Coco’n’oat Balls

Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  
• 1 1/4 cups steel-cut oats, uncooked

Directions:

Stir together oil, cocoa, honey, almond butter, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add coconut and oats and mix until coated. Line cookie sheet with wax paper. Form mixture into tiny balls and place on wax paper. Freeze for a couple hours and enjoy!

This recipe is very forgiving. Add or subtract amounts to taste.

Option:
Instead of steel-cut oats, use 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats and eat straight from the bowl without freezing.
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Coconut, Pumpkin Granola

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup wheat germ, optional
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons flax seed (ground or whole)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
• 2/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 2/3 cup almonds (chopped or whole)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Bring oil, syrup, molasses, cinnamon, and water to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat.

Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour oil/maple syrup mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Coat 2 large cookie sheets with oil and divide granola mixture evenly. If you like granola clusters, gently form clumps from the mixture.

Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, stir, and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Recipe and photo submitted by Claudia, Shawnee, KS.

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Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Shortbread Protein Bars

Servings: serves 9–16
Preparation Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Shortbread Crust:

• 96 grams (1 cup) rolled oats (old-fashioned, gluten-free if you like), blended to a flour
• 48 grams (1 1/2 scoops) vanilla protein powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 105 grams (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) brown rice syrup, warmed
• 28 grams (2 tablespoons) coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon butter extract
• 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia extract

Peanut Butter Filling:

• 256 grams (1 cup) raw, natural peanut butter
• 189 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) honey
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia extract
• 96 grams (3 scoops) natural vanilla custard protein powder
• pinch of salt

Chocolate-Peanut Ganache:

• 4 ounces chocolate
• 32 grams (2 tablespoons) raw, natural peanut butter (no sugar, salt, or oil added)
• 20 drops stevia extract

Directions:

Shortbread Crust:

Line a square brownie pan with parchment paper both ways for easy removal later.

Mix together the blended oats, protein powder, and salt, then add in the brown rice syrup, coconut oil, and butter/hazelnut/stevia extracts. Stir until everything is incorporated and even. (You can use a hand mixer and a large bowl if you like.)

Press the mixture down into your brownie pan until every corner is even in height. This batter makes just enough to fit the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes or until firm and dry.

Peanut Butter Filling:

In a large bowl, add the peanut butter, honey, and stevia extract and stir. Add in the protein powder and pinch of salt and stir until combined. (You can use a hand mixer for this too.) It should look like a big, soft blob of peanut butter Play-Doh.

Press this onto the shortbread crust until even in height. I would suggest using a pastry roller if you have one, but I used a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes or until firm.

Chocolate-Peanut Ganache:

Break up the chocolate into pieces and melt.

Add the peanut butter and stir in until melted and incorporated.

Add the stevia extract five drops at a time, stirring after every 5 drops. (Too much at a time or too much in general will seize the chocolate.)

Pour the mixture over the peanut butter layer (if the chocolate is too hot, let it cool a little bit) and spread until even. Refrigerate until the chocolate has just barely hardened, then take it out and slice. (This allows the chocolate to slice in nice lines rather than break, which happened to me because I refrigerated it overnight and then sliced them.) Store in the refrigerator.

To serve, take out of the refrigerator to soften for 10 minutes. EAT!

Recipe and photo submitted by Jessica, AZ.

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