Lime-Hemp Coconut Candy

Get prepared for St. Patty's Day (or any day) with these healthy and delicious lime dessert bars.  I love how the hemp gives these ample nutrition AND green color, making lime the perfect flavor!  It's raw, gluten-free, sugar-free, anti-candida friendly, low-carb, paleo, and just plain GOOD.   When I began experimenting here, I was originally inspired by the use of hemp in this recipe from Diet, Dessert and Dogs.  I really like how it seemed to complete the bars along with the coconut.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup almonds
juice from 1 lime
2 tbs ground flax
stevia, to taste
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

Place coconut, hemp seeds and almonds in a high-speed blender and, using tamper, blend until smooth.

Add the lime juice, flax, stevia, salt and optional vanilla extract.  Blend until thoroughly mixed.

Place either in a 9x9 pan or loaf pan lined with wax paper.  Use a spatula to smooth mixture out evenly.  Sometimes I wrap the wax paper over it and use that to help press it evenly across.

Place in the freezer for approximately an hour, or until it's quite set through to the middle.  Take out and cut to desired sizes with butter knife.  If it has hardened too much in the freezer simply leave it on the counter until it softens slightly.  I store this in the freezer and serve soon after as it will start to almost melt if it becomes too warm.  The oil in the coconut helps hold it together since it firms up at cooler temperatures.  It makes great bars that way --- function, flavor and nutrition!  See what else is crackin' at Wellness Weekend, February 21-25.

Lime Papaya with Mint (and how-to prepare papaya)

"Cheers!" to wellness and PAPAYA!  I've been giving away "New Year's Good Luck Papayas" to friends and family as they begin to ripen on the tree.  Full of natural healthful enzymes, fresh papaya is also so refreshing and delicious!  It was only somewhat recently that I found out it's not uncommon to squeeze lemon on the papaya.  While papaya is wonderful without anything added, the lime really compliments the flavor.  For extra pizzaz, I added some finely chopped mint.

Ingredients:

Fresh papaya
lime wedges
mint sprigs

Directions:

Allow papaya to ripen on the kitchen counter.  I eat mine when they look something like the ones in this photo.  They may have just a tinge of green left in some area(s).  I'd call this "medium ripe."  It really depends on your preference.  One thing I like about not letting the papaya ripen too much is that it can get quite mushy.  The less ripe, the more firm it will be.  Yet, allowing it to ripen "just enough" allows for the flavor to liven up.

First, wash papaya.  Then, cut off the very top just below the stem.

Using a veggie peeler, peel the skin off the papaya (BEFORE cutting in half).  Rinse briefly.

Now, cut papaya in half length-wise.  Isn't it so beautiful: the color and seeds?

Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.  You may either throw them away or save to grow more papaya plants!

Cut wedges of lime.  Depending upon how much papaya you have prepared, I use approximately one wedge per small bowl of papaya.  Finely chop sprigs of mint.

Slice papaya into strips, then cut those strips into smaller, bite-sized pieces.  Place in a bowl, then squeeze lime over it and sprinkle mint to complete this refreshing snack, dessert, or side-dish.  Enjoy!!

Stay tuned for a blog post about growing your own papaya plants!

Visit this week's Wellness Weekend for more wondeful recipes.