Chocolate Dipped Coco-nutty Macaroons

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I was craving something sweet and this totally hit the spot.   So easy to make - aka no oven required :) and they really truly are good for you.   They're made of good fats, all the great powers of pure unsweetened cocoa powder, and for those of you who are keto, LCHF, paleo, grain-free, gluten-free or bulletproof, this recipe has you covered, and besides all that, they're delish!

Here's the Recipe - 

For the Macaroon part: 

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup nuts (I used a combo of pecans and almonds, but you can use whatever you like or have on hand)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon stevia
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Put it all together in a food processor just until combined.  Use your hands to shape in rough balls about 1 tablespoon in size then put them in the freezer to firm them up a bit while you make the chocolate. 

Chocolate Topping

(FYI - you could just melt some good quality dark chocolate and dip them in that, but I wanted a lower sugar option, which is why I used stevia instead)

  • 3 teaspoons stevia
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Put the ingredients above in the food processor (after you cleaned it from making the cookie part) and whirl.   This chocolate dipping is not very sweet, so you can always add more stevia if you feel it needs it. 

Then remove your chilled macaroons from the fridge, dip each cookie into the chocolate sauce and you can garish with a sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt, or a bit of coconut then put them back in the fridge to firm them up again.   Makes about 10 bite sized cookies.  Keep them stored in the fridge and take them out a couple minutes before serving so that they soften up a little before eating. 

Enjoy!

xx

Katherine  

Chocolate Avocado Protein Shake

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Chocolate Protein Shake.png

I'm pretty much all about this protein shake.    Don't let the avocado scare you off, it doesn't taste avocadoy at all, it just adds good healthy fat and fiber and gives it a nice and creamy texture.  It's really easy to whip up, super healthy, packed with protein and healthy fat and it also satisfies my sweet tooth :).  The key is that it's made with healthy real food, aka no chemically tasting artificial  protein powder here, the protein comes from hydrolyzed collagen which has a ton of health benefits (here is a great article about the benefits of collagen and how to incorporate more of it into your diet).  

Chocolate Avocado Protein Shake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 hass avocado
  • 2 tablespoons hydrolyzed collagen (psst....you can buy it on Amazon) 
  • 1 cup maple water 
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon stevia (use a bit more if you like it sweeter)

Toss all the ingredients into a blender and you're done!  You can also top your shake with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sprig of mint just for a little extra flair. 

For those of you counting macros it breaks down to - 

  • 200 calories
  • 15g Protein
  • 13g carbs (but only 4 net carbs!)
  • 13g fat

Enjoy!

xx

Katherine

 

Zucchini Basil Fritters

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Fritters are one of my favorite things to make with all the lovely zucchinis we pick up at the farmers market.  They're so simple, very easily made gluten free/grain free/LCHF/Paleo, and the flavors can be switched up by adjusting the recipe with a couple tweaks.

Here's how to make them - 

  • 1 large zucchini (I used one that was about the length of my forearm)
  • large handful of chopped fresh basil
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 3 TBS of coconut oil for cooking - approximate
  • 1 large Egg - lightly beaten 
  • 1/4 c of coconut flour
  • Pepper to taste

Start by shredding the zucchini either with a hand grater or with the attachment on your food processor.  Put the shredded zucchini in a bowl and sprinkle with about a tablespoon of salt. The salt draws the water out of the zucchini  so this part is crucial to helping the fritters brown up nicely.  After about 10 minutes put the zucchini into a cheese cloth or a clean dry dish towel and wring out the zucchini (if you're particularly sensitive to salt you can gently rinse the zucchini in water before wringing it out).   

Mix together the basil, garlic, coconut flour, pepper and egg in a large separate bowl then add the zucchini.  MIx.   Heat the coconut oil on medium heat then using a 1/4 cup measure out the zucchini mixture and add to the pan.  Gently flatten with the 1/4 cup heaps with a spatula.  Cook until they're nicely browned on both sides then transfer to a plate with a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.  

Serve alongside your favorite alioli or they're also delish topped with a fresh tomato salsa. 

Enjoy!

xx Katherine