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While scrolling Foodgawker (where I get quite a bit of inspiration…or where I go to just chill sometimes. It’s basically Pinterest – all food, better pictures.), I keep seeing birds’ nest candies. They’re really cute and springy, so I made a healthy version. No M&M bird eggs here. Dare I say, “unfortunately”? Just this once? The M&Ms would be more colorful than almonds or peanuts, but the nuts taste just as good in my opinion.
These candies are really easy to make, and they’d make the perfect addition to a spring party! Made with coconut flakes, coconut oil, healthy chocolate, and topped with your nut of choice, the flavors are reminiscent of an Almond Joy candy bar!
Trim Healthy Mamas (click here to see my quick synopsis of the plan), these candies are a cute S dessert (or you could have a couple with some protein for a snack)! They’re loaded with healthy fat in the form of coconut oil. Candies that rev your metabolism? Yes please!
You can snag my “official” pin for this recipe from my Desserts board here.
Question of the day: what nut would you use to top these candies with? Comment below and let me know! Hey…pistachios would be colorful!
You can find this recipe in my cookbook, Necessary Food.
- 6 T finely-shredded, low-fat unsweetened coconut flakes (I used the Let's Do Organic brand; see note below)
- ¼ cup coconut oil (either refined or virgin; the latter will give a stronger coconut flavor), melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 packets Truvia, ground in a coffee grinder (1½ tsp. spoonable Truvia, or use half that of THM Super Sweet Blend; feel free to add more sweetener if desired)
- 2 T coconut oil (refined or virgin), melted
- Scant tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder (a doonk is 1/32 tsp.)
- -
- Nuts of choice for topping (I used peanuts, but almonds would give an Almond Joy flavor.)
- Sea salt for topping, optional
- Combine the nest ingredients and pack into 6 mini muffin tin holes. Hollow out a dip in the center of each tin with your thumb to create a nest shape. Freeze until firm but not frozen solid.
- Combine the chocolate filling ingredients. Pour a little into the hollow of each nest. Freeze again. You'll have some chocolate left over, so freeze it by itself if you like or use for something else.
- Before the chocolate is totally hard, press your nuts of choice into the top of it. If using unsalted nuts (or even if your nuts are salted), sprinkling a little sea salt on the top of the candies would be nice as well.
- Freeze until firm. Store in freezer. Enjoy! Yields 6 candies.
Suggested products:
- Finely Shredded Coconut Flakes
- Truvia
- THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder and THM Super Sweet Blend can be purchased from the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
Can you tell me why you use imitation vanilla in your recipes? There isn’t anything in real vanilla that would make it off-plan for THM, but there is in imitation vanilla, so just curious.
Hi Stephanie! Most of my recipes actually call for regular vanilla extract, but some of the older ones still call for the imitation. Basically, my mom does the grocery shopping and that’s what she buys. 😛 Just use regular vanilla extract in its place if that’s what you prefer (you may want to use a bit less).
Love these! I made them over the weekend and have ate on them all week. Do you know the carb count per batch?
Hi April! No, I’m afraid I don’t know the carb counts. The healthy eating lifestyle I follow (Trim Healthy Mama – you can find out more by clicking the “Starting THM” tab in the menu bar) doesn’t revolve around counting numbers so I generally don’t count because I don’t have to. 😛 It’s really nice.
Those are so adorable!! 🙂 I can’t wait to try them!