Carob powder coconut balls

I experimented in the kitchen again! The outcome was a yummy treat that even the boys loved. My first attempt wasn't so pretty as I was short on time and had them done in about 25 minutes. Prep and clean up was really only about 20 mins but I suggest chilling the balls about an hour before coating with the "peppermint chocolate". Total time from start to finish is about 1.25 hours.

This recipe can be made AIP compliant or paleo.

1 cup unsweetened fine coconut flakes
3 Tbsp coconut oil
4 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Mix contents in blender until well mixed. Chill mix 10 mins in freezer and then use a spoon and hands to form into balls. Place balls on cookie sheet (I lined mine with tin foil). Place in freezer to chill for about an hour. You want them frozen and very cold for next step.

Just before removing the coconut balls from freezer, in a sauce pan add the following ingredients and warm over low heat constantly stirring until melted:

1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp carob powder OR 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
5 drops peppermint essential oil
1 pinch sea salt

Remove from heat. Create a shallow ice bath and place sauce pan in to begin cooling. Pull coconut balls from freezer. Stir the saucepan mix to cool but do not let it completely thicken. Slowly pour spoonfuls of mix over coconut balls so that it freezes over and coats them. If the mix thickens, reheat, freeze coconut balls and use ice bath. Don't worry if they don't look pretty, the taste will make up for the looks! These tasty treats are worth the effort!

AIP Coconut Yogurt

I searched for the perfect coconut milk yogurt recipe but alas couldn't find one that used both probiotic capsules, gelatin (for thickness and texture) and natural sugar. So I researched and put together the below. These directions are for an instapot with yogurt setting or a yogurt maker. They can be used in the oven but oven temperatures would have to be determined.

4 - 8.5 oz containers of aroy-d coconut milk  bought on amazon
2-3 tbsp of pure maple syrup
2 tsp great lakes gelatin
3 capsules of garden of life 90 billion refrigerated probiotic capsules (likely a similar count probiotic will work as well) OR about 1/4 cup previous batch of coconut yogurt (my second batch will use this so I will keep you posted on results)
Food thermometer
Instapot or yogurt maker / oven (but research the temperature needed to not kill the fermenting bacteria)
4 pint ball jars and lids or 2 quart ball jars and lids - my IP wouldn't fit the quart jars.

1. Pour 3 boxes of c. Milk into a sauce pan.
2. The 4 th box put half in a bowl and pour the remainder into the saucepan. Heat milk to just below boiling use thermometer to be sure it doesn't boil.
3. Add gelatin to bowl and mix in geletin working out clumps as much as possible.
4. Once heated, remove from heat and add the bowl contents and the maple syrup. Stir well with whisk.
5. Once cooled to below 90 degrees F (I placed sauce pan in an ice bath), open and add the contents of the 3 probiotic capsules whisking well.
6. Pour into jars (pints were half full) and add lids.
7. Put jars in instapot or yogurt maker, add lid and select yogurt option. Increase time to 12 hours. If using oven put on cookie sheet and determine the correct temperature to ferment the yogurt.
8. Once cycle finishes, test yogurt to be sure it fermented. If it doesn't taste tart add more probiotics and cycle for another 4 to 12 hrs.
9. Chill in fridge for at least 6 hours before eating.
10. Add fruit puree with a touch of honey for a fruit yogurt.
Note: I put it back in instapot for 4 additional hours and I chilled for 24 hours before eating.

Edited to add photo and update making with prior batch of coconut yogurt. Instead of step 5 add a heaping spoonful of yogurt and follow remaining instructions.