Coconut Raspberry Goodness

Recently I picked up Dreena Burton's cookbook The Everyday Vegan and knew the first thing I had to make was her Coconut Raspberry Squares. Who would have guessed that coconut and raspberry flavors would be so good together? Dreena, apparently. This delicious sweet treat reminds me of something a Southern grandma would make, or Paula Deen. The recipe says to use 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam as the filling, but I didn't measure, just slathered it on there. Next time I will use more jam, probably more like 2/3 of a cup. I really like the gooey wet texture of the jam along side the cookie-like texture of the bottom layer of the bars. By the way, I used Trader Joe's Organic Raspberry Jam, and damn if it isn't the best jam I've ever tasted. I can't put my finger on why it is so good, it just is. Also, I left out the coconut extract (I didn't have any) and increased the vanilla extract amount from 1/4 teaspoon to a full teaspoon. Lets just say this recipe barely made it long enough to be photographed. That may be an exaggeration, but not by much.

I wonder if I'll fit into my bikini this year?