Chocolate Coconut Bars

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used dairy-free ones, but whatever you want will work.)

Directions:

Warm coconut oil until it is liquid. Place everything except the chocolate chips in a blender and blend on high until smooth. (This will take about 5 minutes or so).

Spread into a 9 x 5-inch plastic container. Freeze for about 15 minutes. While coconut mixture is freezing, melt chocolate chips. Spread melted chocolate over frozen coconut and place in the freezer again until chocolate is hardened. Pop out of container and chop into pieces. Consume. 🙂

Store leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe and photo submitted by Raia, Ladson, SC. Submit your recipe here!

Coconut, Cacao, Almond Butter Cups

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces organic cacao chips
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1 cup almonds or walnuts
• 1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cups almond butter, as needed

Directions:

Slowly melt cacao chips, oil, and butter. Add cacao, honey, salt, and vanilla, stirring vigorously to temper the mixture. Add nuts and coconut.

Place small candy cups on a sheet tray. You may use larger ones but won’t have as many. Pour in chocolate mixture to cover bottom. Place 1/4–1/2 teaspoon almond butter on top of chocolate mixture. Cover with remaining chocolate mixture. Freeze for 15 minutes or longer. Keep in cool place such as refrigerator.

Recipe and photo submitted by Cheryl, OKC, OK. Submit your recipe here!

Healthy Blueberry, Coconut Balls

Servings: 20–25 coconut balls
Preparation Time: 20–30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup or 5 soft Mejool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup or 5 figs, cut the stem and gently open like a flower
• 4 tablespoons organic unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 or 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup organic fresh or unthawed frozen wild blueberries
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded or flakes
• 3 or 4 tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil

Optional: Additional unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes to roll the balls in.

Directions:

Place all ingredients except blueberries, coconut oil, and flakes/shredded coconut in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you do not have a food processor, cut dates and figs into little pieces with a knife and mix together with the other ingredients.

Add blueberries and flakes/shredded coconut in a food processor and mix on low, just a little, until blended. Pour Virgin Coconut Oil and blend on low for another 10 seconds.

Remove from food processor and roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in extra shredded coconut if you desire.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before eating.

Sometimes when I do not have time, I just spread all the mixture 1/2 inch thick on a plate and cut into inch by inch pieces after refrigeration.

Enjoy!

Note: I created this recipe to decrease the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of the fruits in order to minimize insulin increase (GI) and to keep the carbohydrate intake low (GL).

• Dates: GI – 103; GL – 42.
• Figs: GI – 61; GL – 16. (Figs offer a better choice than dates.)
• Blueberries: GI – 40; GL – 3. Moreover, berries have the highest ORAC ratings per 100 grams among fruits for antioxidant level.

Recipe and photo submitted by Galina, Hudson, NH. Submit your recipe here!