Two Minute Turtles ~ a Raw and Vegan Recipe for Kids!

Ingredients

• 1 batch hard chocolate shell ($2.00)
• 40 whole pecans or almonds ($1.00)
• 10 dates, (chopped ($2.00)

These very simple turtles, from my Spring eBook (available over to the side there), take just a few minutes to make. Maybe they take more than two minutes under some circumstances, but they’ll go together quickly in any kitchen.

To start, make the hard chocolate shell.

For each turtle set out four pecans or almonds radiating outward as “turtle legs.” Put a chopped date at the center, squishing just a bit to make it all stick together.

Put a small spoon of the hard chocolate shell on the back of each one. Lay on a saran wrap or parchment lined plate. Then, cover the top of the turtle with a bit of the hard chocolate shell.

What should you do if you use too much chocolate and the turtles run together? Ha, that’s a trick question. There is no such thing as too much chocolate. Your plate is too small.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons cacao powder ($.80)
• 4 tablespoons coconut palm crystals sugar, powdered ($.80)
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted until liquid ($.40)

This is the basic hard and crackly chocolate shell that can go on ice cream in cones, or dipped strawberries, or banana splits, or can be allowed to harden in quarter inch thick sheets and cut into chocolate chunks. It’s extremely versatile.

But, this has to be hard and crunchy, so agave or similar sweeteners that are wet just won’t work. A dry sugar is absolutely necessary.

Regular sugar could be used, though it’s not raw. I’ve always used something called coconut palm crystals sugar. It claims to be raw, or rawish. It’s definitely less refined than regular sugar. It’s available online at health food stores and raw food supply shops.

This has to then be powdered, which is easily done in a blender. A bullet type blender is best, but any will work. Just whir up the sugar until it’s powdered. This comes in handy for any chocolate making.

The next three recipes are basically ways to utilize this hard chocolate shell so the instructions are minimal. They are all very simple and easy recipes and make luscious treats that go together in just minutes.