Carrot-Coconut Macaroons
I thought we’d attempt to celebrate Passover with my little ones for the first time this year, but it didn’t go as planned. There was illness, a storm, 10 devastating plagues. It was a rough week. At least we talked about the holiday a bit. My daughter insisted on telling me EXACTLY where to hide the afikomen, and was repeatedly delighted when she found it (although we used a cloth napkin instead, because repeatedly hiding matzos among her socks and underwear and pajamas somehow didn’t feel right).
And, I made these macaroons. They’re raw/vegan/paleo/delicious, and I think I can safely say they’re pretty healthy, too. I adapted the recipe from these beauties, and they’re basically homemade larabars with tons of raw carrot (instead of just nuts and dried fruit), rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate. So easy, and SO good — they’re weirdly perfect macaroons. I hope they join you in your celebrations, whatever they may be.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups shredded or chopped carrots
1 cup walnuts, loosely packed
1 cup dates, loosely packed
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut plus another ½ cup or so for coating
One bar of dark chocolate for melting/dipping these into (optional)
Directions
Add everything but the coconut into your food processor and blend. I stopped once the dates were in smallish pieces. Then add the coconut and pulse just until the dough is mixed.
Pour the extra ½ cup of coconut into a bowl. Shape the dough into little balls (or whatever shape you want), and roll them in the coconut until they’re well coated.
Optional: Melt a bar of dark chocolate (I do this in the microwave and it takes under a minute) and dip in half of each macaroon. The chocolate will harden after a minute or so. Lick the bowl clean while you wait — someone’s gotta do it.
I store these in the freezer, though the fridge would work, too. I hope you love them!
Natalie Eve Garrett is an artist and writer, and is also cooking up a collection of food stories and recipes called The Artists’ and Writers’ Cookbook. Prints of her art are for sale here.
