I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow morning. That means that you won’t hear much from me for at least a week, and updates will likely be limited to a picture of me eating fish & chips in a Scottish pub. Or a video of me spinning my umbrella in the rain. Won’t that be exciting? I’m sure you’ll just hold your breath and wait for that post!

Since my primary source of contentment right now (between bouts of heartburn, migraines, and asthma attacks) seems to be feeding my loved ones, I’m leaving you with yet another recipe. Are you sick of them yet? I would bet the answer is “yes”, since nobody seems to be commenting lately on my recipes.

But that won’t stop me. Ignore me all you want. I must still cook and share.

So, like Hansel & Gretel, and I’m leaving a trail of Honey Wheat bread crumbs all the way to Scotland.

If you think that you can’t make bread, you’re wrong. Try it. You won’t be sorry. This bread recipe in particular is nearly foul proof. It’s just so easy that you can’t screw it up. As long as your yeast is fresh and your water is the right temperature, you’re golden. So don’t tell me that you “can’t make bread”. I promise that it’ll be worth the 10 minutes of kneading.

Honey Wheat Bread

[printable recipe]

Yields 2 loaves

2 cups Warm water (110-120 degrees)

2 cups Whole wheat flour

1 T Active dry yeast

1 t Salt

1/3 C Honey

1/3 C Canola oil

5 C All purpose flour

2 T Honey (optional)

2 T Butter (optional)

1. Pour honey in to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand-up mixer). In a measuring cup (or small bowl), dissolve yeast in water. Add yeast/water mixture to honey and stir gently to combine. Allow to rest for 3-5 minutes.
2. Mix (by hand or with the hook attachment on a stand-up mixer) in whole wheat flour, salt, and canola oil. Slowly add all-purpose flour.
3. If mixing by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 10-15 minutes. If using a stand-up mixer, allow the dough to “knead” in the mixer for 10-15 minutes. The dough should be smooth and stretchy when you’ve finished kneading.
4. Place kneaded bowl into a well-oiled bowl (turning to coat), cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and place in a warm place to rise.
5. After the dough has doubled in size (about 45 minutes-1 hour), punch dough down and shape into 2 loaves. Place each loaf into a well-greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Set aside again, and allow to rise until the loaf comes about 1″ above the edge of the pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes (the loaf will turn a nice golden brown color on top).
7. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly. Combine 2 T honey with 2 T butter (optional), and brush on top of each loaf. Cool completely before slicing.

Set aside a Saturday evening to make this bread, make French toast with it on Sunday morning, and feed it to everyone around you. I promise that they will love you for life.

———

Wasa Giveaway Winner!

As promised, the winner of Monday’s Wasa Giveaway is AshleyDawn!

AshleyDawn, just send me your full name and address, and I’ll make sure your prize is sent out ASAP! Congrats!

———-

On the agenda for Scotland is of course walking the Loch Ness 15K, eating authentic fish & chips, watching the “men” of the group eat haggis (gag me), and going on every possible ghostly or haunted walking tour in Edinburgh. And of course we have to hit the Guinness Storehouse while we’re in Dublin (even if I can’t partake in the adult beverages at the end of the tour), and a trip to Dublin would not be complete for me unless I tour the Kilmainham Goal, because I am thoroughly addicted to the spooky history of jails.

So, everyone, be sure to miss me tons! I’ll definitely miss the blog while I’m gone!

Be prepared when I get back–I’m sure I will become obsessed with some new food while traveling. And have at least one embarrassing tidbit to share.

Here we are again…another day, another sweet recipe that I may or may not feel inclined to eat. This time, rather than throw away 1/2 a dozen Banana Oatmeal Crunch Muffins, I smartened up and threw some chocolate up in the mix. My Gazelle will eat it if it includes chocolate.

Bananas, not so much.

But he’ll gladly drink a green smoothie. He’s an enigma, that man.

Another great way to convince him that something is worth eating is to show him that I’ve made it somehow healthier than the original, yet magically made it taste just as delicious. I happen to be involved in one of the few marriages where my husband is more concerned about the state of his waistline than I am about mine. And I’m concerned, so that tells you a lot about him and his waistline worries.

This recipe came about because Wasa reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to try their “Crispbread” products. With the knowledge that I already had several Wasa products in my pantry, and that I can often be seen lately slathering any number of Wasa products with peanut butter before my workout, of course I said yes. What I didn’t know is that the product that I frequently munch on before I work out is in fact called “Crispbread”.

[cue the collective "duh" please]

Then I wondered how I can eat a product so often, yet never know what it’s actually called. I thought this “Wasa Crispbread” was new. It’s not. I eat it all the time. Especially in the past 4 months.

Since I have been back on track with my workouts, I have been scheduling in my (usually) three mall walks per week in the evenings, as well as two weight-lifting sessions during the week. However, unlike before I was growing a baby, I just can’t work out on an empty stomach these days. I get Hangry, and I need to eat first.

This is what usually saves the day (and my blood sugar).

Wasa Fiber Crispbread (because really…what pregnant lady doesn’t need fiber?), with a smattering of natural peanut butter, and raisins tossed on top. It’s quick, easy, calorie-reasonable, and it keeps me full until I can eat my planned dinner. It works miracles, and keeps my Hangry in check so that I still have a friend to walk with.

Wasa offered me some free samples of their Crispbread, and I could have just told you about how I eat Crispbread to keep away the Hangry before my workouts, but that would be boring. So, I decided instead to remix one of my old-school recipes using Wasa Crispbread.

And then, it was fun again.

I must preface this recipe by first telling you that it’s not really a “healthy” recipe per se. These days, I’m not really a fan of cutting out fat, sugar, and butter just in the name of making a recipe “look” better. Treats are treats, and they’re to be eaten in moderation, so I would rather just eat the real thing if I’m going to eat it (which happens pretty infrequently these days, since Baby #1 would rather have me eat potato chips and french fries).

For this recipe remix, the only thing I did differently is substituted saltine crackers for Wasa Fiber Crispbread. However, just by making that one little change, I added an additional 2 grams of fiber per serving. Not to mention, the ingredient list is far less weirdish on the Wasa Crispbread than it is on a standard saltine, and that is a big deal to me.

Chocolate Caramel Cracker Crisps

www.joggerslife.com

[printable recipe]

14 Wasa Fiber Crispbread Slices (or any Wasa Crispbread)

1 C Salted Butter

1 C Packed Brown Sugar

2-3 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips

1 C Chopped Walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil (don’t use waxed paper–I learned this lesson the hard way. Don’t be like me).
2. Break Crispbreads in half, and line up side by side on the baking sheet, pushing them close together to avoid large gaps.
3. Combine butter and brown sugar in a small pan, and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then pour the hot caramel mixture over top of the Crispbread. Using a rubber spatula, spread the caramel evenly across the Crispbread.
4. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Wait 1-2 minutes for them to melt, then spread them evenly using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.
6. Cool completely, then put cookie sheet in the freezer or fridge before breaking apart (to make the chocolate less melty). Store in the fridge for the least messy eating experience.

And, it’s good. Really, really good. I know this because I actually tried some…and that says a lot these days.

Now, as if a chocolaty, fiber-rich recipe weren’t enough, here’s the really fun part. You can be the proud owner of your very own Wasa Crispbread.

All you have to do is:

1. Visit Wasa’s Facebook page. Check out the “Snackspiration” page, and then the “recipe gallery”. They have tons of ideas about how to eat your Wasa.
2. Come back here and leave me a comment letting me know how you would eat your Crispbread. With peanut butter and raisins? Would you dip it in Nutella? Spread Laughing Cow cheese on it? Melt some cheddar on it, then throw some apple slices on top?

Is this just me? Am I the only one who eats Crispbread with everything?

Tell me, and win some for yourself!

The winner will be chosen before I leave for vacation on Friday September 30th, so be quick!

I have been a slacky blogger this week because I’ve been EXHAUSTED (and migraines, and nausea, and asthma, and, and, and…). It seems as though sleep is going to be a luxury from this point forward in my life…at least for the next 18 years or so.

In any case, this morning while I was walking down the hall at work [rubbing my belly], I announced “welp…I think there’s actually a baby growin’ inside my belly, guys.” As if this was some new revelation. As if there wasn’t a baby growing in there last week. I guess it’s just now starting to feel like there’s something growing in there, especially since my belly is now sticking out almost as far as my “bubbies” (thank you, Teresa Giudice).

I’m happy to report that I’m thoroughly enjoying this little treat right now…

I haven’t had any coffee products since July–not because I’m opposed to drinking caffeine (not an issue–I’ve been drinking decaf for over a year now), but because it made me want to barf. In fact, the only time that I actually had an “incident” early on with my morning sickness was in the bathroom at my favorite Starbucks. Haven’t been back since.

Tragic.

So, I was both surprised and overjoyed this morning when I had a hankering for an iced coffee.

It’s the small things, ya know?

Next Friday, I’m leaving on vacation for a whole week! If anyone is interested in guest-posting while I’m away, holla! I mentioned it on Twitter last week, but haven’t really been too aggressive…so if you don’t see anything in your feed next week from JL, you’ll know why [oops].

My Friday Five this week kind of drives the point home that I’m completely obsessed with food right now. I just am. I kind of always am, but right now, it’s only like a million times worse. Last night, while I was mall walking, I passed a man who was slurping on a smoothie. It was a pale purple color, and it looked delicious. I actually considered stopping to ask him what it was and where I could get one too.

Like seriously considered it.

I might need an intervention.

1) I’ve been searching the internet lately for recipes that are either a) quick, or b) freezer-friendly. These are the two winning qualities for me as of late because when I’m hungry, I’m REALLY hungry. Having dinner ready in 30-40 minutes is just not an option. Hungry turns into Hangry even quicker now than ever before, so I need to act quick. Having things already prepared in the fridge (like chopped veggies, cooked pasta and rice) has made my life much easier. I’ll be making One Dish Dinner’s Southwest Mac N Cheese next week because it’s easy, quick, and it has cheese in it.

2) Smashed Peas And Carrots made No Bake Energy Bites, and I am so glad she did. Back in my crazy “dieting down because I want to be a professional bodybuilder” days, I used to make something similar using chocolate protein powder. Now, I might be more inclined to use unsweetened cocoa powder…or both. Plus peanut butter. In any case, I’m going to make some of these this weekend, because I think they might help to ward off the Hangry that creeps up on me between 3-6PM.

3) Even though peaches are not in season here in Maryland anymore, I might be inclined to buy an immigrant peach just specifically so I can make The Noshery’s Fried Peach with Ice Cream & Honey Chipotle Sauce. Just look at it…the crispy outside, warm inside…spicy-sweet sauce…ice cream (!!). I need it.

4) I went out to lunch the other day with my friend at Noodles & Co., which I love, and she got one of their enormous (and delicious) Rice Krispie Treats. Considering that I haven’t really felt like eating sweets lately (thank you, baby #1), I didn’t partake. However, later that day, I found the most amazing-looking recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Krispies, and now I’m kinda obsessed…until I make them and realize that I don’t want to eat them either. But I’m sure everyone around me will be pleased!

5) This is not a new recipe, but it is SO worth mentioning. Mostly because I love it, but also because I love Mama Pea. So far, I’ve purchased 2 copies of her cookbook–one for me, and one because I felt like my friend needed one too. Christmas is coming, and I expect to buy at least a few more copies. The recipes are all vegan, but are so delicious that they appeal to everyone. Next month, I plan to post a few of Mama Pea’s recipes that I’ve loved so far. In the meantime, you need to make this Mmmm Sauce, and dip everything you eat into it…because it’s that good.

That’s it for this week!

Get ready for next week–although I’m leaving on vacation, I have a very fun post scheduled for Monday [it may or may not include a giveaway].

I also plan to start ‘practice packing’ this weekend. Hopefully I’ll be able to find a way to fit everything that I need for an international trip into 1 suitcase weighing under 50 pounds. But I was a Girl Scout, and I like to be prepared.

It’s going to be interesting.

Once upon a time, there was a girl. A girl who loved to eat brunch at The Cheesecake Factory on Sunday morning. In fact, she loved this brunch so much that she ate Lemon Ricotta Pancakes at The Cheesecake Factory every Sunday morning for two months.

Then, she was broke.

So she made her own damn Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.

The end.

It turns out that these are the lightest, most delicious pancakes I’ve ever made in my life. I have honestly never made better pancakes. My Gazelle asked for seconds, and that never happens in our house (unless we’re speaking ‘taco’). I might actually have to modify this recipe to become my standard pancake recipe. They’re that good.

This morning, I even ate a leftover pancake naked. No syrup. No butter. I barely took the time to even heat the pancake. They’re that good.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

www.joggerslife.com

[printable recipe]

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cup coconut milk (any milk will do, really)
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 t Lemon extract (optional, but definitely gives an added punch of lemon)
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

One of my least favorite meals growing up was stuffed cabbage rolls. Hated them. In fact, anything with cabbage in it was on my “no thank you” list. It didn’t take my Mom long to realize this fact. Eventually, rather than make my sister and I eat the “cabbage package” of the stuffed cabbage roll, she would lovingly shape only the filling into little rectangles for us so that we could avoid the cabbage.

Another one of my mom’s favorites was boiled ham and cabbage. Doesn’t that sound completely horrendous? Nothing about the name even sells it. Boiled. Ham. Cabbage. Maybe if she gave it a clever name I would’ve liked it better. The one and only time I ever found myself sitting at the table until I finished my dinner was on a boiled ham and cabbage night. It was a very lonely night at the dinner table.

You can imagine my surprise when I immediately started drooling upon seeing Rose’s recipe for Healthy Pigs In A Blanket (a.k.a Stuffed Cabbage Rolls). I get it. I’m extremely food-impressionable at the moment considering my current hormonal state. However, while reading the recipe, I honestly couldn’t believe that I was getting excited about a stuffed vegetable.

[although...stuffed mushrooms...mmm...those are good...]

What initially attracted me to this recipe was the fact that Rose used Swiss chard rather than cabbage. I don’t so much hate cabbage anymore, but it does still seem a little boring and blah-ish. I planned to stick to the recipe on this one and use Swiss chard and ground turkey.

However. The only grocery store that I felt like stopping by after work is kind of ‘inside the box’ when it comes to vegetables, so Swiss chard was not an option. Again considering my hormonal state, I decided I wasn’t driving across town to go to the natural market. I opted for cabbage instead.

You win, Mom.

I had also planned to make these on Tuesday evening while I was cooking Tuesday’s dinner [Shake -N- Bake chicken breasts, fried potatoes, and corn...in case you were wondering like I would've been...considering my current hormonal state], but I just ran out of energy. Rather than getting all of the completed rolls nestled into my CrockPot for the night, I ended up only cooking the rice and mixing up the filling, and that was all I had in me.

Last night, prior to going mall-walking (clearly another story for another day), I slapped together all of the cabbage rolls, put them in a baking dish, and baked them at 300 degrees for about 90 minutes while I was mall-walking.

Yes, I’ve gone from marathoner/triathlete to pregnant mall-walker. But I’m not ready…we’ll have to talk about it later.

When I came home from walking, the house smelled amazing. And I drooled.

I wasn’t sure if My Gazelle was going to like stuffed cabbage rolls, so I also sauteed some turkey kielbasa with Fuji apple slices for him…just in case cabbage was also on his “no thank you” list. It turns out that he liked both the cabbage rolls and the kielbasa, so that’s a win/win for the wife.

Although, he did ask for “more ground turkey” next time. Noted.

The great part about this recipe is that I had enough filling and cabbage leaves left over to be able to put together an entire second pan of rolls. I constructed all of the rolls, put them in a disposable baking tin, poured the sauce on top, popped the tin into a Ziploc bag, and now it’s in the freezer. Perfect solution for any future night in which I have another hankering for stuffed cabbage rolls.

Which is very likely, considering my current hormonal state.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (a.k.a. Pigs In A Blanket)

[Printable Recipe]

• 1.5-2 lb. ground turkey (or, cannellini beans would be a good veggie substitute)
• 1.5 cups of cooked rice
• 1T Basil
• 1-2 cloves garlic (or 1T garlic powder if you don’t have fresh)
• 1 small onion, chopped (or 1T onion powder if you don’t have fresh)
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 20 cabbage leaves (or, swiss chard, purple cabbage, etc.)
• 2 small cans of tomato sauce (I used the ‘basil & garlic’ variety)
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 cups water

1) Cook rice using slightly less water than normal (you’re going to be baking the cooked rice, so you don’t want it to start off soggy).

2) Mix together the cooked rice, ground turkey, basil, garlic, onion, salt & pepper, and Worcestershire sauce and set aside or refrigerate until needed.

3) Boil a large pot of water. Cut off the bottom “stem” of the cabbage, and place the head of cabbage in the water until the leaves begin to soften and come away from the head. As they peel off, set them aside. This took me about 10 minutes to get all of the leaves off (without ripping them).

4) To assemble the rolls, place a small amount of filling in the center of each cabbage leaf, then fold the sides around the filling to make a little “cabbage package”. Here’s a good video that explains how to do it: Cabbage Stuffing Video. If you watch the second video, she also explains that you can put the cabbage in the freezer overnight rather than boiling it. Interesting…maybe next time.

5) Place the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water into a blender and combine all together (you can also do this by hand, but I’m lazy). Pour a small amount in the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan, then begin laying your completed cabbage rolls on top. This keeps the rolls from sticking to the pan.

6) After placing all of the rolls into the pan, cover them generously with the remaining tomato sauce.

7) Cover with foil, and bake rolls until the cabbage is very tender and the sauce is bubbling. For me, this was approximately 90 minutes in a 300 degree oven. Alternatively, you could bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

My Mom always served this with mashed potatoes, and the tomato sauce is so yummy on the potatoes. You can also serve this with pierogies, kielbasa, or a simple green salad and buttered rye bread.

Delicious!

What was your LEAST favorite meal that your parents made you as a child?

Although I am a baker at heart, I also love cooking.  My favorite things to make are comfort foods, and I love nothing more than to whip up a huge pan of mac ‘n cheese or grits ‘n greens for potlucks and family parties.  [I also have an affinity for food names that have an 'n in them].

One of my most requested contributions for parties is my mac ‘n cheese.  In the past, I’ve actually lay awake at night, conjuring up ways to make my mac ‘n cheese even better.  Now, I think that I’ve come to a resting point with the recipe.  Rather than try to change it any further, I’m going to leave it just the way it is.

There are several things that I love about this recipe, but the one thing that puts it over the top is the pasta.  Please don’t use elbow noodles.  I’ll cry if I hear about it.  I promise you that it’s only about 32% as good when you use anything other than cavatappi or cellentani pasta.

This one…the corkscrews!

I brought this ridiculicious mac ‘n cheese yesterday to the annual Cookie Party, and it was a total hit.  So much that it’s prompted me to post the recipe here, allowing me to share it with all of my blends as well as my real friends at once [hi friends!].  I only wish I had taken a picture yesterday of its’ beautifulness.  I guess you’ll just have to make it yourself!

Let me know if you try it.  I promise it’s delish.  This would be the perfect thing to bring to Mom’s house (or Grandma’s) for Christmas dinner.  Everyone will love it.

Beth’s Ridiculicious Mac & Cheese

2# Cavatappi or Cellentani Pasta (they hold the most cheesy goodness!)

1C White Zinfindel

1C Heavy Cream (or milk, if you must)

3 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 T Horseradish

1/2 T Garlic Powder

1 t Pepper

1 t Paprika

1 T all purpose flour

3 T Milk or water

24 Oz. Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (I buy the huge bag already shredded from Safeway)

12 Oz. Shredded Cheddar & Colby Cheese Blend  (Ditto above, but use only ½ the bag)

1-2 C Corn Flakes (crushed), or Bread Crumbs

1 C Fried Onions (canned or homemade)

1)   Boil pasta al dente, drain and set aside.  Noodles should be a little chewy, or they’ll end up mushy after you bake the mac n cheese! Reserve about 1 cup of the noodle water in case you need it later.

2)   In a large pot (think: big enough to hold all of the noodles and be able to stir and mix at will), bring the White Zinfindel to a low boil, and simmer on low/medium for about 3-5 minutes.  Whisk in the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic powder, pepper and paprika.   Simmer on low/medium for another 3-5 minutes.

3)   With the mixture still at a low simmer, start whisking in the shredded cheese gradually.  Keep the heat high enough to melt the cheese fully, but not high enough to burn.  Continuously stir the cheese as it melts, or it won’t make a nice smooth sauce.

4)   After all of the cheese has melted, whisk together the flour and milk/water until it’s fully dissolved and not lumpy anymore.  Turn up the heat on the cheese mixture slightly, then begin quickly whisking the flour/water into the cheese.  You have to do this quickly and whisk the whole time or it will end up lumpy.  After it’s all dissolved and combined, turn heat down to low/warm.

5)   Hot noodles work best, so if you weren’t able to keep them warm while you were making the cheese mixture, re-drain them in hot water to warm them up a bit.  Add the noodles to the cheese mixture in 3 parts, making sure not to add too many noodles to the cheese mixture.  I always end up with extra noodles in the end [which is perfectly fine with me...that means I have buttered noodles for days!  ...oh, buttered noodles!]  If things get a little dry, just add in some of the reserved noodle water (from above).

6)   Top with crushed corn flakes or bread crumbs and fried onions.  Cover in foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, removing foil for the last 10 minutes.

7)   Eat!

Let me know if you make it–I’d love to know how it went!

Click for printable version!

I just wanted you to know that I’m having trouble picking a topic.  The list that you see above?  Yeah…so all of those orange folders contain pictures of things that I need to tell you about.  This is sort of my “to do” list of blogs.  Clearly, I’m not really making a very good dent in the “to do” list.  That’s kind of my M.O.

However, I am going to mark one thing off of my list today.  It’s not necessarily the oldest thing on the list, but it’s the one that I want to talk the most about.  So, that’s what I’ll do.  Because I am one of those people who do the fun things first, and save the not-so-fun things for later.  Not that all of the stuff I want to tell you about isn’t fun, but this is probably the most fun.

Well.  I think so.

And it’s my blog.

And you’ll be so happy that it is.  And that I made this decision.

See, here’s the thing.  I bought an Excalibur Food Dehydrator.

The reason why I bought the Excalibur Food Dehydrator?  Well, because I wanted to make macaroons.  It was power of suggestion, really.  I’ve seen too many of those dehydrator macaroons floating around the Blogiverse lately, and I needed to make some of my own.  I’m so easy.  I’m proof that viral marketing really does work.

That was ok with me.  I got a great deal on a ‘blemished’ Excalibur (although I cannot find a blemish on the thing), and I happily gave up most of my counter space for this appliance.

Everything was all find and good until I realized one thing.  I did not have a freaking recipe for the macaroons.  I searched high and low, near and far.  None of the recipes I came across were what I really wanted, and it seems that the Queen of Macaroons was not giving up her recipe!  The world is just not fair.

In the meantime, Calib, as he is now known, was just begging me to use him.  I’m not kidding.

So, I made up my own recipe.  And, since I refuse to have secrets between us, I am giving it to you.  I learned how to share.  Me and sharing…we go way back.  Don’t be thwarted by the “dehydrator” thing.  You can make these in a regular old oven, you just have to set it as low as possible, and you can even leave the door open.  It’ll still work.  I promise.  But start saving your money for a Excalibur.  It’s worth it.  I promise.

Trust me, you want to make these.

This is just before they were dehydrated.  Aren’t they cute?  You don’t have to make them this round though–I scooped them out with a tablespoon and plopped them onto the trays, but you can just scoop them out with a spoon and plop them on if you’d like.  My Gazelle says they look like balls of rice.

I say they look like balls of heaven.

You can make them with raw cocoa

Or without

I couldn’t make up my mind.  So I made both.

Ok, here we go!

Almond Coconut Macaroons (So Good You Might Cry)

Buy It:

2 Cups Raw Almonds, ground (flour-style)
2 Cups Raw Ground Coconut
2 Medjool Dates, spun in food processor
¼ Cup Agave Nectar
½ Cup Honey
1-2 Tablespoons Almond Extract
¼ Cup Raw Cocoa Powder (optional)

Do It:

Combine all ingredients.  You’ll know it’s perfect when everything sticks together easily.  Add more coconut if things look too gooey, and add more honey/agave if it’s not sticking together well.  Try not to eat all of the batter.

Form batter into round balls (or any other shape you’d like), and place on food dehydrator trays(1).  Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 6-8 hours(2).

(1) If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also make these in your oven.  Set your oven on the lowest temperature possible, and you can even leave the door open.  Allow to stay in oven for 2-4 hours, or until macaroons are firm to the touch.

(2) I dehydrated mine for 7 hours.

Here’s a printable version of my almond-coconut-macaroons!

Please make them and tell me how much you love them.  It will make me smile.

And now, I can take “macaroons” off of the to do list.  And wasn’t that fun?

If anyone is interested in purchasing one chewy dozen of my fabulous macaroons (for cheap), here is my store!