The holidays are here! Starting with the first night of Hanukkah in November and continuing with more holiday parties through the secular new year, the temptation to eat one delicious dessert after another seems to never end. “To eat or not to eat” is the question.
Furthermore, the rules of a kosher kitchen can put substantial restrictions on your dessert options, especially if meat is on the menu. In my house, food allergies take a further toll, leaving nothing but cut fruit on the menu – not exactly the kids’ favorite dessert. Not anymore. After toying with many variations of products trying to keep in mind the taste buds of my family, I have come up with a flexible, healthy and delicious secret ingredient that will change the way you think about desserts: coconut.
Coconut is extraordinarily versatile and serves a variety of purposes in the kitchen – and it’s vegan. It’s packed with vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6, as well as iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, electrolytes and omega-6. Coconut aids in weight loss, maintaining blood sugar levels, fighting infection, lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation. Coconut milk makes for an effective beauty product as well and can be used as a skin moisturizer and even a conditioner for your hair. Pretty impressive, don’t you think? So to answer the question, I say “eat,” but make each bite count by trying these amazing healthy desserts that require no cooking and are free of both gluten and dairy.
Coconut Whipped Cream:
To prepare coconut whipped cream, you need to find coconut milk that comes in a BPA-free can (such as Native Forest Organic coconut milk in a BPA-free can — it’s kosher).
Step 1: Take a “full fat” can of organic coconut milk and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 2: Scoop out all the thickened coconut cream on top, leaving the coconut water in the can for drinking, a shake or to use in the following recipes. (If it ends up frozen, let stand in room temperature until it softens up.)
Step 3: Add a little cinnamon, vanilla and sugar (or sugar substitute) to the coconut cream, and whip it in a mixing bowl until it begins to thicken. Place in refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight to firm up.
Use your whipped coconut cream in your coffee, on pancakes, on ice cream, on mixed berries or anywhere you would use traditional whipped cream. You will use this recipe to make the chocolate mousse with avocados. (Yes, avocados. Trust me, it’s seriously delicious!)
Chocolate Coconut Cream Torte
Bottom Layer Crust
If your springform pan is smaller or larger than 9”, adjust the ingredient amounts accordingly.
1 cup raw almonds or pecans, soaked 2 hours, rinsed
1 cup fresh or dried finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of cayenne (optional)
In food processor fitted with the “S” blade, pulse until a crumb texture is achieved. Set aside.
Coconut Cream Filling
2 cups coconut whipped cream (unsweetened) or firm young
coconut pulp
5 bananas
1/4 cup coconut oil
4-5 pitted Medjool dates
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
bean
Blend ingredients until creamy. Set aside and refrigerate.
Top Chocolate Layer
1 cup coconut whipped cream (unsweetened) or young coconut pulp
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
3 pitted Medjool dates
3 black mission figs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of cayenne (optional)
Blend ingredients until thick and smooth, adding just enough coconut water (liquid from reserved coconut water in the can) to turn over in blender. Set aside.
Strawberries
6-8 large firm strawberries, stemmed and sliced 1/8” thick. Use them to line the inside of the springform pan, which forms the perimeter of the torte.
Garnish
1 cup assorted berries – raspberries, blueberries, sliced
strawberries
1 teaspoon honey
Mint leaves (optional)
Blend the honey with a few of the strawberries to make a glaze. Toss gently with the berries and mint and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Assembly
Press crust recipe evenly into the bottom of a 9” spring-form torte pan with a removal side: grease pan with a little coconut oil.
Stem and slice the strawberries lengthwise and press the large pieces against the inside of the torte pan. Use the smaller heels in the garnish.
Pour in and spread the coconut cream filling.
Freeze for 2 hours to firm up.
Pour on and spread the top chocolate layer mix. Refrigerate or freeze again until firm.
When ready to serve, arrange the fruit garnish on top.
Layered Chocolate Mousse with Avocados
Ingredients
2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled
1/2 to 2/3 cup of pure cacao powder (unsweetened)
3⁄4 cup almond milk or reserved coconut water (from the canned coconut milk)
4-5 tablespoons 100%-pure, grade-B maple syrup or honey (use 1-2 tablespoons if also using dates)
3 organic Medjool dates (use only if cutting down on maple syrup or honey)
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Shredded coconut and cacao shavings for garnish
Instructions
Slice avocado and scoop out flesh with a spoon; add avocado and all ingredients to a food processor bowl and pulse until smooth. Taste to see if you need to add more cacao powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. Adjust the sweetness if necessary. You can add liquid to the pudding if it seems too thick. Spoon the chocolate mixture into four serving glasses of approximately one cup. Top with the coconut whipped cream (see page 38). Refrigerate mousse for a couple of hours (or 20 minutes in the freezer). Add shredded coconut and cacao shavings on top and serve.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
