Coconut Flakes

Coconut-Tuna Walnut Salad

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Remember a good cook doesn’t always follow a recipe perfectly. Creativity plays a big part. I was using a traditional recipe for years and decided to TRY something different with ingredients I had available. Hope you enjoy this one and I dare you to try a new spice.

1 – 2 (7 oz) cans tuna
1/2 cup roasted walnuts, chopped (Roast for 10 minutes on cookie sheet at 350. Cool, then chop.)
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/2 teaspoon fresh peppermint – finely chopped
1 apple – peeled and diced small
Salt to taste
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 to 1 cup Plain Yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise*

Mix all ingredients. Serve immediately or chill, then serve over spring mix, romaine, or in 1/2 avocado. Delicious, fresh, different.

Recipe submitted by EdieJane, Hurst, TX

*To make your own mayonnaise with coconut oil and olive oil see our video here.

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Gluten Free Coconut Dishpan Cookies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

1 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried, unsweetened flaked coconut
1 cup corn flakes cereal
1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts of choice
1 cup rolled oats (Optional – leave out for gluten free)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy with an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Slowly add oil and mix until oil is well incorporated. Beat vanilla extract and eggs in until well incorporated.

Mix flour and baking soda together and stir into butter mixture just until combined. Combine remaining ingredients and add to dough, mixing just until incorporated.

Using a small cookie scoop drop tablespoonful sized cookie dough balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet spacing about 1 inch apart (they won’t spread much). Bake in preheated oven for 7-12 minutes, just until lightly browned.

You can also freeze individual balls of cookie dough and freeze for later baking. To bake simply place frozen cookie dough onto sheet (there’s no need to defrost) and bake as directed (adding a few minutes to cook time).

*Gluten Free Flour Mix

2 cups plus 4 teaspoons brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum

Mix together until very well blended and use as directed.

Submitted by Sarah Shilhavy

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Coconut Meringues

I don’t like making meringues. It worries me. I’m always afraid I’m going to do something to deflate the beautiful, fluffy, marshmallowy mixture in one way or another. But I love eating them, so I still willingly make them when I can. Meringues are a nice way to get rid of those leftover egg whites.

For a long time I did flop at making meringue, but over time I finally, finally found out what was going wrong and got it to work for me. Meringue making actually isn’t as simple and easy as it looks. Once you get it down, it is one of the easiest cookies to make. Let’s go over a few things.

First, the weather must NOT be humid. You have to have dry weather to make meringues. No kidding. If the weather is humid, don’t even think about making meringues. They’ll flop and become soggy. Believe me, I speak from experience. This was the one thing that kept me from making a successful batch of meringues for a long time.

Second, make sure your bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean. I don’t care if that means you have to wipe every single wire on your whisk beater; you need to do it! Even just the tiniest amount of water or fat will kill the meringue.

Third, bring the egg whites to room temp, or almost room temp. It’ll make the whipping process a whole lot quicker.

Fourth, use a light hand. Never, ever scrape meringue down. You can scrape the powdered sugar off the sides of the bowl, but don’t touch the meringue.

Following those guidelines and the recipe below, you’ll have light, airy, fluffy, marshmallowy, Coconut Meringues with a delicate crisp exterior and chewy inside. It can’t get much better then that.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Don’t be shy.

Enjoy!

Sarah

Coconut Meringues

Coconut Meringues

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 24 meringues Preparation Time: 20 minutes

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In large bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

Gradually sprinkle in sugar 2 tablespoons at a time at high speed. After all the sugar has been added you may beat in the vanilla extract (or fold in with the coconut). Beat until meringue stands in stiff, glossy peaks.

Using a rubber spatula, very, very gently fold in flaked coconut and vanilla extract (if you didn’t add it in the above step). Do not fold until well mixed, this should take only about 2-3 turns of the spatula.

Drop meringue by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 70 minutes or until dry to the touch. Remove to rack to cool.

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Vanilla-Flecked Coconut Macaroons

Photo by recipe author

These cookies are incredible easy to make – no need to whip the egg whites beforehand. Just mix everything and bake. Parchment paper is the key to keeping these cookies from sticking (and easy clean-up).

3 egg whites (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup white granulated sugar (you could substitute raw honey)
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 whole vanilla bean
5 ounces semisweet chocolate

1. Mix the egg whites, sugar, and coconut in a large bowl.

2. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle and scrape all the seeds into the bowl. Mix again making sure to evenly distribute the vanilla seeds. You should see tiny specks of black throughout the batter.

3. Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, place 12 scoops of batter at a time (evenly spaced) on a baking pan lined with parchment paper; each scoop should be about the size of a golf ball. The batter will be thick and lumpy with little peaks of coconut.

4. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until the tips of the coconut turn golden brown. Let cool completely on the pans, then separate the batch in half.

5. Melt the chocolate.

6. Dip a spatula into the melted chocolate and wave over the macaroons about 4 or 5 inches above the tray. Let the chocolate drizzle down in zig-zag patterns and let cool. (You can also dip the cookies one at a time by hand.)

Enjoy!

Recipe submitted by Alejandra, New York, NY

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Coconut Fruit Smoothie

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

1 cup coconut milk or regular whole milk
1/2-1 whole banana
1/4 cup frozen fruit: berries, peaches, etc.
2 tablespoons fresh ground flax seeds
2 tablespoons fresh ground nuts: almonds, pecans, etc
1 tablespoon dry coconut (flakes, etc.)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

Place all ingredients except coconut oil in blender and blend. Slowly pour coconut oil into blender while blending. Blend until smooth and serve.

Recipe submitted by Jean, Melrose, NM

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Chocolate Coconut Protein Bites

Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 1-2 servings, 11 pieces

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

1 scoop chocolate protein powder, about .7 oz
2 tablespoons coconut oil, solid
2 teaspoons raw honey
1 teaspoon coconut peanut butter or other nut butter of choice
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1/4 cup coconut milk*, as needed

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until a sticky
dough like consistency has formed. Add a little more protein powder if needed.

Roll into small balls and drizzle with melted chocolate.
Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

*The best coconut milk is fresh homemade coconut milk. See
our

recipe and video demo here.

Recipe submitted by Darlene, Enumclaw, WA

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Rise & Shine Breakfast Smoothie

Photo by recipe author

Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

2 1/2 cups kefir, yogurt or buttermilk
1 whole mango, fresh or frozen
2 handfuls strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 or 2 frozen bananas
1-3 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoons freshly ground flax seed (optional)
Raw egg yolks (optional)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (more/less as desired)
Coconut flakes

Pour your choice of cultured dairy into the blender. Add in mango, strawberries, bananas and honey (add flax seed and/or egg yolks if desired).

Give it a whirl till smooth and while it is blending… add coconut oil and let it run for a minute more. Pour into a tall, large glass and top with coconut flakes and extra ground flax seeds if desired.

Recipe submitted by Marillyn, Bloomingdale, IL

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Gluten Free Chocolate Coconut Protein Bars

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

I recently made these Chocolate Coconut Protein Bars, and they were pretty good! The triple amount of coconut provides the energy element, and the protein powder gives you the protein. It’s the best of both worlds; energy and protein rolled into one bar. Why make both a protein and energy bar when you can have them both in one?

The bars were pretty delicate. If you want them moister you could add another egg or more oil if you wanted a higher oil serving. Either way, this recipe is pretty forgiving so feel free to play around with it a bit until you get the desired texture and results. I made a half batch and pressed it into a greased square glass pan and then cut it into bars. That way it comes out looking more like a bar instead of a cookie or something.

The bars are very filling; you can only eat so much. The chia seeds expand in your stomach and give you that “full” feeling pretty quickly, which is a good thing.

Be sure to check the recipe out, and comment if you have any questions or comments of your own.

Enjoy everyone!

Sarah

Chocolate Coconut Gluten Free Protein Bar

1/2 cup coconut oil
2-4 tablespoons sweetener of your choice (ex: whole sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.)
4 eggs
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated or flaked dried coconut, unsweetened
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup chocolate whey powder, optional
1 cup coconut flour

Preheat oven to 375. Grease cookie sheet(s) with extra coconut oil.

Melt oil if needed and in a large bowl stir in remaining ingredients with the oil until well blended. Place spoon sized mounds unto prepared cookie sheets and pat down slightly into bars.

Bake in preheated oven for 14-15 minutes. Don’t overcook.

Recipe submitted by Virginia, Circle, MT

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