Raw Mint Patties.

Clearly I’m on a bit of a raw vegan mint chocolate binge. But hey, when you’re on a good thing…

And this is frigging awesome.

All you need is a food processor and a butt load of will power not to eat it all.

Speaking of awesome, the weather here has just been unreal. I love this time of year. Along with the improvement in the weather, people’s moods are also on the up and up. I love it!

I’m just a little bit in love with life at the moment. I’ve been spending most of my time working on uni out in this delicious sunshine. What’s not to love?!

This weather also makes me so much more social and willing to get out and do things. Running of an evening is pure bliss – it’s also perfect weather for a nice crisp rosè or pale ale on the balcony.

I’m running in the Huskisson Running Festival this weekend too, I’ve dragged Lisey into it too! Yahoo! :) Along with my cousins Mark and Ant – it should be an awesome weekend. Especially if this weather sticks around. I would LOVE to go sub 20 minutes for the 5K on Sunday but I’m not sure if I’m there yet. I’ve still got a couple of Euro kilos to lose – and making stuff like this really isn’t helping the cause…

We are also going to cheer Lizzie on and watch her smash the half marathon! Lisey – you’re in charge of the pom poms, I’ve got my cheering voice ready.

I also got out on my first real road ride with Goodley this week. SO much fun, I have so much to learn though! After my stack on Sunday, I am now sporting a nice bruise on my butt. Luckily Goodley gave me a bit of a tutorial on how to clip in and out properly – fingers crossed I don’t axe myself again. Although, I’m pretty sure the people who were in the car when I did it found it entertaining!

I just used regular dates for the base and saved the juicy medjools for the chocolate topping.

Serve this guy straight out of the fridge with some fresh berries. Delicious!

Excuse the lousy pictures – definitely line your tin/tray with baking paper. I didn’t and it proved a little difficult to remove this guy… but it still tastes bloody awesome.

The bits and pieces

Base:

2/3 C almonds

1/2 C hazelnuts

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp coconut oil

10 dates, pitted

1/3 C boiling water

Mint Cream:

1 2/3 C shredded coconut

2 tsp peppermint essence

1/3 C almond milk (I used sweetened this time)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Topping:

6-7 Medjool dates, pitted

1 C cocoa powder

3-6 tbsp almond milk (start with 3 and just keep adding until you have a nice smooth paste)

For the base, pop nuts in food processor and process on high for about 5 minutes until a fine meal is formed. Add in remaining ingredients and process on high for 5-10 minutes depending on your processors muscles! You might need to scrape the sides down every so often. You want it to form a sticky paste.

Remove from processor and using a spoon spread it out evenly into a small round cake tin/tart case. Pop into the fridge while you make the mint cream filling.

For the mint cream, quickly give your food processor a wash and dry. Add all ingredients and process on high for about 10 minutes until you have a smooth paste. Again, stop every so often and scrape down the sides.

Mint cream!

Grab your base from the fridge and spoon cream filling on top of prepared base. Pop back in the fridge while you make the chocolate topping.

For the chocolate layer, give your processor another bath and dry.

Add medjool dates, cocoa and start with 3 tbsp almond milk. Process on high and add more almond milk as needed. You want a smooth paste to form – but not too thick. It needs to be easily spread on top of the other layers.

Remove tin from fridge and spoon an even layer of the chocolate layer on to mint layer.

Try not to eat it all first.

Pop it back in the fridge for about 20 minutes before serving.

I will not be held responsible for what happens to you when you taste this.

Enjoy!

Brickie.

xx