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MY DARLING LEMON THYME

raw apricot, dark chocolate + coconut bites recipe, crazy news and your chance to win 1 of 5 copies of my book!

Last night I stayed up late, watching some crap on telly to stop me from checking my emails every two seconds. At around 11pm I gave up and went to bed, hoping the morning would bring the news I’d been hoping for. A little over an hour later I was awoken by Kye wanting a drink of water. As I grabbed his drink bottle from the fridge I had a quick check of my emails. Two minutes before, the email had come through. If it wasn’t pitch black and nearly 1am in the morning, I would have screamed the house down (no joke!). But I didn’t want to wake the kids. I briefly thought about just shutting down my phone, going back to bed and coming back to it in the morning… but really who could do that when they’d just been told they’d won the Reader’s Choice in the Best Original Recipes category of the Saveur Best Food Blog Awards?!!! 

With the disappointment of missing out on the big award at last years Kidspot awards fresh in my mind, I had been trying my hardest not to get my hopes up too much. Although deep down, who am I kidding, I wanted this so bad! I’m absolutely humbled, gob-smacked and extremely thankful to each and every one of you who took the time to vote and make this possible! I can’t thank you all enough. I’ll be attending the awards at the end of next month, in Las Vegas, USA as a result of this win (!!) and I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of meeting so many of my favourite blogger friends in person, including my pals Sarah, Ashlae, Molly, Laura, Emma, Izy, Jeanine, Beth (hopefully even more finalist too!). Also the biggest congrats to my girl Sarah B! I’m gutted she won’t be able to attend the awards, but stoked her manager (and my lovely friend), Samantha will be there to celebrate with me.

To celebrate all this amazing news, I’ve got 5 copies of my book to giveaway to some lucky New Zealand/Australian readers, thanks to my wonderful publisher Harper Collins. (Sorry international friends, I’ll hopefully be able to do a worldwide giveaway later in the year when it’s available in the States!). To be in the draw, simply leave a comment below telling me your favourite My Darling Lemon Thyme recipe (from the book or blog) and I’ll draw 5 names on Friday 18th April, using Random.org. I’ll accept anonymous entries, but please leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you’re a winner!

This competition has now closed. See the names of the five lucky winners in the comments below. Thanks to everyone who entered! xx

Also a special note for my NZ readers. We have a limited number of signed copies of my book available for those people who are unable to attend my Auckland or Raglan launch, which I will sign and post out when I’m in NZ next week. To pre-order these please ring Soul Shoes on 07-8258765 with your credit card details handy.

New Zealand book launch dates to remember:
*Auckland launch at Cook the Books in Grey Lynn, Thursday 24th April 6pm. For full details and instructions on how to purchase tickets please click here.
* Raglan book signing at The Herbal Dispensary, Saturday 26th April from 3-5pm. I will speak briefly at 3.30pm or feel free to just pop in and say hi and grab your signed copy! Click here for full details and to RSVP.

Raw apricot, dark chocolate + coconut bites
These little bites are the perfect no-guilt easter treat! Sweet, but not sickly so and full to the brim with nourishing ingredients. Do your best to try and find organic unsulfured apricots here. They aren’t lovely and orange like you may be used to, but the flavour is amazing and the less preservatives we eat the better, I say.
Makes about a dozen bites.


1 1/2 cups unsulfured dried apricots
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted if solid

raw chocolate
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted if solid
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa)
2 tablespoons pure maple or coconut syrup
pinch fine sea salt

Place apricots, coconut, zest and coconut oil into a small food processor and pulse until a rough paste forms. Shape mixture into balls/cookie shapes or do as I do by oiling a tablespoon measuring spoon and using this to shape the mixture into little mounds. Place ‘bites’ onto a tray and pop in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up.

Combine raw chocolate ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Remove bites from the freezer and one at a time, quickly dip half into the raw chocolate mixture. It will set instantly. Eat straight away or store in the fridge or freezer in a airtight container.

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158 Responses

  2. I think we were on the same page with the Easter candy today. 🙂 And a HUGE, well-deserved congrats on the blog win!

  7. Hey! So exciting!@ Congrates! My fav recipe would definitely have to be your buckwheat pancakes. Im a bit of a pancake addict, so to find a healthier alternative to my number one meal without all the nasties is a god send. Thank you so much. Jess x jess_scott18@hotmail.com

  11. Hi there! I have only just discovered you today but have heard rave reviews about your book from other foodies. Your raw apricot, dark choc and coconut bites look amazing!

  12. Congratulations on your win! And I feel like every new post you share becomes my new current recipe favourite 🙂 These balls look gorgeous.

  15. Have just found your website. Wow! what an amazing array of recipes. I love the apricot/choc/coconut bites and will be making them as soon as I get the apricots. May try them with dried figs or dates as I have them already. x
    jenr16@hotmail.com

  16. Your dark chocolate and cinnamon ice cream is what brought me here, and it's still the favorite in our house! Congratulations on the win, it's well deserved! 🙂

  19. Hi – my family loves the flourless lemon and rhubarb cake. Rhubarb recipes are few and far between (particularly cake ones) and it is so delicious! We also like the strawberry almond cakes too. kathej@hotmail.com

  20. I love your "roasted cauliflower, chickpea + quinoa salad with jalapeno lime dressing" recipe! It's hard to have the same salad all the time, and upon finding your recipe, I was able to relive the passion I have for salad 🙂 with protein, too! Congratulations on everything! -Grace-

  22. Yahoooo! A huge and very well deserved congratulations, Emma! I'm so happy for you! And these little treats, c'mon – just gorgeous! Jodi x

  27. Congratulation! I made your black bean + quinoa tacos with avocado, coriander + lime sauce and they were delicious. It was the first time I'd made tacos from scratch and I'm totally sold!

  28. Congrats! My favourites are the miso curry butternut squash one and my old winter standby, the creamy lentil soup. So good!

  29. Oh congratulations, lovely. I am so thrilled for you. Your recipes truly are divine, I have loved reading about your book & what lovelies are inside all over the web of late. The anzac cookies sound particularly delightful. But from your blog? I adore your grapefruit curd recipe. Curd for the win! So so so happy for you, YIPEE! You must have been buzzing, how did you ever get back to sleep!?!? & I'm sorry, but VEGAS? How cool is that?!
    Heidi xo

    1. Haha, I can't say it was an easy task to get back to sleep last night and I may have only snatched a few hours at best 😉
      Thanks love! xx

  31. Congratulations!!! That's awesome news. I made sure I voted! 🙂

    I looooove the dairy free cinnamon chocolate ice cream recipe! 🙂
    me {at} danellebourgeois.com

  32. How could I go past your Roast Pumpkin and Brown Rice Salad with Coriander Dressing? Its combines all the earthy ingredients that I love.

  35. My family loves your Roast Pumpkin Brown Rice Salad with Coriander Dressing. My favourite type of flavours all wrapped into one bowl of deliciousness.

  38. Hi Emma, am I allowed to say that I have yet to try one of your recipes :-0 BUT… I am so keen to try MANY of them? I am fairly new to this virtual space, but love your approach to eating and the beautiful work you put in to your recipes. Our pantry is a little empty at present, but once I'm stocked up, I'll be going nuts trying them out. Congratulations on the Saveur award, you absolutely deserve it!

  39. Congratulations, Emma! So well deserved – you must be so proud of the award and also of the beautiful space that you have created here. Such a fantastic achievement!
    PS These apricot bites look wicked 🙂

  42. Would love to win your book – as I have heard such amazing things about it – and we have (and will soon be again!) living in Rags! This recipe you posted today was the clincher for me – I love apricots, chocolate and coconut, so can't wait to try them out! Pick me (although if you don't, I will send in my pre-order to Soul Shoes and buy your book myself 🙂 l_allen11@hotmail.com

    1. Ah cool, are you coming along to The Herbal Dispensary on the 26th? You can buy copies of my book there too and I can sign it on the day xx

  43. I haven't made too many of your recipes, but the majority of them are on my list to try. Such imagination. My favourite one to date is your Homemade Pickled Ginger, just because it is the season to can, pickle and preserve, and this is a great one. Congratulations on your win! marine.kew@gmail.com

  49. Hello! I love your recipes Emma. My new favourite healthy dinner is your ginger roasted pumpkin + quinoa salad w/ mint, chilli + lime – it is divine! Can't pass on your rhubarb recipes either – rhubarb and ginger are a match made in heaven.

  52. Hi Emma

    Congratulations on a well-deserved win. I'm sure you are floating on air.

    Cheers

    Erica

  53. This is so exciting, Emma!! I'm so happy for you 🙂 What an amazing time you have launching your first cookbook AND winning the Saveur BFBAs. You are such an amazing, crazy-talented lady.

    Many hugs to you all the way from Finland,
    Sini

  56. Aw congratulations and what exciting news for you!!! Got to love the Black bean brownie which has been turned into a cake in our household. Even easier to make now we have a vitamix to wiz it up in 🙂 Feeling those good vibes as you head to the states. Keep on cooking. Arohunui Verity, Ada, Matai and David from ChCh Nz

  57. Brilliant Em, I just subbed the honey in my usual bliss ball recipe for coconut oil and maple syrup the other day and YUM! Well done on the win, enjoy Vegas baby! xxx

  58. BTW my fave so far MDLT recipe of yours is the tomato eggplant curry with chilli and lime it always floors whomever I make it for and they come begging for the recipe.

  60. Congratulations, you got my vote! I have so many recipes bookmarked to try, but one I have made and love is the lemongrass tofu with chilli kang kong – I ate bunches of kang kong like this, and this recipe converted me to tofu, no mean feat. rannaree@hotmail.com

  61. Oh Emm! Yes!!!!! Grace will be so excited when I tell her in the morning. What an achievement – a real dream come true, to take out an international comp, nay, THE international comp acknowledging the best in your field – 30,000 nominations Emm, and you are one of the handful to win a top award!!!!! Las Vegas!!!!!! Bask in the glory girl – you have earned it with your dedication and hard work, your passion and commitment, your love and your care, for food and for your family. And for sharing your gift with the world. We feel honoured to have shared in your journey Emm. This is your moment – lap it up. You have earned every second of it…long may it last!!! Love to the whānau xoxox Andre

  64. Hi, I'm new to your blog…these apricot balls look delicious! I look forward to exploring the rest of your recipes! (sarahcbishop@hotmail.com)

  67. Well, that's a really tough call! Have to say the spiced apricot, orange, quinoa muesli bars are fantastic – make them weekly and everyone loves them. Thanks Emma and congratulations from Christchurch. lesley.ryan8@hotmail.com

  70. These Raw Apricot and dark chocolate balls look amazing and a perfect treat for this time of year. Congrats on the readers choice award

  71. like many of the comments I have heaps of recipes that I love but one I keep coming back to is the chocolate coconut cupcakes soooo good! Any chance you might come to CHCH for your book tour?

  72. My all-time fav MDLT recipe is the gluten and dairy-free chocolate black bean brownie. I ate loads of this when I was breastfeeding my little girl who was dairy/soy/gluten intolerant. Filling, high in protein and chocolatety – a godsend! And HUGE congratulations on your win. I love seeing dreams come true

  73. Congratuations, much deserved!!

    Your mango curd is pure genius/heaven, although I have to say as a long time fan it's a little unfair to just ask us to narrow it down to one favourite! Love what you're doing 🙂

  75. Congratulations Emma! A well deserved win!! So hard to pick a favourite recipe from your blog/book… your pizza bases are a staple in our house, so are your blueberry muffins…. my son would say your spiced pumpkin brownies… hubby would say the crispy pancakes… I would have to vote your roasted almond pie crust because it blew my Dad away on Father's Day and it allowed me to make a yummy custard tart for my oldest son who misses out too much on treats due to allergies. Thank you Emma!! Have a wonderful time in the US!

  78. Congratulations what a fantastic achievement!
    We love the buckwheat pancakes in this house, make them at least once a week.
    I heard you on ABC radio yesterday, lovely interview 🙂 x

  84. Congratulations Emma! One of my favourite recipes of yours would have to be the Mulberry Lemon Yoghurt Tart! 🙂 Kate (sibbaldkate@hotmail.com)

  85. Your Afghans are my favorite. But more importantly your recipes always work and are inspirational. Looking forward to adding your book to my collection.

  89. HUGE congratulations!!! I'm going to make your apricot ball you have posted for Easter treat so this is going to be the recipe I'm picking to be my favourite. . My son has severe food allergies and Easter is the horrible time of year for kiddies with allergies. So one needs to get creative and he can eat these. Thanks. Love Leanne

  92. Hi. My favourite recipe is the pizzas! 🙂 Thanks, Teresa (teresamarieparker@gmail.com)

  94. I love your selection of gluten free recipes, particularly the tomato and eggplant curry with chilli and lime yum yum, especially good at the moment with all the cold weather we are having!

  95. My favourite recipes are many – gluten free, vegan etc. I love the chewy carob bites and would love a copy of your book. Congratulations! boultondj(@)gmail.com

  97. Whoop whoop!! Your flourless rhubarb & lemon cake is absolutely delicious – a favourite with from-the-garden ingredients.

  100. These look like perfect naughty/nice snacks 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful time in Las Vegas, certainly one of my favourite places in the States.
    Congratulations on your nomination and recognition by Saveur. You certainly deserve it.
    My favourite recipe would have to be your Dairy Free Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon Ice Cream. Two of my favourite flavours, and a perfect Easter treat 🙂

  101. I am a baker at heart, so anything to do with pastry will always get my vote …. I especially love the GF sweet pastry recipe in your book so that everyone can enjoy a yummy slice of delicious lemon curd pie which is my absolute favourite … yum yum! torisam@bigpond.com

  102. Don't have a favorite yet (newbie – just discovered you because of your award!!!), but this one looks pretty darned good! Going to make these little babies tonight! I'd love a chance to win a copy of your book!

  103. I have two favourite recipes, one is the carrot, apple and ginger muffins, the first GF muffins I made that really worked and tasted great, and the rice noodle and avocado salad recipe, which I made for lunch yesterday and enjoyed very much. I bought your cookbook last week- thank you for writing such a lovely book! It's demystified a type of cooking that I was interested in, but didn't know where to start. It's also very beautiful to browse through. I read through the introduction section last night and finally understood why it's worth bothering to have different flours! Since I already have a copy, I'd love to win a copy of your book so I can give it to my sister.

  105. Your lemon maple merigne is a good one, although you have so many lovely recipies. Congratulation, all your hard work is worth it – keep going hard!

  107. Congrats on the well-deserved blog win! (Although I didn't need Saveur to tell me you have the best original recipes – I voted!)
    My fave recipe is your Dahl Maharani from 2012 – delish! Especially coming into winter! 🙂 Chloe
    chloenotchole@gmail.com

  108. Hi! I love your blog and am so excited about your book! Congratulations. My favourite recipe is the lavender and orange broccoli with quinoa. YUM. What a delicious array of beautiful recipes though.. hard to really choose! My email is: missk-t@shiztastic.com

    1. Dunedin is always such a forward thinking city! Congratulations to Emma an award well deserved for all the tireless dedication.

  113. I'm addicted to your peanut brown rice patties, love them. My little boy and I are making these bites today as an Easter treat. Thanks for your fabulous recipes and congrats on your award – well deserved!

  114. Love your site! Raw apricot bites- yum, made them for gluten & dairy intolerant friends for Oscar's 9th birthday party, and all the Kids loved them! Congrats! Check my little biz initiative Facebook. Com/bbqskins. ..Paula

  116. Hi there! Love what you do and your recipes! We have food allergies so not all of the recipes suit but we love the rich chocolate slice. Would love to win a copy of your book! Thanks! jmmaher@xtra.co.nz

  122. I'm new to gluten and dairy free so your blog is helping me immensely, thank you and a big huge Congrats! My fav recipe to date is buckwheat pancakes with warm vanilla berries {gluten + dairy-free} nzlizandant@hotmail.com

  123. Congratulations!! I made these apricot bites today with my son and the whole family went silly for them (the flavours!). My favourite is your chocolate almond cake – so beautiful and fudge-like!

  127. Whooooohooooooooooo! That's such awesome news, well done! So happy for you. And very happy to have this recipe too – just in time for a trip to the shops too! xx

  129. CONGRATULATIONS EMMA! So excited for you and a well deserved award. I already have your lovely book and can't wait to keep cooking from it 🙂

  130. Well done Emma! I only discovered your blog last week after stumbling across your book at a store in Nelson. What amazing recipes! I've only tried a couple so far, but two batches of the chocolate chunk cookies from the blog later, my partner, myself and several work colleagues are hooked! I can't wait to try more. Thanks, Sarah – saharan29@hotmail.com

  133. ooooooh oooh I have loved your blog for years – first heard about it through eden kitchen! I turned to your blog and never looked back!
    MDLT Fav recipes…. Well first is definitely the raw carrot cake with coconut whipped cream!!! My partner LOVES this as his favourite cake is carrot. So delicious!!! He likes this one better than those his grandmother and mother used to make! That is saying something as his favourite memories are in his grandmothers kitchen as a child (YES!) There is always 2 or 3 frozen containers of the tadka Dahl in the freezer for weeknight curries. SO easy to make and so tasty and healthy!.
    Anyway, whether you pick me for a recipe book or not, just want to say congratulations as you have put a lot of years into this success and you certainly deserve it as your blog and the food you create is outstanding. It is time you were recognised!!!!! Well done you! GO KIWI!

    Katie khmmcgregor@hotmail.com

  134. Congratulations! You absolutely deserve the win!
    I'm stoked to have found so many other awesome blogs from checking out all the others that were nominated in all the different categories.
    My fave recipe from your website is your quinoa Anzac bikkies. I'm looking forward to whipping up a batch next week!
    sb85268 at hotmail . com

  135. Wow Emma. Congratulations! So proud and so not surprised. I just had a trawl through your recipes and found myself gasping at how truly delightful they all look (and are!!!). But I'm going with Mango Coconut Ice Cream – mostly because I'm craving my holiday in Thailand last week. A kiwi girl living it up in Vegas! Can't wait to hear more about that. Your humble attitude and kind nature shines through in all of your beautiful food – so I am totally stoked to see this award go to you. X P.S. Maybe we should get Vicki onto organising a Nourish contributers pow-wow!?! 😉 Well Done once again. Kate. x

    1. Thanks so much for your well wishes Kate! A Nourish catch up would be awesome!… or you could both just come out to Raglan for my launch on the 26th? 🙂 xx

  137. Thanks everyone for all your lovely comments! I've loved reading all yout favourite MDLT recipes! It seems most of you have a sweet tooth like me 😉
    The 5 lucky winners are : Steph Lowe, Amy Zhong, Katie (khmmcgregor@hotmail.com), Leah Blakes and Vertity Osborn Holland. Expect an email from me soon xx

  138. I just wanted to let you know I saw your book in Byron Bay today. I was impressed with your recipes and decided to check out your blog. So far, I am really impressed. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous food with us. I can see myself cooking most of these. Rebecca

  139. These were very yummy! I actually ran out of coconut oil for the chocolate (!) so I melted 1/4 a block of lint 85% chocolate and dipped then in that which worked well. Thanks

  140. Hi Emma, I'm so loving using your cookcook – and blog – thank you so much! Just want to comment on the chocolate date bliss balls which I make regularly – of course! Who wouldn't?! I've been tweaking as I go. My train of thought went from chocolate to chilli and from coconut to lime. So I'm experimenting with soaking the dried dates in lime juice and zest, then adding chilli to the mix. I'd appreciate your thoughts on how to get just the right chilli hit – like you would in chilli chocolate. Should I use chilli powder, flakes, or fresh. Flakes would need to be ground in a mortar I guess. What about cayenne? Is that a step too far? And if the mix is too wet, what would you add to firm it up? Thanks again for your great recipes – all the best with wherever your dreams take you! Ruth xx

    1. Hi Ruth,
      So stoked to hear you are loving the book and how inspring to see you tweek that bliss ball recipe 🙂 Re: your chilli question, I'd use chilli powder and maybe just start with 1/8 teaspoon, taste the mixture and then add more to taste. If the mix is too wet, I'd add a touch more coconut oil (sounds weird I know, but it sets hard in the fridge), maybe a touch more coconut or you could always add some ground almonds (almond meal), to soak up excess moisture. xx

  141. Congratulations Emma! My favorite recipe has to be the bliss balls recipe – although I don’t get to eat many as my hubbie & 3 year old love them too!

  142. Hi Emma, Your stunning, flourless, Rhubarb and Rosemary Cake is my current favourite. I have made it many times this summer and everyone loves it. Big congratulations on your well deserved win and thank you for everything you do to keep us all healthy and on track.

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