Halvah energy slice

I had a vision of a pink marbled halvah for Valentine's Day.  The reality was that it was too smooth to be the sandy texture of halvah, the berries I want to use up were mostly starting to compost, I used too much beetroot powder, my little blender attachment wasn't up to marbling so it looked blotchy, it never firmed up in the fridge, and, to add insult to injury, my favourite macro lens died while I was making the slice.  However it tasted good and perhaps that is the important thing.

So instead of halvah I have a halvah energy slice.  I was pleased to use some of the yacon syrup I bought when recipe testing for Ricki's cookbook, Naturally Sweet and Gluten Free.  Which is where I found the recipe that inspired me this week.  For those who are not familiar with yacon syrup, it is an outrageously expensive healthy sweetner that tastes a bit like treacle.  The yacon syrup and coconut sugar was just enough sweetness for me, though possibly not enough for some.

Actually E and Sylvia weren't too impressed by my halvah energy slice.  Fortunately they both loved the heart shaped pancakes we had for breakfast this morning for Valentines Day.  (Recipe coming soon.)  I, on the other hand, have been enjoying the halvah. 

I am sending this slice to Healthy Vegan Fridays.

More healthy slices from Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Chocolate energy slice (v)
Chocolate lime energy slice (v)
Chocolate sunbutter energy slice (v)
Fruit, nut and tahini slice (v)
Jeanette's coconut date slice (gf, v) 
Pumpkin muesli slice (v)

Halvah energy slice
Adapted from Ricki Heller

3/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 tbsp yacon syrup or agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut sugar
pinch fine sea salt

1-2 tbsp chopped strawberries
1 tsp beetroot powder
1 tsp coconut sugar

Roughly blend tahini, ground almonds, sesame seeds, yacon syrup (or agave), sugar and sea salt in a food processor.  Take about 1/4 of tahini mixture and blend with berries, beetroot powder and sugar.  Press remainder of tahini mixture into 15cm square cake tin lined with clingfilm.  Add add blobs of the berry mixture on top.  Well actually it should be marbled through by pulsing the pink stuff through the main stuff a few times but I wasn't confident enough in my food processor.  Alternately roll into balls or press into moulds.  Keep in fridge.

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