Pure Samoa "Girl Scout Cookies"

Who doesn’t love girl scout cookies? Come on, most of you are craving them every time you pass by their little stands outside of Walgreens or the grocery store - I know I do. Problem is, they are really bad for you! I will praise the day when the girl scouts stop using hydrogenated oils and so many processed ingredients in their treats. I mean, it’s about time, right! 

My all time favorite girl scout cookie is the Samoa:

Dark chocolate, coconut, caramel, shortbread cookie. I crave these things normally during girl scout season, BUT this year my sister sent me a “fake samoa” recipe that was full of healthy stuff, and I thought - I’m gonna break the cycle and try these instead! I think it worked. They have been in the freezer for a few days now, and I haven’t missed a real samoa at all. They are different, mind you - the texture is different and they need to be frozen, but the flavor is very close to the “real thing”, even though the “real thing” is more full of “fake” ingredients than these are. Get me? See what you think. 

Almost Raw Samoa Cookie Bars:

(modified from Cooking a la Mel)

For the “shortbread base”:

• 2 cups walnuts, or walnut and pecan mix
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut
• ¼ cup raw honey
• 1 t vanilla extract
• ¼ t sea salt

For the coconut “caramel” layer:

• 1 ½ cups dates, soaked for about 10 minutes in hot water
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/8 t salt
• 1C unsweetened, shredded coconut

For the chocolate topping:

• 1 C dark chocolate chips

For the shortbread base:

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts and coconut together until in fine crumbs. Add in the honey, vanilla, and sea salt, and process until a moist dough forms.

Press the dough into a parchment lined 9×9 inch baking pan.

For the coconut “caramel” layer:

Toast the shredded coconut at 350ºF for about 5-8 minutes, until golden (be careful not to burn it). Allow it to cool while you make the “caramel.”

After soaking the dates, drain the water, and pulse in a food processor until a paste forms. Add the coconut milk, vanilla, and salt, and process until smooth. Add the shredded coconut, and pulse until just combined.

Scoop the coconut “caramel” mixture out, and spread it evenly across the top of the “shortbread” base.

Transfer to the freezer for about 15 minutes, until set.

For the chocolate topping:

Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl, and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted.

Remove the bars from the freezer. Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag using a rubber spatula. Snip off the corner of the bag, and drizzle the chocolate over the bars.

Place back in the freezer for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened, then take out the whole sheet of cookie with parchment paper (it will be hardened and set firmly), cut it into squares large or small. Place them in an airtight container & store in the freezer. 

They get melty the longer they are outside of the freezer, so enjoy cold and eat often.  

♡Avocado Chocolate Mousse♡

How to indulge in something luxuriously sweet and tasty and remain true to your health? This is the perfect solution – Avocado Chocolate Mousse. It’s easy to whip up for a special occasion dessert, tastes like a dream, and fits my healthy lifestyle like a glove. 

I usually use a mashup of Renee Loux’s recipe for this mousse - more or less of her ingredients depending on what I have in the kitchen. It tends to all taste good with the right amount of tweaking at the end, if necessary. I LOVE how she blends sweet, salty, and umami flavors in this dessert, which is different from most avocado based desserts I’ve seen. This is Valentine’s worthy, I promise - so give it a try! 

Avocado Chocolate Mousse:

2 C ripe avocado

½ C grade B maple syrup

2 flat spoonfuls coconut oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp shoyu or tamari

¾ C plain/pure raw cacao powder (no sugar added; although I have used a mixture of raw cacao and sweetened cocoa powder before when I was running out… and it was great if you have the sweet tooth!)

Mix all ingredients until very well blended, smooth, and creamy in a food processor. Chill for at least one hour in a sealed container before eating. Stores up to 4 days in the fridge. Serve in ramekins with raspberries and mint, as Renee does, or with fresh strawberries, coarse sea salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper like me! 

Gluten Free or Grain Free? →

It can be hard to determine the necessity of going gluten-free. The article above, for me, illustrates a big point in the argument of gluten free vs. grain free. For most people who feel they are “gluten sensitive”, but do NOT have celiac disease, I believe they feel better when they not only cut out gluten, but when they make a concerted effort to cut back on eating grains in general - transitioning their habits into eating more vegetables, fruit, and nuts instead of snacking on crackers, bread, chips, or cookies. This introduces more nutrients and less refined carbohydrates in general into the diet, and will benefit mostly anyone who tries it out. Various people use “gluten free” in various ways… some substituting their wheat crackers for rice crackers, their bread for gluten-free bread, and cookies for gluten-free versions 1 for 1… while others use it as a catalyst to eat less grain in general. The latter group is where I notice the most marked improvements in overall health. How do you feel??