dark chocolate coconut clusters

Most of my teenage years were spent working in a candy store and eating these… Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters ~vegan, gluten free~ A beautiful homemade holiday gift!

My sweet tooth kicked in the other day and I was craving coconut clusters big time!  Since I almost always have chocolate and coconut on hand, I whipped them up in minutes…seriously, minutes!  Two simple steps with two simple ingredients…melted dark chocolate mixed with shredded unsweetened coconut!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters ~vegan, gluten free~ A beautiful homemade holiday gift!

dark chocolate coconut clusters
 
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Makes 16 clusters
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 1 10 oz bag of dark chocolate chips (I used "Enjoy Life" brand)
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (I used "Let's Do...Organic" finely shredded unsweetened coconut)
Instructions
  1. Line a mini-muffin tin with cups, set aside.
  2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate.
  3. When fully melted, mix in coconut.
  4. Scoop into mini-muffin cups and top with extra coconut.
  5. Place in a cool place, allow chocolate to harden and enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters ~vegan, gluten free~ A beautiful homemade holiday gift!

These little festive cups make a delicious homemade holiday gift too!  

steel cut oats ~two ways~

Yup, another morning of snow…

Need a little warming up on these cold winter mornings?

Try a bowl of steel cut oats!

Two ways:

Cranberry Orange Flax 

my new favorite :)

Cranberry Orange Flax Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Coco Banana Cashew
Coco Banana Cashew Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Yes, steel cut oats take more time to cook than old-fashioned oats, and even more time than quick-cooking oats.   But…they are better for you and in my opinion, taste better too!  They are a bit chewier than regular oats and when dressed up with spices, nuts, fruit and maple syrup, they make for a perfect winter breakfast!

Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Steel Cut Oats

(for 4 servings)

4 cups water

1 cup steel cut oats

-Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

-Stir in oats, reduce heat to low.

-Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally for 25-30 minutes or until oats are tender.

Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Cranberry Orange Flax Oatmeal

~Add dried cranberries, orange zest, ground flax seeds, dash of cinnamon and drizzle with pure maple syrup~

Coco Banana Cashew Steel Cut Oats ~two ways~vegan/gluten free~

Coconut Cashew Banana Oatmeal

~Top with sliced bananas, cashews, toasted coconut, dash of cinnamon and drizzle with pure maple syrup~

(would taste great with cacao nibs too!)

Helpful Hint:  To make mornings flow a little faster, cook a batch of oats the night before, separate into small containers and heat when needed.

chocolate covered coconut cups ~vegan~

Better than a Mounds Bar…no joke.

chocolate covered coconut cups ~vegan, gluten free~

And, with out all the unhealthy ingredients!

Mounds Bar Ingredients:

CORN SYRUP; SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE ( CHOCOLATE; SUGAR; COCOA; MILK FAT; COCOA BUTTER; SOY LECITHIN; PGPR, EMULSIFIER) ; COCONUT; SUGAR; SALT; NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR; HYDROLYZED MILK PROTEIN; SODIU M METABISULFITE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; SULFUR DIOXIDE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; CARAMEL COLOR; MILK

Sodium Metabisulfite…What is that?

If you take away only one bit of information from this blog, remember this:

If you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is…Don’t eat it!

So, here is a recipe for a much healthier and whole-food version of a Mounds Bar!

No Sodium Metabisulfite found here!

I was inspired from a recipe found here.

chocolate covered coconut cups ~vegan, gluten free~

Chocolate Covered Coconut Cups

(makes 15 mini-cups)

2/3 cups chocolate chips, preferably vegan

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

Goji berries for garnish

chocolate covered coconut cups ~vegan, gluten free~

~Add coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt to a food processor and blend until well combined.

-Drop a tablespoon of coconut mixture into each cup of a mini-muffin tin and press down firmly.

-Melt chocolate using a double boiler, stir constantly.  When melted, pour a layer of chocolate onto each cup.  Garnish with goji berries.

-Place in the refrigerator for an hour.

-Use a knife to “pop” cups out of muffin tin and enjoy!

chocolate covered coconut cups ~vegan, gluten free~

Tip of the Day:  Often times shredded coconut is preserved using propylene glycol, an ingredient found in antifreeze!  Read labels carefully!  Bob’s Red Mill brand is easy to find and has only one ingredient: natural unsulfured coconut.

coco-chocolate covered cups ~vegan, gluten free~

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend :)