PEPPERMINT OREOS DIPPED IN DARK CHOCOLATE

Makes 10-12 sandwiches

Cookies:
2/3 cup almonds
2/3 cup brazil nuts
1 cup dates
3 tablespoons carob powder
Pinch of sea salt
1-3 tablespoons water, if needed

Vanilla creme:
1 cup coconut chips
1 cup coconut shreds
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1-3 drops of peppermint essential oil, as desired

Dark chocolate:
Use this recipe.

To make the cookies: grind the nuts into flour in a high speed blender or food processor. Add the
rest of the ingredients (except the water) to the nut flour in a food processor and process until it
all sticks together in a ball. If it's still too crumbly after a few minutes, add a little water. I did
this and suddenly my very dry mixture became the perfect cookie dough consistency! Roll this
dough out between two pieces of parchment paper then cut out cookies with a cookie cutter. Put
them in the freezer until they are solid and can be handled without falling apart. If you have any
extra dough, make a giant 'ugly' cookie and sprinkle it with some sea salt. No dough left behind.

To make the vanilla creme: blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender, adding the
peppermint oil to taste (it's very potent!) If your blender isn't powerful enough to blend
everything into a thick, coconut butter-like mixture, then add some more coconut oil, and
perhaps a liquid sweetener or some dates and water.

Sandwich the coconut creme with cookies, making little dollops on each cookie then gently
pressing down another cookie on top. Throw in the freezer for another 30 minutes or until they
are solid and very cold.

Make the chocolate, then pour it into a tall, narrow bowl and dip in your frozen cookies. You
will have to have 2-3 rounds of dipping, letting the chocolate on the cookies harden after each
time. Enjoy!

NOTES: if you want the cookies to be darker, add more carob powder; if you want the creme to
be whiter, try omitting the nut butter and adding more coconut oil or maple syrup.
SUBSTITUIONS: use oat flour, buckwheat flour, or any nuts instead of almonds or brazil nuts;
use cacao or cocoa powder instead of carob; use vanilla extract instead of powder; salt is always
optional; use more coconut shreds instead of coconut chips; use any nut butter instead of almond;
use date paste instead of coconut oil; use peppermint leaves instead of essential oil.