Secret Ingredient Nanaimo Bars (gluten free, vegan)

I'm giving you ten seconds to guess what the filling is made of. I bet you'll never believe what the filling is made out of!

... it's lentils! 

These bars are so good and taste exactly as a Nanaimo bar should. You can barely make out the lentil taste and you would never be able to taste how healthy they are.

To test these out I gave it to a few a people and they couldn't even tell that the filling was made of lentils. If you have a sweeter tooth I would suggest adding 1/2 cup of maple syrup rather than just 1/3.

Secret Ingredient Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients

Base:

• 6 Medjool dates
• ¾ cups whole raw almonds
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup dry red lentils
• 1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp coconut flour

Topping: 

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 6 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

1. Place your  lentils and one cup of water into a small pot. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to then simmer. Stir occasionally for about 12 minutes until the lentils have become mushy and the water is almost completely absorbed. 
2. As the lentils are cooking you can prepare your base. Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add the dates, coconut, cocoa powder, coconut oil, salt, and cinnamon and process until the mixture comes together. The dough should stay together when pressed.
3. Line a 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper (you could also use a larger square pan if you want thinner bars). Put the base into the pan and press it down on the bottom evenly.
4. Wipe out the bowl of your food processor with a paper towel. Add the shredded coconut to the bowl and blend until it breaks down even more finely. Pour your cooked lentils, maple syrup, coconut oil, and coconut flour into the processor and blend for a few minutes, until the filling is smooth and creamy.
5. Pour the filling over the base and spread evenly. 
6. Put the pan into the fridge or freezer to harden.
7. For the topping, melt the coconut oil in a bowl and then stir in maple syrup and cocoa powder and everything is glossy and combined. Take your pan out of the fridge and pour the chocolate layer on top.
8. Place back in fridge to harden. 
9. Before serving, take out of the fridge for a few minutes so you can cut it easier

adapted from here