Smacaroons

~These smacaroons are grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, soy-free, peanut-free, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free!

Makes 18 Smacaroons

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raw almonds (or 2 cups almond flour)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 cup chia gel (3 tablespoons chia seed+1 cup water. Let sit 20 minutes.)
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375*. Blend raw almonds in a food processor or strong blender until almonds turn into almond flour. Don't blend too long or else it will turn into almond butter.

Mix all ingredients together until well-combined. Batter should stick together. Take an ice-cream scoop (or your hands!) and form into balls.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. I like to broil it for the last minute or so, so the macaroons get a nice crunchy edge.

The coconut+banana+chocolate combo gives it a somewhat tropical taste, but it is comforting, too. They are soft and fluffy in the middle, but nice and crispy on the outside. They taste delightful straight out of the oven because the chocolate is nice and melty!

You can omit the banana if you want to make it completely sugar-free; but it tastes so good with the banana and bananas are good for you! Natural sugars are a-okay in my book!

Health Benefits

• Almonds: Almonds are a major superfood, and it is full of monounsaturated, good-for-you fats. It contains many nutrients that benefit the brain, and regulate cholesterol. The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E reduces the risk of heart disease.
• Coconut: Coconut is widely misunderstood because of it's high fat content; however, coconut's saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz.!
• Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
• Bananas: Rich in potassium, bananas help the body's circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This also helps maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body. It also contains tryptophan to help relax you and lift your spirits!
• Chia: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chia.