We can’t think of Valentine’s Day without thinking sweet treat. And what better way to show someone you care than whipping up a tasty raw treat for them! With a nutty, crumbly base, oozing caramel and melt in your mouth raw chocolate topping, our delicious Raw Snickers Cake is guaranteed to please. Plus, it contains mood-boosting cacao to help keep your seratonin (our happy hormone) levels sky high! What’s not to love? It’s perfect to enjoy after dinner, as a weekend treat all to yourself or during a cosy night in together.

This recipe makes one big 8” cake - enough to share (if you can keep it for long enough that is!).

Ingredients

Base:

• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup almonds
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (feel free to substitute with agave, coconut nectar or your favourite sweetener)
• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp almond butter

Caramel middle layer:

• 20 pitted deglet nour dates (medjool dates work well too for those with an extra sweet tooth)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• pinch of himalayan salt
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup peanuts

Raw chocolate topping:

• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp of Energise 
• 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

1. Put all of the ingredients for the base into a blender and blitz for a couple of minutes until blended but not too fine. Transfer this mixture into the base of a springform cake tin and pat down.
2. For the middle layer, add everything for the caramel (except the peanuts) to the blender and combine until smooth but not too runny. Once blended, throw in the peanuts then blend again lightly so that they get mixed in but stay nice and chunky.
3. Pour this mixture into the cake tin on top of your base layer and set aside.
4. Now for the raw cacao, add all the topping ingredients into a pan and stir over a gentle low heat until you have a runny consistency.
5. Pour the cacao topping evenly over the cake.
6. Pop into the freezer for 1 hour to set, then keep refrigerated until you want to tuck in.
7. Enjoy a slice of deliciousness and feel the love!

Not a peanut fan? Just swap these for your favourite nuts - pecans are great too for an extra caramel taste!

At LoveRaw, we love superfoods that can be easily integrated in our busy lives. The avocado is one of the richest and tastier ones: while most fruits are high in carbohydrates, avocados are a great source of fatty acids, good fats, as well as 20 different vitamins and minerals.
They are a source of nutrients for the brain, and can help you feel fuller for longer.

They also taste amazing and can be used in green smoothies, guacamole sauce, or just simply on their own.
And remember? You can also use avocados as an all-natural conditioning hair mask.

Sounds like the perfect food. But how difficult is it to pick the right avocado?
This is because avocados only ripen when off the tree: the chemicals that kickstart the mellowing process are only released once the fruits are picked from the plant, which then mature at the shop (or in your kitchen).

But no more waiting, and no more eating rock-solid avocados: here are 5 tips to make sure your avo will always be soft and succulent.

1. Look for the colour

Ripe avocados become darker, appearing either dark green or even black depending on the variety. Compare with the other ones available if you’re not sure what variety the ones you’re looking at are.

2. Give it a gentle touch (not a squeeze)

Apply gentle pressure to the skin to judge whether the inside flesh is soft. But don’t push too hard, as this may bruise it and cause the fruit to go bad.

3. Quickly ripen at home

If your avocados are too hard, put them into a brown paper bag.
Ripening fruit emits ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process itself. By keeping avocados in the fruit, you will accelerate the process in a metaphysical fashion.
How cool is nature?

4. Pair with apples

Add bananas or apples to the paper bag. These fruits emit high amounts of ethylene, and will make the process even faster.
Remember: the bananas and apples will ripen more quickly, too!

5. Once ripe, refrigerate

When avocados start to become soft to the touch, put them in the refrigerator to stop them from softening. This will keep them perfectly ripe for up to five days.

Bonus tip: if you only use half…

…it probably wasn’t that good! So make sure you have been following 1-5. But if you managed to resist half a ripe avocado, put the pit back in the hole, and gently cover the flesh with lemon juice. Wrap it in cling film if you can, and keep it in the fridge. It will stay bright green for almost 24 hours, and you will be able to eat it for at least another two days.

How do you like to use avocados? Leave a comment below with your secret tips and recipes!

Lots of (all-natural) love,

Team LoveRaw

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