Chocolate Coconut Clusters for Spring!

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It’s officially Spring, which means it’s time to break out the bright colors, the flirty dresses and of course, the super cute sweets!

I find it funny that the winter holidays are the only ones taking a bad rap for being the time to indulge, but when you think about it, there are plenty of occasions year-round where we encounter sweet sabotage.

There are the bunny rabbit cupcakes, beach ball cookies, and endless backyard barbeques that can leave you wondering where all these calories are coming from.

I decided to put a healthy spin on a classic Springtime treat from my childhood. My mom would always make little bird’s nest candies with Chow Mein noodles, peanut butter chips, and the adorable mini eggs. As cute as they are, they're loaded with empty calories… I mean, it’s candy after all. So I thought, what if I swap out some of those non-nutritional ingredients for something that packs a little more of a punch. I started with semi-sweet chocolate base and added in some Kelapo Coconut Oil to give it that nutty taste with the added benefit of healthy fats! Next up, I traded out the old school Chow Mein Noodles for Fiber-rich cereal such as Kashi GO Lean. The shape of this cereal was exactly what I needed to maintain the nest like shape.

After adding some toasted coconut, these treats were just about done. Don’t get me wrong, you can stop here and serve them year-round, but given the time of year, I decided to jazz them up with some Springtime candies.

Heart Healthy No-Fail Coconut Vegetable Fried Rice

As we are about to wrap up Heart Health month, I wanted to share a fresh new recipe that puts a healthier twist on one of my favorite dishes, Fried Rice! If you’ve ever been to a Japanese Steakhouse or Hibachi Restaurant you’ve watched the chefs chop and dice and throw their knives around creating beating hearts out of their delicious fried rice, right? It’s my favorite part of a hibachi meal, but have you ever noticed what they are actually throwing into it? You know that wad of garlic butter that they toss in there…that’s the equivalent of a whole stick of butter! No wonder it tastes so darn good!

Anyway, when I teamed up with Kelapo Coconut, I knew it would be a great opportunity to play around to tweak this recipe and boost the nutritional value. I'll be swapping out all that artery clogging butter for nutrient rich coconut oil. 

Did you know that coconut oil is comprised of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which have been shown to help the body absorb important nutrients and minerals as well as eliminate harmful bacteria and fight signs of aging. So just adding coconut oil into your cooking routine will skyrocket the nutrients of the rest of your meal!

Coconut Chocolate Almond Butter

Today I bring you a new installment of my recipe collection for Kelapo Coconut Oil. 

If you're in need of that little something sweet but don't want to have all the guilt, a spoonful of this Coconut Chocolate Almond Butter will do the trick. 

Nut butters are all the rage right now, and for a good reason! When made properly, these butters serve as a phenomenal sweet tooth satisfier which pack a powerful protein punch. You can spread them on an apple or toast for a quick breakfast or add a scoop to a smoothie for a little extra boost. Want to eat a spoonful on its own? Go for it! I don't judge! 

Now what if I told you that you can bump up that butter to another level simply by adding one ingredient.  Go on, guess what that ingredient is... you guessed it, Coconut Oil! As you may know, coconut oil is packed with healthy fats that actually help keep your tummy from rumbling along with a number of other health benefits... healthier hair, skin, and heart, just to name a few. 

Head on over to Kelapo's website for the full recipe! 

Fresh and Healthy Chili-Lime Popcorn

As things begin to thaw out from the torrid winter months, we might be thinking about those “eating healthier” promises we made to ourselves oh so many months ago. Let’s be honest, everyone signed up for new gym memberships, pinned dozens of “green smoothie” recipes, and promised themselves that THIS was going to be the year that they were going to be the best version of themselves, but here in the real world, that is HARD! Because right alongside those green smoothie pins are recipes for salted caramel fudge brownies, and there’s a froyo place right by the gym (“I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, I earned this.” #lieswetellourselves).

There are going to be days where all you want to do is throw on yoga pants solely for comfort and plop on the couch to binge Gilmore Girls. Chances are, you’ll want to nosh on something while you do, right? Instead of reaching for the cheese puffs and milk duds, why not try a healthier twist on a movie-night favorite.

I’ve created a yummy new snack recipe using Kelapo Coconut Oil. Combining the buttery texture of coconut oil and fresh popcorn creates the perfect snack to satisfy that salty couch-potato feeling. A bonus here is that the coconut oil is packed with healthy fat that will help you feel satisfied for a longer amount of time. So as tempting as it will be to down the whole bowl of this treat, you just might be ready to pop!