Coconut S'More Bars (Gluten-Free and Paleo friendly)

Does this post's title make you nervous?  Fear not. No paleo dieters around here.

Paleo does seem to be the in diet these days, and while I know a few people who are doing it and understand the general concept, bread and cheese are two of my life staples. The idea of giving them up kind of makes me want to hop on a flight to Paris where I can subsist on an unending supply of baguettes and strong cheese.

Why am I posting a pseudo-paleo recipe, then, you ask?

I love food of all kinds. I love experimenting. And I LOVE dessert that tastes decadent without necessarily being so. Thus my research into the paleo craze focused, unsurprisingly, on what you CAN eat in the dessert category.  What I found was encouraging. As part of the paleo diet, you are allowed to have (in moderation) dark chocolate, honey, coconut, coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut flour, almond flour, and gelatin, which to me, immediately brought to mind the idea of a s'moresesque dessert with a coconut macaroon bottom, dark chocolate center, and marshmallow top. (I also just realized that yesterday was National S'mores Day? Did you know that existed?)

To be completely transparent, my version is not technically paleo, as I used store bought marshmallows instead of making my own, and I used sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened. If you want to make the legit version, you'll have to make your own paleo marshmallows, which looks fairly easy, and use unsweetened coconut with a little extra honey.

Paleo eater or not, if you're a healthy-loving-dessert-person like me, you will adore these grain-free, almost processed sugar-free coconut s'mores bars.

Also, if anyone knows how to cut through marshmallow dishes without the sticky stuff ending up all over your fingers, the dish, and any utensils, please let me know. I tried the sharp/wet knife trick to no avail.

Not that I complained about licking the sticky chocolaty marshmallow off that spatula....

Coconut S'More Bars (Gluten-Free and Paleo friendly)

Ingredients:
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup dark chocolate chips
5 tablespoons coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (If using unsweetened, add an extra tablespoon or two of honey)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond flour/meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. (or line with parchment paper, if you have it)

In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, coconut oil, shredded coconut, almond flour, baking soda, honey, vanilla, eggs and salt.
Pour mixture into prepare pan, and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven. Turn the oven to broil and move rack to upper third of the oven.

Sprinkle dark chocolate chips in an even layer over the coconut mixture, followed by the mini marshmallows.  Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching very closely. Remove as soon as the marshmallows are toasted.

Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut into bars.

Coconut Base adapted from Living Healthy with Chocolate.

Inspired by Top with Cinnamon.