Pineapple Lemon Bark

GAPS and Paleo approved

1 cup coconut butter (3 cups of coconut flakes in a Cuisinart or Vitamix make 1 cup butter)

1 cup cashews

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened, organic)

¼ cup local honey

Zest from 2-3 large lemons

¾ cup dried pineapple (sugar free if possible)

1½ teaspoon vanilla

Mix together the coconut butter in Vitamix (blender or Cuisinart). Add cashews and coconut oil and blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency – not long, some remaining texture is great! Pour out mix onto a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet and spread thin. Put tray in the freezer to harden for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and cut bars into desired sizes. Place back in freezer for another 15 minutes. Plate.

Store in freezer until ready to serve. Can be prepared days ahead of time for party prep.

Cononut butter can be purchased or homemade. To make your own coconut butter you are in control of the ingredients and freshness. If you have a Vitamix pour 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes into the canister and mix on high for roughly three minutes. If you blend too long it will darken your butter, too little, you’ll taste coconut flakes instead of smooth butter. If you do not have a Vitamix it will just take longer in a Cuisinart (roughly 10 minutes).

Lemon zest is best from fresh lemons in a recipe like this. If you can not do fresh lemon zest use store bought – the end result will be crunchier and have less punch. Personally I make this recipe sometimes with 5 large lemons instead of two and add lemon extract instead of vanilla.

If you are using pinapple rings they work the same just cut them up into smaller chunks to start. Preferrably use your own dehydrated pineapple rings and add more honey to the recipe.

After you pour the ingredients out on to the tray spread it thin to your desired thickness. Thicker spread will be more of a fudge, thinner will be more of a bark.