Food Friday: Coconut Oil Peppermint Bark

We love Coconut Oil!  We use it on our skin, hair, teeth, and eat it by the spoonful.  Why?  Well, this chart shows just a few of the reasons why coconut oil is so good for you (and this is a very abbreviated chart!).

The girls love to eat it by the spoonful, but I find it a little bit harder to consume this way.  I use coconut oil instead of butter in most of our baked goods, and I like to add coconut oil to our smoothies. 

One day I was searching the web and found a recipe for Peppermint Patty's made out of coconut oil!!!  Chocolate is my weakness!  I still drool over the candy in the check-out line despite knowing how awful it is for my health.  So to be able to make a healthy "candy" at home - that is pure awesomeness!  I took the recipe and altered it a bit based on what I had available at home, what I thought would taste good, and what I thought would be easiest.

First, you will need a good quality Coconut Oil.  I purchase mine through Vitacost.  They have several brands, but Nutiva is our favorite.

I used an 8x8 silicon baking dish so that I would not have to mess with lining a pan with parchment paper, but you can go that route if you'd like.

RECIPE:  COCONUT OIL PEPPERMINT BARK

Ingredients:

*2 cups coconut oil, melted

*Wisdom Natural SweetLeaf® Sweet Drops™ Sweetener Vanilla Creme (also available at Vitacost)

*4 oz. dark chocolate, melted (or 1/2 cup cocoa)

*Peppermint Essential Oil (or you can use Peppermint Extract, just use more of it)

Directions:

+Divide the coconut oil into two glass mixing bowls (approx. one cup in each).

+Mix the chocolate and about 5-10 drops of the Vanilla Stevia into the one bowl of coconut oil.

+Mix 2-5 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil into the other bowl of coconut oil.

+Pour about half of the chocolate mixture into a silicon baking dish.  Place in freezer for 5-10 minutes, or until hard.

+Pour peppermint mixture over the hardened chocolate layer and place back in freezer for another 5-10 minutes, or until hard.

+Pour the remaining chocolate mixture on top and place back in freezer for a final 5-10 minutes, or until hard.

+Break off pieces and enjoy!  Store in refrigerator to keep it from melting. 

(You can also purchase Coconut Oil and SweetLeaf Vanilla Creme at Puritan's Pride)