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Apricot Coconut Slice – the real food way!

August 23, 2013 · 51 Comments

 

apricot coconut slice

 

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

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

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.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

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?

 

Kids-VitalVegePower

product03_ingredients

 Get Vital Veggie Power from my affiliate shop here.

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Filed In: FOOD / Tagged: apricot, apricot coconut bites, apricot coconut slice, bliss balls, coconut, egg-free, gluten-free, grain free, nut-free, thermomix, vegan

Comments

  1. Lauren Nelson says

    August 23, 2013 at 11:55 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 12:23 pm

      Yes! My GF daughter always checks them out, but we can never find any good ones – and they are ridiculously expensive.

      Reply
      • Wendy says

        August 22, 2014 at 12:00 pm

        my celiac mate just buys the Arnotts rice cookies as others so dear, he figures its easier to get these or make them

        Reply
  2. Amy says

    August 23, 2013 at 11:56 am

    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 🙁

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 12:22 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
    • Wendy says

      August 22, 2014 at 12:01 pm

      even the organic has nasties i’ve found, keep reading the labels

      Reply
      • Natural New Age Mum says

        August 22, 2014 at 12:06 pm

        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!

        Reply
  3. Robyn (Modern Day Missus) says

    August 23, 2013 at 12:04 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 12:21 pm

      oh you are the second person to have said that! LOL – here I was thinking it was just me 😀 😀

      Reply
  4. Jacinda says

    August 23, 2013 at 12:13 pm

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 12:22 pm

      Let me know what you think Jacinda!

      Reply
  5. Kirri White says

    August 23, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    Too easy Sonia! Adding to my pins of recipes to make this weekend.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      make the girls do it – too easy! 😉

      Reply
  6. Jedha says

    August 23, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 1:41 pm

      It is very easy and it just takes some thought or someone to tell you how! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Kellie says

    August 23, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    Can you leave out the vital veggie powder?

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 6:55 pm

      yes, no worries 🙂

      Reply
  8. Courtney says

    August 23, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    YUM!!! Will definitely be making these for the kids!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 6:55 pm

      let me know what you think Courtney 🙂 🙂

      Reply
  9. Nyssa Lehane says

    August 23, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    Sounds Delish, I just got new Vital Veggie stock in! Will have to give this a go!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      fantastic! It really is so great – you can put it in and on just about everything!

      Reply
  10. Monique says

    August 23, 2013 at 7:45 pm

    Do you think there is something else you could use instead of the orange? I can’t eat oranges unfortunately.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 10:34 pm

      lemon would be nice or just leave it out 🙂

      Reply
  11. Kristin says

    August 23, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    Love this! So simple and a great lunch box treat x

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      yep, finding nut free stuff is hard!

      Reply
  12. Sally says

    August 23, 2013 at 8:58 pm

    Were these made with the Turkish apricots? They’re the only ones I can find that are organic and sulphur free.

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 24, 2013 at 4:10 pm

      I am not sure if they are Turkish or not – they are organic, sulphur free from our co-op.

      Reply
  13. Alisha says

    August 23, 2013 at 9:19 pm

    Wish I liked apricots! So good for you but the only fruit I don’t like! Might sub with dates! 🙂

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      do you like dried peaches, pears, mangoes (omg mangoes!)

      Reply
  14. Brenda says

    August 23, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    A beautiful, simple, wholefood treat. The other stuff makes me so angry!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 23, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      doesn’t it ! 50% fruit? crazy town!

      Reply
  15. Author Bek Mugridge says

    August 24, 2013 at 7:30 am

    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

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 24, 2013 at 1:18 pm

      lazy – bliss balls take ages to roll ;P

      Reply
  16. Bec says

    August 24, 2013 at 8:08 am

    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?!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 24, 2013 at 1:18 pm

      no, they are organic without sulphur! 🙂 but more a dark orange/brown

      Reply
  17. Lorrie Murphy says

    August 24, 2013 at 7:04 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 24, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      of course ! just leave it out or just use water 🙂

      Reply
  18. Jodi says

    August 24, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    I didn’t have juice so used coconut cream -yum!

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 25, 2013 at 11:32 am

      Jodi – you are a genius!! mmmmm – need to make some more now!

      Reply
  19. The Wholefood Mama says

    August 25, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      August 25, 2013 at 11:32 pm

      thanks Nikki – hope the boys like them 🙂

      Reply
  20. Rebecca says

    November 3, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Natural New Age Mum says

      November 4, 2013 at 11:45 am

      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 🙂

      Reply
      • Dorothy says

        August 22, 2014 at 9:17 pm

        Hi where can I get the Vegi powder

        Reply
        • Natural New Age Mum says

          August 22, 2014 at 9:42 pm

          HI Dorothy – there is a blue link in the post for the vege powder 🙂

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