Mandarin Orange Cake

1 1/3 cup raw sugar
3 eggs
¼ cup white bean, pureed
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges with the juice
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
2 ¼ c. whole wheat flour
3 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt


Mix together and pour into 3 round cake pans that are greased and lined with wax paper.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes at 350<. Let cool. Frosting: 12 oz. Cool Whip 3 oz. instant vanilla JELLO pudding 1 small can crushed pineapple with juice 1 cup shopped pecans Mix together the pudding and pineapple. Then fold in the Cool Whip and nuts. Frost the cake and let refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (Over night is best.)

Tropical Rice Pudding

Another enticing coconut milk recipe from Valine :

1 Can Japanese or other short-grain white rice
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 15 ounce can unsweetened light coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
large mango, sliced

In 3 quart saucepan, heat rice, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Increase heat to medium; stir in coconut milk and cook uncovered until rice is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasional.
Transfer rice pudding to serving bowls; cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight to serve cold. Top with mango slices and toasted coconut before serving.

Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate Sauce

Claudia Gertsch found this delightful dessert on Veria, and healthy living tv show that has a great healthy cooking show called Naturally Delicious. Here's the recipe she found and has used a couple times already:

This has got to be one of the most popular desserts we make each day. It is a tofu-based pie, but you’d never know it since the texture is so creamy. The sweetness from the coconut is very appealing, too. Be sure to make a high-standing rim of crust to hold the generous amount of filling for this pie. Although the filling will move slightly in the center when done, as the pie cools the filling will become firm and creamy.

Serves 8

2 (12.3-ounce) containers vacuum-packed extra-firm silken tofu (such as Mori-Nu)
1 cup maple sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons arrowroot
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
oat pastry crust
chocolate sauce

Directions:

Position the rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Blend the tofu, maple sugar, coconut milk, 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, oil, arrowroot, vanilla and almond extract in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour the coconut mixture into the baked pie crust.

Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded coconut over the pie. Continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the coconut is golden and the filling is set around the edges but still moves slightly in the center when the pie dish is gently shaken. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely. Cover the pie and refrigerate until cold. Cut the pie into wedges and transfer to plates. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over, and serve.

The pie will keep for one-day, covered and refrigerated.

Brenda's Fabulous crisco-free Pie Crust

2 cups flour
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. salt

Just barely mix together with a few turns with a fork (it won't be completely blended) and place 1/2 of dough mixture between 2 sheets of wax paper. Roll out into a circle and place in pie pan.

Bake pie shell at 425 for about 11-13 minutes depending on your oven. It should just barely be turning a golden color on the edges.

Always put your fruit pies into a large brown paper bag and seal the edge before putting it into the oven. The paper bag will keep your crust from burning. Bake all fruit pies on at least 400 degrees.

Brenda's favorite apples for baking are McIntosh and Jonathons.

Thanks soo much for the demonstration Brenda!

Cheri's white bean oatmeal cookie recipe

White Bean Oatmeal Cookies

Servings: About 30

Sift together and set aside:
2 c. flour, whole-grain
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. nutmeg

Mix together:
1 c. turbinado sugar
¼ c. coconut oil, melted
½ c. canned white bean, pureed
2 eggs
½ c. skim milk
Blend altogether with the flour mixture and then add:
½ c. pecans, chopped
½ c. raisins
2 c. oatmeal
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and drop large spoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake: 350º for about 15 minutes.

Nutritional info for 1 cookie:
119 Calories 4 g. fat (28.2% cal. from fat) 3 g. Protein
19 g. Carbs 2 g. Dietary Fiber 14 mg. Cholesterol
29 mg. Sodium

My original recipe calls for ¾ cup melted Crisco. I tried ¾ cup bean but the texture wasn’t quite right, so I tried it again with just ¼ oil and the rest bean. It was great. I’d still like to try ¼ cup olive oil or applesauce with the bean to see how it turns out. I’ve also used bean in place of Crisco in my other recipes and as long as I put in a little oil it tastes great and has a good texture.