Paleo Jersey caramels are gluten and dairy free and vegan. They easy to make perfect when you need a quick snack.
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Making healthy jersey caramels again reminded me of starting my first bubba on solids.
It was a big deal for me.
It's a big moment for any parent but for me, recovering super fussy eater, it was a very steep learning curve.
Like any parent, I only wanted to feed this little human the very best food that would nourish his little body and not cause it any harm.
Made from scratch not processed in a factory was the only food he was going to get.
I was bursting with excitement at the thought of being able to cook for him.
We started out with the basics of pureed fruit and vege.
But it's the big things I was really looking forward to and something that I thought we could venture on together as we both tried new foods.
Sugar was not something I wanted to introduce to his diet at all at least not in the refined, processed variety.
I used to be a MEGA sweet tooth and if you'd offered me something sweetened with dates like Paleo Jersey caramels, I would have turned my nose up at you.
These days, after years of adapting my taste buds, a bit of processed sugar is often enough to give me a headache.
Even for someone with a super sweet tooth though, these vegan jersey caramels will hit the spot.
They're incredibly easy to make and no rolling involved like making bliss balls (although if you ever want to skip the rolling, use this hack for 30 second bliss balls).
Dates are the key ingredient and are definitely one of my shopping list staples now for refined-sugar-free cooking and baking.
They are so versatile and so healthy.
The one thing they're not good in are photo shoots.
I took a few snaps and then decided they look like poop.
What do you think?
Maybe they just didn't go with the pink.
Variations
I made up a batch of these and kept them in the fridge for easy quick snacking.
They also made a great after dinner treat with a cup of tea.
10 minutes was all it took to make them and they were worth every second.
You could roll them into balls. It would make good lunch box treats for little people or the young at heart.
I think next time I might add a little cacao because everyone knows chocolate and coconut go well together right?
What about you? What's your favourite quick healthy snack?
"This recipe has been included by Twinkl among their top picks for Healthy Lite Bites for Quick Snacking"
Recipe
Paleo Jersey caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups desiccated coconut
- 12 medjool dates seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine.
- Line the base and sides of a loaf tin and press the mixture in, smoothing it out with a spoon.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours to set and then cut into squares.
- Store in the fridge.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Two teeth?? It seems like he was just born. Those teething days were sleepless for me. I hope he's doing well. I think your caramels look pretty good. :)
Claire says
Tell me about it! Lucky for us the nurofen got him through the night. The days were pretty horendous for the poor love but we're through for now!
Hotly Spiced says
Teeth! He does seem to be growing up very quickly. These week I've read about him starting solids and now teeth. I remember the first year of my children's lives going by very quickly - it was one milestone after another and the year just flew by xx
Claire says
It has been a very big two weeks, first cold, needles, first food and first teeth!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
You are so funny Claire. No, they do not look like poop. (Definitely not. I do remember making something a few years ago and having Scott tell me it looked like a pile of doggy doo-doo.) You are such a good mama starting out your little man with healthy treats like this.
Claire says
Haha Will opened the fridge to see some of my raw choc balls once and said they looked like poop too! I hope he can enjoy them soon!