Garden Pea and Chive, Cashew, Coconut Pesto

Servings: makes approximately 10 ounces
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound snap or snow peas in shell
• 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese cut in chunks
• 1 small bunch of chives
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of salted water to boil in a small saucepan. Add peas. Bring back to boil and turn off heat. Let them sit in the hot water for a few minutes before draining.

Add the cashews and Parmesan to a food processor and process until coarsely ground. With a scissors, cut the chives into 1-inch pieces into the processing bowl. Now add the peas, coconut oil, olive oil, and salt. Process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Karen from Quincy, CA, just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here!

Coconut Bars

Servings: 10–12 (depending on how you cut them)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups nuts
• 20 pitted dates (You’ll find these in the dried fruit section of your grocery store.)
• 3/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
  
• 2–3 teaspoons coconut oil
  

Directions:

Place your nuts in a food processor and run it until you get a pretty fine texture. It’ll take about a minute. Add your dates, coconut, and 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil and pulse until combined. You want it to be a consistency that will stick together, so if you think you need more stickiness, add the 3rd teaspoon of coconut oil.

Dump the mixture out into an 8 x 8-inch pan and spread it out evenly. Place it in the fridge to harden up a little, then cut into bars or squares. Store in the fridge and enjoy as a nice healthy snack!

Recipe and photo submitted by Jenny, Bellefonte, PA. Submit your recipe here!

Coconut, Cranberry Granola

Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Serving size: 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup whole cane sugar
• 1/2 cup purified water
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup coconut chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt and mix coconut oil, butter, honey, sugar, water, and cinnamon in glass measuring cup.

Spread old-fashioned oats in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Pour in the liquid mixture of the coconut oil and other melted ingredients and stir until all the oats are saturated.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, uncovered. Remove from oven and flip over sections of the oats with spatula until all are overturned. Bake for another 15 minutes uncovered. Remove again, stir, and add a final 10 minutes in the oven until all are evenly lightly browned. (Total baking time is 45 minutes.)

Once cooled, add and mix in dried cranberries and coconut chips.

Serve plain, with milk (or coconut milk*), or serve as a topping to yogurt, ice cream, etc.

*For the freshest coconut milk, make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Recipe and photo submitted by Zsofie, Southfield, MI. Submit your recipe here!