No-Bake Dark Chocolates with Toasted Almonds and Coconut Flakes

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup almond butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes, lightly toasted
• 1/8 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
• 1 tablespoon whole sugar

Directions:

Lightly toast the coconut flakes and allow to cool. Next, lightly toast the almond slices and allow to cool.

Mix and gently heat the coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, sugar, and cocoa powder over low heat until well combined. Be careful not to scorch the cocoa powder. Turn the heat off and stir in vanilla and salt. Then stir in the almond butter, toasted almond slices, and toasted coconut flakes.

When well mixed, taste the mixture to ensure it’s sweet and salty enough for your taste. Adjust by adding salt or honey if necessary and mix well to combine.

Spoon little mounds of the mixture onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or into candy molds) and place in the freezer to set. Store in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

Maxine from Los Angeles, California, won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipes and photos here.

Split Pea, Vegetable, and Chicken Sausage Soup

Servings: 6–8
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 10 cups homemade chicken broth*
• 2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
• 2 cups green split peas, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 2 teaspoons Himalayan Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups skinless, fully cooked chicken sausage, diced

Source ingredients that you know are pesticide free.

Recipe for homemade chicken broth here.

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and just beginning to brown, about 7–8 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another minute, stirring a few times.

Stir in the broth, potatoes, split peas, marjoram, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium. Cover pot and simmer for 60 minutes, or until the split peas are fully cooked.

Remove the bay leaf, stir in the Parmesan cheese, and remove from heat. Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor (then return soup to the pot).

Add the diced sausage and heat gently just to serving temperature. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed, before serving.

Stephanie from Sierra Madre, California, won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit your recipes and photos here.