Coconut Secret Bars/Homemade Healthy Mounds

Dark chocolate?  No sugar? Coconut? Meet the Coconut Secret Classic Coconut Bar.  I ran into my friend at the grocery store, and she was begrudgingly buying her husband a very expensive bar that he just loved and HAD to have:  Coconut Secret Classic Coconut Bars.  I was familiar with other Coconut Secret items, and just love them all, but I had yet to notice these.   I decided to buy one to see what all the fuss was about, and promised I would try to engineer a recipe if I liked it enough.

Liked it enough?  No, that would not even begin to describe my feeling towards these bars.  The bars literally melt in your mouth, not too sweet, but a lovely dark chocolate coating setting the whole flavor through the roof.  I am HOOKED!  But each bar is close to $3...ouch!  Maybe because they are still too new?  Regardless, I had to try and recreate these beauties....and succeed I did young Padawans...the force must have been strong with me on this one....and don't hate me for putting something so divine in your face.

If you like Mounds Bars or Almond Joy...well these are a very close cousin that are allergy friendly and made with real food ingredients only (their ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate, chocolate, corn syrup, sugar, milk fat, cocoa butter, coconut, salt, soy lecithin, PGPR, hydrolyzed milk protein, sodium metabisulfite, caramel color, sulfur dioxideto and milk).  My ingredients?  All real food and nutritious.

Do you have a favorite treat that is also healthy?  Share a link in the comments!  And don't forget to check our Allergy Free Wednesdays, a great way to give AND get inspiration!

If you love chocolate and coconut, you may want to check out these other recipes:

• Raw Chocolate Macaroons
• Toasted Coconut and Chocolate Cookies (Samoas)
• Almond Joy Bars

4 cups grated, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup softened or melted coconut oil (Trader Joe's sells 16oz organic for $5.99)
2-4 tablespoons coconut nectar (I liked this best, however you could use real maple syrup, honey, or agave)
roasted whole or slivered almonds (optional)

Coating:
1 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces (OR you can sweeten your own baking chocolate squares-the ones with no sugar.  I did a mixture of 6 squares/1/4 cup coconut nectar/40 drops vanilla creme stevia)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

In a food processor, put the filling ingredients and blend 1-2 minutes until well incorporated and smooth.  Taste for sweetness, add more if you like.    It is necessary the coconut oil be soft or melted so the mixture blends.   Line an 8 x 8 or similar sized  pan with waxed paper or parchment.  Pour the mixture in and spread around evenly.  If you would like to use almonds, now is the time.  Press them in!   Place the  pan in the fridge or freezer to speed the solidifying process.  Meanwhile, melt your chocolate with the coconut oil.  Once solid, lift the whole chunk out by lifting the paper.  Cut into desired shapes.    Dip each piece in the chocolate, letting the excess drip back before laying it on A Silpat, parchment, or waxed paper to solidify.  Store in an airtight container on the counter or in the freezer.  unlike most coconut oil delicacies, these are solid at room temp and travel well out of refrigeration.

This recipe was shared on Allergy Friendly Friday, Lunchbox Love,  Fight Back Friday,  Wellness Weekend,  Pennywise Platter, Thriving on Thursdays,  Real Food Wednesdays,  Gluten Free Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Whole Foods Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday,  Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul, Traditional Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays,