Apricot Coconut Slice – the real food way!
It really bugs me that the food in the health food aisle at the supermarket is quite often anything but healthy!
The kids asked me a few weeks ago if we could buy some “Apricot Coconut Slice” while we were shopping. I told them to check the ingredients. They were quickly put back on the shelf!
This is what was in them: Fruit (50%) (Apricots 42%, Coconut 8%), Sugar, Glucose Syrup (Derived from Corn), Vegetable Oil, Acidity Regulator (330), Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Thickener (406), Corn Starch, Natural Colour (160b), Natural Flavour, Preservative (220)
So, 50% fruit and 50% toxic cocktail. No thanks!
Then I got to thinking about apricot and coconut balls that we used to make at Christmas time when we were kids. Weren’t they yum? Unfortunately, most of those old-fashioned recipes used either condensed milk or milk powder, so I wasn’t overly keen on going down that road.
This recipe uses only real food. The addition of the orange helps bind the mix and offset the sweetness of the apricots. The Vital Veggie Power adds the health benefits of organic vegetables and fruit – the kids won’t have a clue!
Now, I am recommending you use organic apricots and coconut because regular dried fruit and coconut are often treated with sulphur dioxide (yep that’s number 220 listed above). Take a read of this blog post, to find out more about how to make sure your dried fruit is safe.
It’s so quick and easy that my kids have been whipping it up when they want a quick sweet treat – it’s pretty much a great substitute for lollies!
Apricot Coconut Slice
Vital stats: Gluten free, grain free, egg free, nut free, vegan
Okay, so this is what you need:
1 1/2 cups dried organic apricots
1 cup organic coconut (desiccated, shredded or flakes)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed organic orange juice
2 teaspoons Vital Veggie Power
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
extra organic desiccated coconut for rolling
Okay, so this is how you do it:
Whizz everything together in your thermomix (speed 9, 40 seconds) or food processor.
Spread the extra coconut onto some baking paper.
Roll the mixture into a log shape and then roll in coconut.
Refrigerate until firm and then cut into small rounds. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Notes:
You can also make these into bliss balls and roll in coconut or leave plain.
They make great snacks for road trips and lunchboxes!
Dried apricots are rich in iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, and potassium.
Have you found something in the health food aisle that wasn’t all that healthy?
Get Vital Veggie Power from my affiliate shop here.
Pretty much all the Gluten Free biscuits. Don’t know why they are in the health food aisle. . They are full of sugar and other crap. Should be moved to the biscuit aisle.
Yes! My GF daughter always checks them out, but we can never find any good ones – and they are ridiculously expensive.
my celiac mate just buys the Arnotts rice cookies as others so dear, he figures its easier to get these or make them
Can I ask where you get your organic dried fruit from? I can’t get any in the small town I live in (Central QLD) I was flat out finding organic shredded coconut in this town 🙁
HI Amy, you can get it from Woolworths (the one at Northside Plaza in Rockhampton has loads) or a health food shop or online. I recently joined a co-op so we have been getting them in bulk cheaply. 🙂
even the organic has nasties i’ve found, keep reading the labels
Yes, always read labels – the labelling laws are not very strict so it can be confusing. Always go by the ingredient list, not the marketing jive!
Spooky – I made a similar version for the hubby to take to work this week too after thinking the same thing about the ones in the supermarket!
Homemade beats store made any day of the week.
Robyn xx
oh you are the second person to have said that! LOL – here I was thinking it was just me 😀 😀
Yes most the food in the ‘health food’ aisle have shocking little nasties in them!
Agree with Robyn, nothing beats homemade 🙂
Thanks for the awesome recipe, going to try it out this coming week 🙂
Let me know what you think Jacinda!
Too easy Sonia! Adding to my pins of recipes to make this weekend.
make the girls do it – too easy! 😉
It always amazes me that even when people go down the health food isle they may pick up a “healthy” apricot and coconut slice without even looking at the label!
It’s also incredibly surprising how easy it is to make your own version of these quasi foods. I used to love baking for and with my kids when they were younger. They are 21 & 20 now so I don’t do too much baking or sweet treats these days. I might put these on the list of party treats though 🙂
It is very easy and it just takes some thought or someone to tell you how! 🙂
Can you leave out the vital veggie powder?
yes, no worries 🙂
YUM!!! Will definitely be making these for the kids!
let me know what you think Courtney 🙂 🙂
Sounds Delish, I just got new Vital Veggie stock in! Will have to give this a go!
fantastic! It really is so great – you can put it in and on just about everything!
Do you think there is something else you could use instead of the orange? I can’t eat oranges unfortunately.
lemon would be nice or just leave it out 🙂
Love this! So simple and a great lunch box treat x
yep, finding nut free stuff is hard!
Were these made with the Turkish apricots? They’re the only ones I can find that are organic and sulphur free.
I am not sure if they are Turkish or not – they are organic, sulphur free from our co-op.
Wish I liked apricots! So good for you but the only fruit I don’t like! Might sub with dates! 🙂
do you like dried peaches, pears, mangoes (omg mangoes!)
A beautiful, simple, wholefood treat. The other stuff makes me so angry!
doesn’t it ! 50% fruit? crazy town!
I know exactly what you mean!
I actually wish they would move all the GF stuff unless it actually IS healthy out of the health food sections, so much of it is full of sugar and crap! And people get confused because it is with the health foods, they trust the isle. I have even had family with good intentions buy my girls gf chips, sugar filled cereal and timtam looking things from the health food isle thinking they are doing the right thing, (we are not gluten intolerant – they just assume it must be healthy coming from that section)
I LOVE apricot and coconut together and apricot bliss balls – how clever to make a log! 😀 Xx
lazy – bliss balls take ages to roll ;P
The only organic dried apricots I’ve seen have been almost black due to lack of sulfur. My kuds wont eat them because of the colour lol. Yours are obviously still orange?!
no, they are organic without sulphur! 🙂 but more a dark orange/brown
Is there a way to make these without the orange, as I and some of my grankids are intolerant to orange. Would apple juice work.
Lorrie
of course ! just leave it out or just use water 🙂
I didn’t have juice so used coconut cream -yum!
Jodi – you are a genius!! mmmmm – need to make some more now!
Good on you Sonia for taking the time to come up with this recipe. My boys often ask for those apricot sickly sweet chemical laden coconut covered bites. I will definitely be giving your recipe a go it will be a good lunchbox addition. Thanks! x
thanks Nikki – hope the boys like them 🙂
Hi I don’t have the veggi powder but I have the other two.. Berry and Choc would either of these be ok for a substitute? Thanks
I would’t Rebecca as I reckon it would taste funny! the vital veggie is a sweet carroty/mango taste so it blends in…. I would just leave it out 🙂
Hi where can I get the Vegi powder
HI Dorothy – there is a blue link in the post for the vege powder 🙂