The aftermath of this year’s extra-cold winter weather has much of the country daydreaming about mid-summer heat waves, tropical drinks, and seasonal berries. What better way to quell the common cold funk than to create a summer love fest in your kitchen?
These bright purple macaroons will brighten up even the darkest winter day. A little time in the oven toasts the coconut nicely for that essential nutty sweetness. Health-promoting berries add many phytonutrients, making these a berry good choice when you need a sweet treat, a little reprieve from winter, or both.
Ingredients
4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup maple syrup
3 large egg whites
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups blackberries or a mixture of blackberries and blueberries (for this batch we did 1¾ cups blackberries and ¼ cup blueberries)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Blend the coconut in a food processor for about 30 seconds. Add the maple syrup and blend again until it comes together, about 30 more seconds.
3. Add egg whites, salt, and almond extract and blend again for 30 more seconds. Add berries and pulse machine until the berries are broken down. Stop the machine and stir the mixture with a spatula to evenly distribute the berries. Pulse again a few more times and stir again. Continue to do this until the berries are fully incorporated and a brilliant purply-blue colour.
4. Scoop rounded spoonfuls with a 2 tbsp scoop (an ice-cream scoop works well for this!) onto the baking sheets and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, rotating halfway through, until they look a little toasted on top and are cooked through. Let them rest on the tray for half an hour before digging in.
Kris Osborne from Toronto, Ontario
Kris is a holistic chef, recipe developer, and food photographer/stylist who sees food as a source of both nourishment and pleasure. And because she believes that true wellness is about both, she has made it her life’s mission to come up with the most vibrant and delicious food and drinks, and to share with you. When she’s not dreaming up goodness in her kitchen, shaking up healthier, inspired cocktails, or posting on her blog (or how about this one), she can be found taking photos, snuggling with her cat, laughing until her tummy hurts, getting sweaty at the gym, or teaching cooking classes in Toronto.
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