The little treasure disappeared quickly, but I played my favorite game—guess what’s in it!—even so, identifying coconut, lemon, and dates. When I got stumped, Martha filled in the blanks: ginger, vanilla, and coconut manna, also known as coconut butter, an ingredient I had never before used. Coconut butter was new to Martha as well, but after spotting the recipe for these “lemon pie” date balls in The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook, she made the trek to Honest Weight Food Co-op for the manna and hasn’t looked back since. Neither have I. These no-cook date balls are so tasty and easy to throw together, too: purée pitted dates, coconut butter, ginger (fresh or powdered), fresh lemon juice, and vanilla (bean or extract) in a food processor; portion the mixture into balls; then roll the balls to coat in a mix of shredded coconut, lemon zest, and sea salt, which is incredibly delicious and pretty to boot.
What is Coconut Manna?
You may be wondering how coconut manna differs from coconut oil and if you can use the two interchangeably. Unfortunately, you cannot:
Coconut oil is the oil that has been extracted from the coconut meat.Coconut butter is made from the flesh that has been ground into a spreadable paste.Coconut oil is best used for cooking (sautéting, roasting, and baking).Coconut butter is best used with foods that are already cooked.
Note: Per Martha’s suggestion, I store these balls in the freezer and find it nearly impossible to walk by without sneaking one. They’re not too sweet, nicely chewy, and completely satisfying. I think you’ll approve. 5 from 4 reviews How, you might be wondering, does coconut manna differ from coconut oil? Coconut oil is the oil that has been extracted from the coconut meat, whereas coconut butter is made from the flesh that has been ground into a spreadable paste. You cannot, unfortunately, substitute one for the other. Coconut oil is used for cooking (sautéting, roasting, and baking), and coconut butter is used with foods that are already cooked. Notes from The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook: In order to measure the coconut concentrate, it is best to soften it in a warm-water bath before use, as it is solid at room temperature. (I did not do this.) If you find yourself sensitive to vanilla bean seeds, scrape out the seeds and just use the pod.
