Raw Chia Lemon Bars!

Yum! So, I heard my co-workers talking about some German lemon-bar fruit cake thing, which I will not even try to spell, so I thought I would try to make a raw plant-based version! It's probably not even the same thing but you know.... Anyway, visually and texturally, it's definitely not the same, but the taste is pretty good! They're also not technically bars, it's more like a parfait, but you get the idea. And it's raw, vegan, uses no sugar or butter or egg or flour, and uses only natural sweeteners - so what more can I say?

Plus! I totally used chia seeds, mainly for their gelatinous qualities to resemble the lemony substance on the originals, and chia seeds are totally an awesome food. They are full of fiber and antioxidants. Basically, your free radicals are going to be shaking in their booties, or something like that.

I did not use my Vitamix, so if you're Vitamix-impaired (just like I was about a week ago), no worries.

Serves: 1 (or 2 if you split it up)

Crust

• 1 large date (no pit)
• 1/4 C pecans
• 1/8 C coconut flakes
• Pinch of sea salt

Pulse in food processor, or do the choppy dance until it's well mixed but still has some larger chunks. The choppy dance is when you sort of chop and mix all at the same time (careful to avoid your fingers).  Push in the bottom of a glass, like this one:

Filling

• 3 T chia seeds
• 1/3 C (or a little less) water
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2.5 T real maple syrup (like from Vermont)

Put all these ingredients in a food processor and pulse for a few times, until it's well combined, and the chia seeds start to create a gel. Add on top of your crust mix. Cover and chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes. Like this:

(Granted, at this point, you may be like.....whoa. I'm not eating that. It's totally scary the first time, but just know that the taste is great, and it's full of good stuff for your body).

Toppings:

After your chia mix has chilled, add toppings and enjoy. You can use whatever you like, but I wholeheartedly recommend berries, coconut flakes and lemon zest. Voila and enjoy!

Yum! Fruit flavored confetti in your mouth!