From Jasper, With Love - No-Bake Chocolate Macaroons

Highway 93 (Icefields Parkway). Read more about our drive here.

So, I was in Jasper for New Years this year - which for all my fellow Celiactics (new word of the day) is a Gluten Free wonderland. I had the BEST GF lasagna EVER at a bar called Downstream Bar and Grill. It was a revolution. Made with spinach, goat cheese and sweet potato. I'm sure Nathan is tired of listening to me rave about this meal, but it was too awesome not to tell everyone about.

Needless to say, the food is worth the trip. Yes the mountains are breathtaking and the drive up Highway 93 is awe-inspiring (the glaciers are incredible) although this time it was a tad more icy than our previous mid-April road trip.

I'm lying. The drive was harrowing, But the lasagna was worth it.

So there. 

Go to Jasper. 

Go to Downstream.

Order the lasagna (which also happens to be vegetarian).

Eat it and be amazed. 

I am determined to try to make this soon. Seems a great winter meal.

Oh man. I digressed.

So, lasanga aside, another "must-eat" in Jasper are the macaroons from the Bear's Paw Bakery. I'm embarrassed to say that I had one in the afternoon of our second day in town, then preceded to fixate on it ALL night and had to make an emergency pit-stop there the next morning. I'm even more embarrassed to admit that I actually pretended to be throwing a party that evening so I wouldn't be so rightly judged when I bought not two, not three, not even five, but tweleve - yes, twelve - cookies.

We got home last night. 

I only have six left. 

I really need to go for a run.

Okay, so super easy, super fast; takes around (an I'm using that word in a skewed up italics kind of way) 40 minutes all in. Easier then my fabulous chocolate utopia cookies since they are no-bake, and just as good. Plus they are GF! Awesomeness. 

You will need:

6 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oatmeal
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I like large flake)

In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa, milk, butter and sugar heat to a boil for two minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. 

In a small bowl, add oatmeal and coconut. 

Pour chocolate mixture over oatmeal and coconut and mix well - use your hands for better results, but be careful, boiled sugar is evil. 

Drop by the tablespoon (or handful) onto wax paper and let set until dry. These freeze well, not that you'll have any to freeze...