Matcha, coconut and peppermint bites

These were inspired partly by the matcha coconut bars at Itsu and partly by the wonderful Anna Sward’s new Protein Pow cookbook! I mixed it up a bit by making them layered, and adding a drop of peppermint to the top layer so it’s like a mini matcha mint bounty bar!

Ingredients (30 bites)

• 180g desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
• 2tbsp cashew butter
• 1tbsp coconut oil
• 1tbsp honey (more if, after tasting, you’d prefer it to be sweeter)
• 30g coconut flour
• 40g protein powder (I used 15g pea and 25g rice protein, both plain and unsweetened)
• 20g gluten free oats
• 1-2tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2tsp peppermint extract
• 1tsp matcha powder
• 20g greens powder (I used Mrs Green)
• Dark chocolate, melted, to coat (approx. 100g, depending on how big your cubes are)

Method

1. In a blender, mix all ingredients except the matcha, greens powder, peppermint and chocolate. Blend until you get sticky but mold-able dough (it shouldn’t stick to your hands too much).
2. Take out 1/3 of the dough and press down firmly on a piece of baking paper on a flat surface. Press the edges and to down until you end up with a flat rectangle. Place in the freezer (flat) to harden.
3. Add the matcha powder to the remaining dough before splitting in half across two bowls. To one half, add the greens powder and peppermint extract.
4. Take the white layer out of the freezer once hard to the touch. Press the light green (matcha) layer on top, again forming a rectangle. Place back in the freezer to harden, before repeating with the final, dark green (matcha, greens and peppermint) layer. Place back in freezer to harden slightly.
5. Melt chocolate over a bain-marie.
6. Take the coconut bar out of the freezer and, once defrosted slightly so you can cut through it, slice into cubes (or bars, if you prefer).
7. Dip cubes into the melted chocolate one at a time, covering all sides. Place on a sheet of baking paper and leave the chocolate to harden. Store in the fridge or freezer until eaten!