Happy almost-Mother’s Day and almost-graduation and Holy Communion and there’s a lot happening right now! I don’t know about you, but I tend to entertain more in the spring and summer and I am always looking for new recipes since I tend to have the same people over again and again. Because my husband and I tend to lean towards a plant-based + fish diet, I always serve fish when I have guests. Branzino fillets are one of my go-to’s because they cook super quick and they have a mild flavor. I usually serve them with a simple relish or sauce and that’s an easy entree!Continue reading
Looking for a plant-based taco recipe that doesn’t involve ultra-processed fake meat? Me too! I am really over all the fake meat products. But I also understand that sometimes swapping cauliflower for meat is not going to cut it in terms of satiety. This mixture of cauliflower rice, hemp seeds and finely chopped nuts + the perfect seasoning blend is satisfying and totally flavorful. It passed the test with Mr. Picky who can eat practically the entire sheet pan himself!Continue reading
Oh my gosh, I am excited about this recipe!! My whole family goes gaga for all fried rice dishes but this one is hands-down their favorite. It is a total flavor party!! In fact, I make it for my son one a week and reheat it for school lunch. I’ve eaten kimchi fried rice with an egg or tofu for breakfast and it is an ideal way for me to start the day. If you have never bought kimchi before, this is your invitation!Continue reading
Mounds Bars were one of my favorite candies during Halloween and my Aunt Maria still to this day brings an enormous chocolate covered coconut egg for Easter. I can hardly eat more than a bite of either these days as they just taste way too sweet for me. But these little strawberry coconut “mounds bars” are just perfect. They’re festive, delicious, barely sweet, and even kids will go crazy for them. They’re the perfect treat to make for both Easter and Passover.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Not too sweet, which is how I prefer my desserts;
Bite-size pieces – great for portion control LOL;
Can be made in advance;
Easy to adapt for different types of chocolate or freeze-dried fruit.
Strawberry Mounds Bars Ingredients
Freeze-dried strawberries: these are different from dried fruit. Freeze dried strawberries are crisp like chips and will turn into a lovely pink dust when pulverized.
Coconut flakes: look for unsweetened coconut flakes. It doesn’t matter if it’s finely shredded or in larger pieces since it will become finely chopped in the food processor.
Maple syrup: sugar is sugar but maple syrup is less processed and it personally doesn’t spike me the way white sugar does.
Coconut butter: This contains the whole coconut. It may also be labeled on the package as coconut manna.
Vanilla extract: pure extract with no added flavors or corn syrup solids adds a richness and natural sweetness.
Chocolate chips: I try to use chocolate chips or bars that have a higher percentage of cacao, which means there’s less sugar. Usually I buy dark or bittersweet, but if you prefer semisweet or milk chocolate, you do you.
Coconut oil: I use unrefined coconut oil. It does have a coconut flavor compared to a refined coconut oil. Coconut oil helps thin out the chocolate so it can coat the bars easily and then the oil hardens in the fridge for a nice “shell.”
How to Make Strawberry Mounds Bars
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. No need to grease it. This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan later on.
Place a heaping 1/4 cup of freeze dried strawberries in the food processor and process until pulverized. Add coconut flakes, maple syrup, coconut butter, vanilla, and salt. Process until mixture comes together. It will be slightly sticky.
Transfer mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Press mixture firmly into a single layer. I like to press it with my hands or you can use the bottom of a measuring cup. If you have excess parchment paper overhanging on the sides, you can fold the paper in. Place pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
In a double boiler or heatproof bowl set atop of a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and coconut oil until completely smooth.
Remove mixture from the loaf pan
Tips for Making Strawberry Mounds Bars
Allow the excess chocolate to drip off when coating with chocolate.
Don’t leave freeze-dried strawberries out for too long as they will lose their crispness.
I like to use a fork when coating the bars with chocolate to allow the excess to drip off.
Line the plate or sheet pan you use to place the bars so they don’t stick to the surface.
Substitutions for Strawberry Mounds Bars
Maple syrup: agave or honey
Coconut butter: I’m really not sure but you might be able to swap in sweetened condensed coconut milk in place of the coconut butter AND maple syrup. It will probably be sweeter than my recipe though. Another possibility (although I haven’t tried it) is raw cashew butter.
Chocolate chips: you could drizzle with chocolate instead of coating with chocolate for a lighter version.
If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Lastly, subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes and updates.
1/4cupfreeze-dried strawberries + more for garnish
2cupsunsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut
3Tablespoonspure maple syrup
7Tablespoonscoconut butter or coconut cream
1 1/2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1pinchsea salt
1cupabout 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1/2Tablespoonunrefined virgin coconut oil
Instructions
Line an 8.5 x 4.5 or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.
Place a heaping 1⁄4 cup of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and process until pulverized. Add coconut flakes, maple syrup, coconut butter, vanilla extract and salt. Pulse until mixture is well combined and sticky.
Transfer mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Press mixture firmly into a single layer. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure the mixture is well packed. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
In a double boiler or heatproof bowl set atop a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil and stir until smooth.
Remove mixture from the loaf pan and cut into 12 bars. I like to cut in half lengthwise and then make 5 cuts crosswise, which will you give you 12 (2 x 1-inch) pieces. Gently submerge each bar into the melted chocolate letting excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and place on a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle immediately with freeze-dried strawberry pieces. You want to add these before the chocolate sets or they won't stick.
Transfer bars to fridge to allow the chocolate to set, then serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a covered container lined with parchment paper.
This is not the first time I have published a recipe featuring celery root. I have a lovely soup in Kitchen Matters with spinach, broccoli and celery root. Celery root is a non-starchy vegetable with a light celery flavor. It looks super ugly and intimidating, but once you peel away the outside, the inside is white and easy to cut, much like a potato. Watch my reel on Instagram for a video on how to peel it. It’s easier than it looks. I’m posting this Celery Root Puree this week in anticipation of Easter and Passover since it is light, spring-like and would complement any traditional holiday entree.Continue reading
Pesto is in my plasma. I’ve been eating copious amounts of pesto since I was a baby and it is by far my favorite condiment. It wasn’t until I started teaching cooking classes that I experimented with pesto that didn’t have basil, or nuts, or cheese. Pesto, after all, derives from the Italian verb pestare, which translates to “to pound” or “to crush.” Sure, traditional Genovese pesto has basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic, but there are infinite ways to make a pesto. Ironically, I always use my food processor and never crush or pound the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Such a slacker. But today I share a REALLY different pesto – one made with BROCCOLI and it’s SO GOOD!!Continue reading
I had two years during a global pandemic to cook more at home than I ever thought possible. Hubs perfected sourdough bread, which is crazy since he can’t cook anything other than toast and oatmeal. Even though I am fairly confident in the kitchen, I was starting to gravitate towards my book Quicker Than Quick and other simple, but flavorful recipes. Continue reading
There are two ways I go on St. Patrick’s Day – an Irish-inspired meal and/or food that is (naturally) green. I had to laugh when I read that in Ireland, since St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday, people often get take-out, like pizza. Why in the States are we guzzling green beer with our corned beef and eating green-dyed bagels? That said, I have always wanted to post a twist on the traditional Irish dish Colcannon.Continue reading
