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Desserts are yummy. Delicious. Addictive. And often our Achilles heal. And trying to cut them out out or give them up is not easy. I speak from experience! It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it to lose weight, to avoid sugars and other processed ingredients, or to battle that often misdiagnosed issue of candida. It’s just plain hard to forgo that sweet tooth!
It’s an ongoing battle really. It’s not like you can simply wake up one day and never have a craving for something sweet again. For me, the answer has been two-fold.
- Spending time reading God’s word and studying the words ‘glutton’ or ‘honey’ (the sugar of Biblical times). This has been an eye opener for me.
It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls. Proverbs 25: 27-28
- Finding healthy desserts. Were those two words in the same sentence? Healthy and dessert?
To tell you the truth, there’s not a lot of desserts out there I would consider healthy, or even remotely allowed for someone on a restricted (but VERY healthy) diet like the candida diet. But, they are out there. I’ve altered one that contains two of my life’s loves: coconut oil and chocolate (shh!)
I’m sharing this recipe for a dear reader who shared with me her personal story/struggle with candida. Toward the end of her email she nearly broke my heart by saying, “after I seen your recipe on Ice Cream, I wanted to cry. LOL – I know it might seem odd but I just wanted to thank you for giving me hope.”
I can so easily remember that same thrill! To find a recipe that’s allowed, delicious, and healthy is like finding a needle in a haystack. So, S.H., these little gems are for you!
Coconut Chocolate Cubes (casein-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free, yeast-free, anti-candida, low-carb)
makes about 32 servings (1 Tablespoon each serving)
1 1/2 c. coconut oil
1 c. cacao powder
1 t. vanilla (or to taste)
1 t. stevia (or to taste)
Directions:
1. Melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan.
2. Add cacao powder and stir until dissolved.
3. Add vanilla and stevia to taste – just a little at a time will suffice – too much and it will start to taste bitter.
4. Measure one Tablespoon into each square of an ice cube tray and freeze. (You can also freeze it in a 9×13 pan and simply break into pieces.)
5. After about 1 hr. you can twist the trays and they’ll pop out just like ice cubes. Store in refrigerator or freezer (they don’t freeze completely solid).
We enjoy eating these with a handful of almonds. We’ve also had fun dropping an almond into each square of the ice cube tray for a nice surprise when you bite into it.
Makes about 32 squares (if measuring 1 Tablespoon into each ice cube tray square). Each square is 0.62g of net carbs.
P.S. What’s your preference? With almonds or without?
Don’t know where to purchase some of these ingredients? Visit our Whole Food Sources page.
Shared With: Flour Me With Love, Healthy Home Economist, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, The Prairie Homestead, Nourishing Treasures, Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, Real Food Forager, Time-Warp Wife, Young Living Oil Lady, Delicious Obsessions, Far Above Rubies, Vintage Wanna Bee, Growing Home, Whole New Mom, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Frugally Sustainable, Kelly the Kitchen Kop, The King’s Court, Gluten-Free Homemaker, This Chick Cooks, Deep Roots at Home, Day2Day Joys, GNOWFGLINS, The Greenbacks Gal, Our Simple Country Life, The Nourishing Gourmet, Your Thriving Family, Comfy in the Kitchen, Jill’s Home Remedies, Real Food Freaks, Food Renegade,
{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
I haven’t tried this with almonds! Howver, I regularly make these with almond butter mixed in. They definitely have to stay frozen b/c they are quite melty – but it’s great to have something a bit decadent that I can actually eat!
Anjanette…. How do you add in the almond butter? Do you make your own and do you live with Candida as well?
Hi Sabrina,
I don’t know how Anjanette does it, but we regularly add almond butter when we want it more ‘fudgy’. I use a food processor to make the nuts into butter and then we add 1 cup of the almond butter to the recipe. Stir it in and pour into the trays as directed.
We actually make it with the almond butter more often than this recipe – I just haven’t gotten around to posting about it.
This recipe sounds great! very few ingredients needed. and healthy and who doesn’t love chocolate! Thanks, for sharing.
WHAT CAN YOU USE IN PLACE OF VANILLA
Betty,
Vanilla is an option. You can use any other extract like almond, or just leave it out all together if you prefer.
I am on a strict candida diet and in place of vanilla I use French Vanilla Stevia. I was also wondering if you’ve ever used Walden Farms products? I just bought their liquid chocolate and I think I’m going to try these with it!
I don’t mean to rain on your parade Cyndee, but no, I’ve never used Walden Farms products. Their ingredients look far better than anything on the store shelf, but they use sucralose (Splenda) in everything.
I’ve read enough documents about Splenda to make me wary. . .
hmmmm, well that is good to know. I haven’t heard anything bad about Splenda, but I know it is still not recommended for the 100% strict candida diet. Stevia being the only one. Thanks Paula!
These look delicious!
Almonds or no almonds. Hmm. Well, sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don’t.
Yum, I make something similar but I add in shredded coconut and sweeten it with just a touch of honey. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of peppermint oil. YUM!
What a great treat! The possibilities are endless on what you could add for a surprise. Thank you for posting this yummy recipe!
Yummy! I’m going to feature this on next week’s linkup! Thank you for linking up with us!
I keep saying that I am going to buy ice cube trays for great ideas like this one, but I never seem to remember when I’m out. However, this recipe might make me want to remember!
YUM!
A word of advice – buy several! LOL We double the recipe and it fills 6 ice cube trays – and we still run out all the time!
Thank you SO much for sharing these (and for linking up!).
Because of my past history with candida issues, my midwife put me on a sugar-free “diet” for my first trimester. I cannot wait to try these yummy looking treats!
Your welcome! And congratulations!
I wonder if there is a gaps legal way? I cannot eat stevia either
Is honey and maple syrup GAPS legal? You could add just a bit and taste test it until it became the sweetness you wanted.
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts!
I just bought some silicone ice cube trays so I can make chocolate candies. Your recipe is perfect
Love, love, love chocolate & coconut together! Pinned & Featuring on Green Resource tomorrow.
Thanks Andrea!
Do you use liquid or powdered stevia? I’m not really sure of the difference. Can you substitute 1:1 (liquid v powder)?
Can’t wait to try these!
Kenna –
I’ve actually used both. I use powdered in the recipe.
I have used liquid flavored stevia in these before, but it seemed like the stevia settled to the bottom of the cube – there was always a very powerful flavor of it along the bottom – too much so.
The powdered stevia seems more evenly disbursed so that’s what I’ve stuck with.
Thanks for popping in!
This sounds so much like what I’ve been looking for…only to do with carob powder, since I don’t eat chocolate. Has anyone tried doing this or something similar with carob powder?
HI Judy,
How is carob? Do you live with Candida as well?
These look delicious! Does the coconut and chocolate separate when frozen?
No, there isn’t any separation of the cocao (or cocoa when I’ve used that) and the coconut.
This batch pictured does have the tiniest layer of coconut film on top – not sure why it did for this batch – it was so minute we couldn’t even tell when we were eating them.
We make these about once a week (seriously) and that rarely if ever happens. I just make sure to give it a good stir every once in awhile while I’m filling the ice cube trays.
I am new to using stevia, did you use liquid stevia or powder?
Hi Sabrina,
I’ve used both liquid and powdered. For some reason the liquid seems to settle on the bottom so you get a real strong taste if you lick the bottom of the cube LOL.
I’ve come to prefer the powdered form, it seems to dissolve better. I absolutely recommend Stevita Spoonable Stevia – much better than Truvia or the cheap brands you can buy at your local Wal-Marts or grocery stores.
Thanks Paula, I just got this…. and Yes, I am so grateful. Not just for the yummy desserts but for your kind and giving heart. God bless. I cannot wait to try these.
Have you ever used xylitol as a sweetener in these? I just made them today with my packets of stevia, and they are tasty. Just wondering if xylitol is an acceptable substitute.
Hi there Michelle, thanks for stopping by.
I’ve never used xylitol in these, though I suspect it would work just fine as it simply needs to dissolve – the sweetner (stevia) I add doesn’t have any other effect than making it sweet – it doesn’t disturb the composition of the cubes at all whether it’s in there or not. My guess is it would be the same with xylitol.
That being said, I’ve never used it as doesn’t seem as healthy a sugar substitute as some would have you believe. Articles like this one make me steer clear: http://www.naturalnews.com/022986_xylitol_health_sugar.html
I have used Xylitol and Stevia. Xylitol is much harder to disolve so if you used it in this recipe, it might be gritty. My Mom and I have made chocolate before by melting unsweetened chocolate squares (baker’s chocolate) and stirring in stevia and xylitoll, so i know this from experience. I can’t wait to try this recipe, Paula. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Deborah!
Paula, I made this chocolate and it was amazing!!! Thank you!!! I did add a little xylitol to it since it was hot, it disolved and actually, I liked sprinkling a little on the outside of it, when it was done to make it sweeter. I didn’t book mark this recipe and then tonight when i wanted to make it again, had to search through my emails (because I had forwarded the link to a friend). Thankfully, I found it and will write it down this time!!!!! Thank you!!
Debbie
So glad you found us again Debbie – and so glad you liked them! They are definitely our family’s go-to snack. And being that they’re so healthy, I don’t mind a bit!
My sister-n-law sent me this recipe from your site, I tried it and it took just a bit to get the stevia portion just right but I so appreciate it for a little treat. I signed up for your updates. I just began a new way of eating to rid me of candida and your site is pretty awesome. I reference your blog in my post I wrote about these candies, hope you don’t mind.
Mind? Not a bit. I’m glad you enjoy them! These were/are a lifesaver for me! Thank you for your sweet words – I hope you’ll find lots of good information here.
Hi! The chocolate coconut cubes look delicious! I am a coconut lover too! I am a new blogger, blogging on faith and food
Just wanted to say hi and nice to meet you! This would be a fun, easy, delicious one to get the kids in on!
Hi Candace!
Welcome to Whole Intentions and to blogging!
The coconut cubes are easy – my older boys (14, 12, 8) make them regularly for the family. I don’t think they even look at the recipe anymore – it’s memorized!
This looks great! What form of stevia are we talking about? I use stevia extract.
I’ve used both liquid and powdered. I’ve noticed though, that the liquid seems to settle on the bottom so I prefer the powdered form. I absolutely love Stevita Spoonable Stevia
– much better than Truvia or the cheap brands you can buy at your local Wal-Marts or grocery stores.
Thanks Paula. Is Stevita less sweet per volume or the same as stevia extract? I can’t wait to try this.
It’s kind of hard to say, honestly. I do think Stevita is sweeter per volume than some of the other stevia powders we’ve tried (mainly Truvia), but I’d have to say compared to the stevia extract it’s pretty similar.
Thanks Paula.
That is a brilliant recipe. I just was 3 months strict on the diet and failed now on Christmas to keep up with it and ate chocolate. I should have done these before. Now I have to start again :/ but I was wondering about the cocoa powder. I thought it’s not allowed because the coffeine in it? I would love to use cocoa but bought carob instead but carob doesn’t taste as nice.
Olivia
Hi Olivia,
I started out using cocoa and then switched to raw cacao. I don’t think either are ‘technically’ legal. But there are a few tiny areas I allow myself to not be 100% strict – like this one – or I’d never be able to stick with it.
And don’t feel like Christmas will put you back to square one. It’s like exercising and eating healthy – those three months did do something for you. You were fighting candida!
You faltered (we all do that!), so you pick yourself up and keep truckin’.
Don’t get me wrong, a few days of bad eating isn’t encouraged while on this diet, but you certainly didn’t erase those last three months of hard work.
Keep on going, girl!
Oh and my mum has a stevia plant. That is a really good thing. Will order plants for myself after Christmas and work with them. I somehow don’t trust the processed stevia products in the shops.
There should be def more help on the market for candida sufferers. I’m glad I found you here
Hi, I’m new to this diet, and need recipes. But I just really dont like the taste of stevia.
(maybe I havent learned how to use it right) but is there anything else I can use?
Hi Laura,
If you really want to follow a candida diet, I’d suggest giving stevia another try. We like Stevita Stevia, but I’ve also heard others who really like NuNaturals. If you get too much stevia (depending on the brand) it can taste a little bitter. If you’re following a recipe that calls for stevia, I’d suggest putting in a little, taste-testing, maybe adding more, taste-testing. . . and finding out how much you need for your particular taste. For instance, I’ve found I need twice as much Truvia to make the same sweetness as Stevita Stevia.
Found your site and love it. I follow the Phase I Anti-fungal diet from Doug Kaufmann, http://www.knowthecause.com. For almost 40 years he has been trying to educate people on the fungus link to most health problems. When on Phase I, which is to kill the fungus, he only allows xylitol and stevia. He warns to ensure your stevia (especially the powdered) does not contain any sweetners like malitol and dextrol, etc. Anyways, I suggest his site (and cookbook) for learning about the fungus link to health problems and great recipes. Another great site is http://www.eatingwithpurpose.com by Kristin Kons. She is a frequent guest on Know the Cause. Both are Believers!
Thanks for passing this on Jennifer. I was just looking at a stevia brand called NuNaturals and was surprised to see maltodextrin in some of their lines. Buyer beware!
Thanks for the other sites too. It’s great to have several good resources!
Hi, I was recently put on a yeast free/sugar free diet and I was excited to find this recipe. This recipe has made me SUPER nauseous and I just threw up some of the chocolate. I will definitely not be making them again
did anyone else have this happen?
Kelly,
My guess is that you took too much too soon.
Coconut oil is an anti fungal. Most people do not have a problem with it. . .unless they’re dealing with severe candida. My husband took too much when we first started eating it and it made him sick also.
As with anything thing, take just a little bit at a time and ease into it. Let your body get used to it or it’s too overwhelming. Also, killing candida or yeast off too fast can also be hard on your system, especially if you have a severe case. Start out slowly, just a few nibbles if needed, and gradually increase every few days as you can.
I can’t wait to try this – re Walden Farms products – I bought the Peanut Spread and it was awful – then I read the ingredients and it had Splenda as well as different food colors, sodium benzoate, to preserve it. It tasted so bad that my husband, who likes everything under the sun, had to spit it out. I never even thought about chopping almonds in my food processor. I’m really excited because this is easy.
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