Macaroons are traditional french “cookies”– sometimes called meringue cookies or cloud cookies. They’re extremely inexpensive, great with coffee, a resourceful way to use up egg whites (I always save them when I make something that requires only using yolks) and it’s likely you have the necessary ingredients already on hand. I used 1/4 cup of sugar, but with all of these recipes, subsitute and omit as you please. Something to remember, 1/4 cup is 4 tablespoons and 1 tablespoon of sugar is 4 grams of carbohydrates. With a total yield of around 30 cookies and 16 grams of carbs (in sugar), that’s not too bad for a treat. Nevertheless, a possible alternative to sugar, would be to dip the baked macaroons into a combination of 1/4 c dark chocolate and 2 T coconut milk, melted in the microwave.

Yield: about 30

Ingredients

• 1/2 c egg whites (about 4-5 eggs)
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 c dessicated (finely shredded) coconut, toasted (takes about 5 minutes) and cooled

Method

Preheat your oven to 200ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whip the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixer, with the whisk attachment on high speed, until stiff peaks have formed–this took almost exactly 5 minutes in my kitchen aid mixer.

When you lift the whisk attachment up, the egg whites shouldn’t be runny, but remain stiff and peaked, like in the picture.

Add the shredded coconut and whip for another 30 seconds, to make sure it’s combined.

Here, you have two options. Option A, fancy pants or Option B, get-r-done.

Option A

Fill a gallon size zip top bag with the macaroon ‘dough’, squeeze out all the air in the bag and zip tight. Cut the tip off of one of the sides. Hold the bag in your dominate hand and steady it with the other. Squeeze the bag, trying to form circles about the size of a quarter, onto the parchment lined baking sheet. These don’t expand in the oven, so you can pipe them about a 1/2 inch apart.

Option B

Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to get the macaroon ‘dough’ onto the parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. You’re looking for an exterior that is firm to the touch, but gives slightly when you press on them–that way you know the interior will be soft and chewy. Don’t brown them!

Let them cool and they’ll be infinitely easier to remove from the pan. Store in the fridge.

Chicken nuggets. Probably on the list of every kid’s ‘Top 5 Favorite Foods’. I’ve never really understood why. I’m more of a pizza & ice cream kid…I mean woman. But anyway..I’m no expert, but I imagine kids would never notice the switch-a-roo from any pre-made, frozen, or fast-food brand. If you’re rushed for time, I’d suggest flattening out the nugget, so it’s more of a patty–it’ll cook faster. We made a really quick Curry Honey Mustard to go along with.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 t onion powder
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 c + 1/2 c almond flour
• 1/2 c dessicated coconut*
• 1/2 c coconut oil
• S&P
• Curry Honey Mustard dipping sauce

Method

In a bowl combine 1/4 c almond flour, 1/2 c dessicated coconut and some S&P. Mix it around with your hands. In a separate bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1/2 c almond flour, onion & garlic powders, egg yolk and some S&P. Mix it with your hands until everything has been incorporated.

In a saute pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat.

Take about 2 tablespoons worth of the chicken mixture and roll into the shape of a ball. Drop it into the almond/coconut mixture and roll the chicken ball around with the fingers. Make sure it’s completely coated. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Place in the saute pan and cook on each side until nice and brown. I did 3 batches for 1 pound of chicken.

*Dessicated coconut is dried, finely shredded, unsweetened meat of the coconut. It’s the perfect size to replicate a bread crumb. If you can’t find it at your natural foods grocery store, you can always order it from Amazon.