Coconut Gelatin

I was originally on a quest to see if I could make a healthier Maja Blanca (a Filipino dessert made out of coconut milk). Maja Blanca uses a lot of cornstarch to thicken it and help it set as well as a lot of sugar (and sometimes corn on top of that). While reading and researching I came across a Burmese dish that uses the same basic ingredients as Maja Blanca except that the thickening agent was gelatin. Gelatin has such an amazing nutrient profile (real gelatin like Great Lakes or Bernard Jensen) especially compared to cornstarch that I jumped ship and made Coconut Gelatin instead. This treat is NOT very sweet, the flavors of the coconut milk and raw cream shine through and are not obstructed by vanilla or lots of sugar. This dessert is simple and can be made in less than 10 minutes, but has to set in the fridge for an hour or two. Filled with healthy fats, protein from the gelatin and a smidge of coconut sugar and stevia I served it to my children for snack time (alongside some mandarins) knowing that they weren't going to have a sugar high for the rest of the afternoon.

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Key Lime Freezer Bars

Today I have another fast and easy treat, it takes about 10 minutes to whip up with a baby on your hip and a four year old "helper" (at least the two year old was napping), but about 30 minutes to an hour for these beauties to set in the freezer. I call them freezer bars but in reality you can store them in the fridge as well, I just like the extra cold sensation for this recipe. I was inspired after trying a key lime mousse (maybe pudding?) recipe from these grain-free meal plans (back when I had a discretionary fund), I was really bad about saving the plans so I don't have the recipe, but that was the first time I had ever heard of using avocado in a dessert. I use a tiny bit of honey in this recipe because I really like the flavor (I just don't think maple would work as well). I have been trying to ease up on honey in my recipes because it is so high in fructose and therefore raises blood sugar. This recipe has lots of healthy fat that will help keep blood sugar levels stable despite the teaspoon of honey.

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