Welcome to summertime! A period of the year when the sun’s out longer, temperatures seem to get hotter by the day, kids have finished school, and a taste for the tropics spreads throughout the country. Although the official start of summer is still over a week away, summer vibes are already in full swing.
As many hit the roads or hop on planes to make the most out of their summer vacations, my family will be having fun locally this year. After all, we already live in a tourist mecca that gives us much to see and explore in our own backyard so why not utilize it. We will be frequenting Walt Disney World and the beaches voted best in the U.S., so nothing to complain about. We do plan to vacation next year so I have a year to daydream of all the fun places I want to explore next.
If you’ll be like me, dreaming of destinations rather than experiencing it first hand, try venturing out to places unknown with your taste buds. A great way to experience other places in the world without traveling is through a culture’s food.
For example, if getting whisked away to the islands is your dream, then try making these skinny coconut lime bars. Enjoy the flavors of the tropics, zesty lime and creamy coconut, all without wrecking your hard-earned summer bod. So kick back, put the lime in the coconut, and whisk it all up into a delicious, sweet summer treat!
Skinny Coconut Lime Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup Coconut Flour
- ½ cup White Whole-Wheat Flour
- 1¼ cups Pure Maple Flakes; divided
- ¼ tsp. Sea Salt; divided
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil; room temperature
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 tbsp. Lime Zest; finely grated
- ½ cup Fresh Lime Juice (about 5 limes)
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut; lightly toasted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Mist an 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, using a length of paper long enough to partly cover the sides of the pan for easy removal. I recommend not skipping this step as it will be more difficult to get the bars out of the pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, white whole-wheat flour, ¼ cup maple flakes, & 1/8 tsp. sea salt. Stir to break up any lumps. Use a pastry cutter to blend in oil until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine eggs, remaining 1 cup of maple flakes, lime zest, lime juice, shredded coconut, & remaining 1/8 tsp. sea salt. Whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Pour egg mixture over baked crust and return to the oven. Bake until filling is set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once bars have cooled, run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Grab the excess parchment paper and lift the bars out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 squares to serve.
Honeybee's Patisserie 