Trim Healthy Tuesday : Coconut Bonbons S

 

This recipe is for my husband. Every Christmas his mom makes him these incredible coconut bonbons (and mails them halfway across the country!) They are VERY yummy and VERY full of sugar ;) This past year we've had a lot of added stress going on in our lives, and that, combine with us both not always making the healthiest food choices, my husband started to have some blood sugar issues. He's young and at a healthy weight, but he's hypoglycemic and has always had a difficult time keeping his blood sugar balanced. He cut out sugar on his own and (after 3 weeks of not-so-fun detox) he started to feel a little better, but he was still getting dizzy(when he didn't eat often enough) and he really missed his sweets!

I knew we'd have to come up with a solution if this was going to work long term. Enter Trim Healthy Mama. I had read about this book on the Above Rubies  website and knew they had published it a few months before. I had weight I needed to loose as well and we decided to buy the book! I have had some really great success loosing weight on this plan (I'll post more about that another time) but my husband didn't need to loose much, if any weight. (though he still lost about 20 lbs!) but he's so thrilled with the desserts he can have and not feel shaky and dizzy after. And his blood sugar is much more stable, giving him a lot more energy! 

So, on to the coconut bonbons! I decided I would work on a healthy version of his favorite (and make sure I got it right BEFORE Christmas!)

 

 

This recipe is adapted from No Bake Coconut Crack Bars from Chocolate-covered Katie, if you haven't checked out her dessert blog yet- go! She's got lots of awesome recipes!

For the centers:
 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
 1/4 cup water and 4 Truvia packets (about 4 tsp.)
 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil (refined coconut oil is fine if it's all you have, but it won't have the additional benefits))
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

For the chocolate coating (Skinny Chocolate from the book pg 371)
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Stevia powder to taste (if you need to adapt this with Truvia, grind in a coffee grinder first)
 

Add all the ingredient for the centers to your food processor and process together. (note: this step may not be necessary and you may just be able to mix well if your coconut oil is already in liquid form)

 

 line a cookie sheet with parchment paper  

 

 Use a melon baller or similar rounded scoop to make half circles. (if you would like to form them by hand it *may* work to stick the mix in the freezer for about 15 min and then form the balls, it does not stick together well when at room temperature)

 

(note: I used a toothpick to help the coconut mix out of the melon baller) 

 

 

scrape out the last bits from your blender and quickly eat before the kids see and ask for some!

 

 

Dang it! Too slow... =)

 

 

place tray in freezer for 15 min to 1/2 an hr. until they are solid enough to pick up. 

 

 

Add ingredients together for chocolate coating in a small bowl (so it's deep enough for dipping!) and stir well, dip balls into chocolate. Place back in freezer.

 

I continue to repeat this last step until I felt the chocolate coating was thick enough. It took me four times, this will probably vary by the temp in your home (It's was a balmy 85 here that day so my chocolate coating was very liquid-y)

 

  

 

 Store in the freezer until you are ready to enjoy!!!

 

For easier printing (just copy and paste)

 

Coconut Bonbons (THM-S)

from firandcypress.blogspot.com

 

For the centers:
 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
 1/4 cup water and 4 Truvia packets (about 4 tsp.)
 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil (refined coconut oil is fine if it's all you have, but it won't have the additional benefits))
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

For the chocolate coating (Skinny Chocolate from the book pg 371)
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Stevia powder to taste (if you need to adapt this with Truvia, grind in a coffee grinder first)
 

Add all the ingredient for the centers to your food processor and process together. (note: this step may not be necessary and you may just be able to mix well if your coconut oil is already in liquid form).Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Use a melon baller or similar rounded scoop to make half circles. (if you would like to form them by hand it *may* work to stick the mix in the freezer for about 15 min and then form the balls, it does not stick together well when at room temperature) (note: I used a toothpick to help the coconut mix out of the melon baller) Place tray in freezer for 15 min to 1/2 an hr., until they are solid enough to pick up. Add ingredients together for chocolate coating in a small bowl (so it's deep enough for dipping!) and stir well. Dip balls into chocolate. Place back in freezer. Continue to repeat this last step until I felt the chocolate coating was thick enough. It took me four times, this will probably vary by the temp in your home. Store in the freezer until you are ready to enjoy!!!

 

This post is part of the blog link up at Stacy Makes Cents and Gwen's Nest go check out the other great recipes there!