd:
