A NEW YEAR TREAT (VEGAN, GF)

Never did I think I could find a healthy alternative to one of my favorite ingredients, heavy cream. I use heavy cream way too often on almost a daily basis and it is not that I think it is bad, but it just has a lot of grams of fat & plenty of calories. As soon as I found out coconut milk can be separated in the fridge into 2 parts, water or syrup and coconut meat, I set out to create this recipe.

As winter sets in, I am dreaming of those summer desserts. Light, airy full of bright, popping flavors perfect for a light snack. The greatest thing about this dessert is that it can even be eaten for breakfast because it is just that healthy! The granola has fresh blueberries mixed into to ensure a wholesome product, nothing dried or powder. I included hazelnuts into the mix because I love the slight bitter flavor they add. This dessert is certainly inspired by the new year's healthy and happy resolutions. 

Lemon Coconut Cream with Fresh Blueberry Hazelnut Granola (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of coconut milk (A Taste of Thai)
• 1 lemon (zest & juice)
• 1 tablespoon of organic powdered sugar
• 1 ounce of raw hazelnuts
• 1 ounce of old fashion oats
• 1.5 ounces of blueberries
• 2 teaspoons of raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon of honey

Steps:

1. Refrigerate the cans of coconut milk over night or 24 hours. This will allow the milk to separate into 2 parts: the thick meat of the coconut & the coconut water/syrup. 
2. After refrigeration, open the cans and scoop out the thick coconut meat into a medium bowl and set the water/syrup aside for another use. In the bowl, add the zest and juice of the lemon to the meat & whisk with a hand mixer for 5 minutes. The meat should transform into a cream. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and whisk just until combined. Wrap the bowl and place it in the fridge to allow the cream to set up for 20 minutes.
3. Chop the hazelnuts in a food processor until split into medium sized pieces. Add in the oats and blueberries and chop for another few seconds. Mix in the sugar and honey. Place this mixtures onto a sheet tray. Bake in the oven at 350'F for 15 minutes.
4. To assemble the little cups I made, I just simply layered the granola and cream until full! I also sprinkled a little lemon zest on top. These would be great even for breakfast because they are so healthy!