Cacao Mint Macaroons
Monday morning, Dr. Perricone, a leading anti-aging physician was on Good Morning America talking about Nutrigenomics. If you are not familiar with nutrigenomics, it is a word you should really know about. Especially if you are eating a raw food diet. Nutrigenomics studies the relationship between the food we eat and how it affects our genes. The most exciting information that is being discovered, is that you can change your genetic expression. Or…you are not stuck with your parent’s DNA. It is pretty interesting stuff.
Dr. Perricone was talking about anti-aging and his favorite anti-aging, anti-inflammatory foods. That’s when I got really excited. He started out with green tea. Which by now, we all know is good for us. His second food? COCONUT OIL! I have to tell you, I have done a lot of reading about coconut oil. It is great for us. And when eating a raw food diet, we tend to use a lot of it. But trying to convince people who don’t know that it is healthy isn’t always easy. So, when a very well known physician gets on a national show like Good Morning America and talks about how good coconut oil is for us, I do back-flips.
This is what Dr. Perricone had to say about coconut oil:
“Virgin coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat (MCFA) that speeds weight loss, lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart attacks, and improves diabetic conditions. MCFAs do not need the liver and gallbladder to digest them, which means instant energy and increased metabolic rate through thermogenesis. Coconut oil is beneficial to the immune system, because it has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Coconut oil targets the thyroid and beefs up the metabolism, melting away abdominal fat quickly. With all these benefits, organic virgin coconut oil is a powerful nutrient that should be incorporated into your diet.”
He also went on to say that he consumes coconut oil in his diet every day.
In honor of the wonderful coconut and it’s health giving oil, I bring you tasty, super healthy macaroons. Fresh mint is growing everywhere these days. If you don’t have it, your neighbor probably does. It is delightful in this recipe. We have coconut, coconut oil and also cacao, which has tons of anti-oxidants in it!
Cacao Mint Macaroons
Macaroons
- 2 cups dried, unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (not raw but used in many raw food recipes)
- 1/4 cup agave
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- Place mint leaves and almonds in food processor. (I used pre-soaked, dehydrated almonds). Process until ground fine.
- Whisk together maple syrup, agave and coconut oil.
- Mix together coconut, almond mint mixture and agave mixture.
- Take a tablespoon and dip into hot water, pack with mixture and then turn out onto mesh dehydrator sheet.
- Dehydrate for 6+ hours or until desired dryness is achieved. You can start the dehydration at 140 for the first hour, then reduce to 115.
- Cool
Cacao Coating
- 1/2 cup cacao
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup agave
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt (I use Himalayan)
- Whisk all ingredients together.
- Dip macaroons into cacao mixture and chill. You can let the cacao mixture cool a little before dipping for a thicker coating.
You may also like:
Hazelnut Mint Truffles
janet wrote on September 29, 2010
OK, you’ve really done it this time! My mouth watered when I saw these and it makes me really start to consider a dehydrator. You are so inspiring!!
Jodi wrote on September 29, 2010
Thanks for the info regarding coconut oil and Nutrigenomics, very informative!
Thanks!!
Pam Hatfield wrote on September 29, 2010
Your recipes are the best and the pictures are the best also – thanks – Pam
Cynthia wrote on September 28, 2010
I am so excited to try these. Yummy coconut, mint, and chocolate…doesn’t get much better than this. Thanks for sharing.
Jennifer and Jaclyn @ sketch-free vegan wrote on September 28, 2010
whoo! These look absolutely rawmazing! Love mint and chocolate together!
cristina wrote on September 28, 2010
These look absolutely delicious however I was wondering if anyone would have any suggestion as to what I could use as a substitute for the mint leaves. I have a daughter that just won’t touch anything with mint in it.
Thanks so much.
Susan wrote on September 28, 2010
You can just leave them out…put in some cinnamon, or what ever she likes.
Eco Mama wrote on September 28, 2010
I can’t wait to try this one—great idea!! This would be lovely around the holidays too, really like the green tint.
That is great that this information is creeping into mainstream, people are sometimes surprised when they find out I eat coconut oil, that old propaganda really stuck. Grateful something so delicious and useful is so great for you. Also Love green tea.
xo
Eco Mama
Carla wrote on September 28, 2010
Hi – I just love the things you come up with and I am really just starting on a “whole Foods” way of living so I am no where near the Raw way of eating. However, I love that you can take some very nutritional things and make them into yummy things with only a few ingredients. It is my goal to try and take in as much as possible that has 5 whole food based ingredient or less as possible. So, it is a process. I have tried you Goji berry balls and LOVED them. I like the options that do not need a dehydrator and take 6 plus hours to make. I also do not want to spend the $200- $500 on a dehydrator that I am not sure I will use yet. Any alternatives to anything like the recipe above or not? I also need to by a food processor. I tried to do some of the things you suggest in a blender and I got mush. Let me know. THANKS love your work. I am also a mom of two little girls so making some things that makes them not want to run the other direction is awesome! Its a process. I know. Could you suggest any of your favorite or most basic things for me to try knowing I am new at this and also things that are more family friendly. Thanks in advance!!!
Susan wrote on September 28, 2010
You can put the in the oven at the lowest temp but you will have to watch them to see when they are done. And, they won’t be raw but they will still be healthier than the traditional versions. I use the kitchen aid food processor. They are available in my store. Also, There is a search function and really great recipe indexes on the site. I suggest you just spend a little time looking through it! 🙂
Erin D wrote on September 28, 2010
These look AMAZING!!! Garden mints always need a new purpose, and I have oodles. Thanks!