Day 2 – Raw Food Snacks – Nut and Fruit Squares

It’s a common complaint of people new to the raw diet that they continuously feel hungry. (I’ve heard it today from my partner, Jason!) One solution to curbing appetite is getting enough healthy fats such as avocado, coconut, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. These fats decrease the risk of heart disease and some cancers, help build muscle, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol all while keeping bellies feeling full.

A few more fun facts about fat:

• Fat is a vital nutrient that supplies essential fatty acids for growth, vitamin absorption, healthy skin, and regulation of bodily functions.
• Fat takes longer to digest than some other foods keeping hunger at bay.
• Fat serves as energy sources for the body.

So I decided I needed to make some feel-full raw food snacks if this diet plan is going to survive 30 days, and the Nut and Fruit Square was born.

I’ve already made a few batches of these to try different combinations and blends of nuts and fruits. Here’s the basic recipe for you to experiment with – use what you have on hand and get creative with your own raw food snacks!

Nut and Fruit Squares
makes 8 

1 cup raw nuts
1/2 cup dried fruit
1 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp nut butter
3 Tbsp coconut oil

• Process dry ingredients in food processor until desired consistency. (I like mine still a bit crumbly.)
• Add in butter and oil. Pulse to combine until mixture sticks to itself when pressed.
• Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Firmly press nut mixture into pan using the back of a spoon.
• Top with additional nuts, chopped dried fruits, desiccated coconut, etc. and press firmly to adhere (optional).
• Place in the freezer 20-30 minutes to harden. Remove and cut into squares. Keep refrigerated until served.

Nut mixture pressed into loaf pan

Light bars pictured contain a blend of walnuts, cashews, and almonds with apricots, figs, and almond butter.
Dark bars contain a blend of walnuts, pecans, and almonds with pawpaws, mangoes, raw cacao powder, and macadamia butter. They’re topped with flax seeds and coconut and kick the other bar’s butt.