Coconut-Chocolate-Almond Macaroons

I've been on a form of the South Beach diet for the last 3-4 weeks, and have loved the way it's transformed my body, quelled my carbohydrate cravings and reinvigorated my passion for local, organic, unprocessed food. It's become commonplace to fill 75% of my plate with vegetables, which not only is slightly miraculous for this self proclaimed bread-addict, it's also led me to believe I need to plant a much bigger garden!

However, I'm still a chocoholic at heart, and sugar-free fudgesicles were just not cutting it. It was time to find something more satisfying and more nutritious. So naturally, I turned to hAha's Foodie Board on Pinterest. {She always finds the best recipes with whole, real-food ingredients!}

My eye was immediately drawn to the Coconut-Chocolatet-Almond Macaroons, adapted from this recipe by Red & Honey. Not only is it free of refined flours and sugars, it's packed with healthy oils, enzymes from the honey, and antioxidants from the cocoa. The resulting macaroon is so rich and decadent, a little goes a long way towards satisfying even the most fierce chocolate cravings- I've only ever needed one. Plus, did I mention they're no bake?

Melt the honey and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add salt and vanilla extract, stir. In a separate bowl, mix shredded coconut, almond meal {you can make almond meal by pulsing raw almonds in a blender or food processor} and cocoa, then gradually incorporate into your honey mixture. When well blended, plop spoonfulls into a bowl of almond meal. Coat well, then place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Store cookie sheet in the freezer for 20 minutes or until macaroons are firm. Voila!

Take a bite and revel in the dark-chocolate, sea-salt tinged, coconut-almond joyousness. {unless you're my kids, in which case you take a bite and complain that they're 'bitter' and 'stringy'. To each his own.} Enjoy!