Mango Coconut Truffles

These start out kind of like macaroons you’d find in the raw food world. I’ve made versions of them before, but the coconut flakes are so tiny and they have a more chewy feel—so I think they’re more like truffles. Especially if you dip them in chocolate. I kept asking Dave if I should drizzle them with chocolate or dip them… he voted for drizzling since they’re so yummy on their own, but I had to try a few each way. Honestly, they’re amazing both ways!

One of my favorite hobbies is to go to Whole Foods at 8am (or earlier) on the weekend. Hey, I’m pregnant, it’s practically the highlight of my week! The thing about the Venice Whole Foods is that it is full of really attractive and put together people. They’re all between the ages of 30 and 45, and they’re fit and beautiful. They have great clothes, and even though they look kind of like they just rolled out of bed…I just don’t have that same look. I don’t let that stop me though—I enjoy walking leisurely around the store at a time when no one is hurrying and it’s not busy (except the line for coffee and smoothies).

Today I was craving sugar (I’m trying not to eat a lot of sugar right now–I had to slow down on my exercising, and I’d rather have the last few pounds I gain be baby weight instead of flab). I’m eating about one piece of fruit a day to make sure I eat enough carbs—my default carb intake is pretty low, and I don’t want to do that kind of experiment on my unborn baby, even though some people say low carb pregnancy is ok. I grabbed some shredded coconut for a muffin recipe I had in my head, and then my sugar craving steered me toward the dried fruit. I picked up some dried mangoes, contemplating whether I should eat them on my way home (I hadn’t had breakfast yet), or if I should put them back.

I bought them, and thought they’d go great with coconut. And what if I chopped them up very finely, added some coconut oil, and made them into a treat that I could use to curb a sugar craving (but packed in with fat too so I wouldn’t go into sugar shock)?

Well, I tried it. And it worked—and I’m told this is one of the best things I’ve ever made. I love it when that happens!

Mango Coconut Truffles

1/4 cup finely chopped dried mango (I did this with a knife–it was tedious. You may want to try the food processor!)
3/4 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)
3 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup (I always use grade b—you could put in less if you want less sugar in these)
1 squeeze of lemon or 2 drops lemon essential oil

Directions: Stir all ingredients until well mixed. Use a mini scooper to form truffles on a dehydrator tray (or cookie sheet) for truffles you’ll drizzle chocolate over. Dehydrate for 4 hours at 115 degrees, or put on lowest oven setting with the door cracked open for 15 minutes (check to make sure they’re not burned or melting, and keep baking until the outside feels dry-ish). For truffles you’ll dip, skip the dehydrating step and just put them  in the fridge or freezer on a plate or tray for an hour (till they harden).

I haven’t tried these in the oven, but I’ve used that method with other similar recipes and it can work as long as you keep a really close eye on them! Just make sure to take them out when you think they’re done rather than just looking at the clock!

You can melt chocolate and drizzle it on top of the dehydrated ones. Or you can melt chocolate and dunk the refrigerated ones… or just eat them without chocolate! I love them all three ways, but they are definitely my fave plain. If you dehydrate them, you don’t have to refrigerate them, but if you don’t dehydrate them, you’ll most likely want to keep them in the fridge or freezer until you eat them. The inside stays gooey either way, but they hold together better when drizzled if they’re cold.

Baby E seems to like them too–when I eat coconut oil, he dances for me. I’m taking that as a good thing!