This Carob Coconut Bark is rich and creamy, with a texture very much like chocolate. It’s sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, and vegan. Suitable for any stage on an anti-candida diet.
There seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to carob. The first one says it’s a great substitute for chocolate (the “carob is my friend” school); and the second one says it tastes nothing at all like chocolate and why did you deceive me and proffer this unfamiliar dirt-brown substance when I was expecting. . . CHOCOLATE? (ie, the “carob is fodder of the devil” school).
Me, I don’t really subscribe to either school of thought (ah, wait, I just said there were only two schools of thought. You see why I skipped the calculus class and took Modern American Literature instead).
I like to think of carob as its own entity, perfectly delicious in its own right and, at the most, a distant cousin of chocolate (after all, both are derived from pods that contain seeds, right?). Carob’s flavor is less intense and isn’t in the least bitter (it’s even used as a sweetener in some circles).
On the other hand, carob contains no caffeine or fat (cocoa is about half fat); it provides about 1/3 the calories of cocoa; it’s high in protein; and it lacks the oxalates that chocolate contains, so won’t cause the digestive issues that can ensue from too much unbridled chocaholic revelry. [source]
When I first started an anti-candida diet, I relied on carob for many of my treats, partly because caffeine is commonly prohibited at the beginning of the diet (and chocolate can also trigger cravings). Years before, I’d become familiar with a local confection called Carooba (doesn’t that make you think of Fred Flintstone or Ralph Kramden about to do a little dance and jump with joy? As in, “Caarrrrooooba!”). Basically a candy bar made with carob instead of chocolate, it was also sweetened with stevia. I mean, could there be a more perfect bar? It came in three flavors, as I recall: plain, raisin, and toasted coconut.
As much as I love my chocolate (and I really, really, REALLY love my chocolate), I like to give carob its due, too. I was thinking about the Carooba bar the other day and decided to re-create it at home. A little playing, a little Instagram snapping, and I had it down!
This bar makes a fabulous sweet treat when you’re craving a little somethin’ somethin’ and don’t want the effects of chocolate. It’s also perfect if you’re just starting out on an anti-candida diet. Carrrooooooba!
(“This one makes us happy, too, Mum–we love carob! And it’s safe for dogs!! Carr–ruff! ruff!–ba!”)
Carob Coconut Bark
Super simple to make, this bark is reminiscent of chocolate, without providing all the caffeine or triggering cravings in the same way. The added cashew butter allows for a creamy smooth texture, but feel free to swap out with sunflower or sesame seed butter (tahini) if you can’t have nuts.
6 Tbsp (45 g) carob powder (can be raw or toasted)
1/4 cup (60 ml) virgin coconut oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) smooth natural cashew butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure plain or vanilla liquid stevia, or to your taste
Line a small square container with 2 layers of plastic wrap (this will prevent the bark from sticking so you can get it out easily for cutting). My container was about a 4-inch (10 cm) square.
In a small pot over lowest possible heat, melt the coconut oil and cashew butter together. Stir to combine well.
In a mini food processor (I love this one) or Magic Bullet, quickly whir the carob powder to break up any lumps. Add the oil mixture and stevia and blend to combine. Add the coconut and stir well, but don’t blend again.
Pour the mixture into the container and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Remove from the container, peel off plastic, and cut into pieces. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. The carob bark will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks, but can also be served at room temperature (it will begin to soften, so don’t keep it out too long!). Makes 9 pieces.
Suitable for: ACD All stages; sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, vegan.
If you’re new to the anti-candida diet or looking for ongoing support, I can help.
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That sounds interesting! I’ve never tried carob but I really ought to sometime…
I love it, June. It’s milder than chocolate, even a little nutty tasting. And really good for you! 🙂
I still can’t come at carob even when I try to see it as more caramel than chocolate – but I do like the sound of your bark (ha ha!) It looks like what we call coconut rough which is so good it makes me weak at the knees!
Hmmm. . . never thought about the caramel connection, but that would be a good one! And The Girls appreciated the “bark” joke, too. 😉
Oh, Ricki, that looks so good! Must share on All Gluten-Free Desserts! I always loved carob. Used to get carob treats back in my hippy dippy days. 😉 I think it’s its own thing, too. I find it very satisfying. Combining it with coconut and cashew butter sure sounds like a divine intervention to me. 🙂
Thanks!
Shirley
I haven’t tried carob in years because of the disappointing lack of chocolate taste. This looks and sounds so good that it’s time to give it another try! I love all the health benefits too. Sounds like a win win!
I have always been fond of carob AND chocolate. I don’t see carob necessarily as a substitute, you must learn to use it as something different. You need less sugar with it because it’s not as bitter as cocoa, and I can have it in the evening without fearing troubles with sleep. it also contains a lot of fiber and calcium! I am glad my kids likes it,,,
Totally agree, Catherine. And thanks for adding the point about calcium–forgot to mention that one! 🙂
I made this last night and I LOVE it! It’s my favorite treat I’ve made so far on the ACD. Anyone who hasn’t liked carob in the past (fortunately I do like carob) really should try this- the combination of carob and toasted coconut is delicious. Thank you for posting!!!
Yay! Great to hear that, Jenny! I love it, too (whether or not I’m eating chocolate!). 🙂
I’m excited to try this one! As I said on fbook I really like carob. Definitely not as a substitution for chocolate, but in its own right. I’m all out of carob chips but have a ton of carob powder so this is perfect.
Can’t wait to hear what you think, Emma! I’ll often go for this instead of chocolate. . . just sometimes in the mood for carob! 🙂
this looks ridiculously amazing, Ricki!
Aw, thanks, Cheryl!! This is something you could have, right?? 😀 xo
Can I use almond butter since I can’t have cashew?
Ingrid, you can, but the final texture might be a bit more grainy. It should still taste good, though! 🙂
Its Yum I added Raw Organic Pecans .
I also made some Carob Frozen Organic Bananas Theses were so good I rolled them in Dried Mulberries Ate them for breakfast
That sounds like a great variation, June! Glad you liked it. 🙂
Just made the carob coconut bark. Quite yummy! Even my daughter, who doesn’t generally like carob, liked this.
That’s great, Rebecca! My hubby (also not a carob lover) scarfs it down, too. 😉
I’m on week 2 of the ACD, I’m just doing my own thing and the information out there is SO conflicting. One website says no to one thing n another yes. Carob does have sugar in it naturally, is there a reason it’s ok on the diet? What about cacao, maca, lucuma etc?
Sarah, congrats on starting the ACD! There are loads of different diets and different approaches as well as what’s “right,” depending on whom you ask. That’s why I always encourage people to find a good practitioner so they can get individualized attention and tweaks to the diet. This is a great question. I often answer questions in my Sweet Life group or the free Living Candida-Free Facebook group. I will add this to my list and cover as many as I can! 🙂
Isn’t Carob too high in sugar for being able to qualify for Candida diet?
Hi Jenn, I talk about this more in my book, but carob is low on the glycemic index, with only about 2g natural sugars per tablespoon. In my recipes, a serving will generally not contain more than a tablespoon of carob. The pure flour also is high in minerals and fiber, both important for overall health and candida. Of course, everyone is different, and if you react to it, you shouldn’t use it. Hope that helps!
I’m a little late to the party, but wondering if carob molasses is okay to use instead of stevia? Or, since it’s molasses, is this an absolute no-no on the ACD? Thanks Ricki! And thanks for the wonderful recipe. I’m hosting a baby shower in a few days, and making all sorts of goodies that I can’t eat (aaaargh!), so I’m planning to make this little treat for myself! 🙂
I’m afraid it would change the texture in any case, since you’d likely need so much more. I haven’t tried carob molasses, so I don’t really know what the glycemic index is. If it’s high in sugar, it would be a “no-no” for the ACD, though.
This looks amazing! However cashew butter is *not* suitable for a candida diet (because cashews are higher in mold). Do you think sunflower seed butter could be substituted? I’d still love to try them!
Jordanna, I address this issue in my book, Living Candida Free. All nuts, seeds, grains, and other dried products harbor mold. Of the top moldy nuts, in many studies, cashews fall behind peanuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts and walnuts, even though the latter are often included in an anti-candida diet. For both those reasons, I was okay using cashews and am fine with them. Cashews do also appear in some other well-known anti-candida diet protocols. If you wish, you can try sunflower seed butter, but I suspect it will have both a different taste and texture. If you do try it that way, come back and let us know how it worked out. Hope that helps!
Is raw cacao/cacao nibs not allowed on the diet? I can’t find information about this anywhere…
This is one of those questions that has different answers depending which diet you follow. I am okay with them, but others aren’t. I suggest you ask the person whose candida diet you are following.
I love this recipe. I cant have cacao but this carob recipe is the nicest I’ve tried and really hits the spot when you feel like I treat.
Yay, so glad, Denise! It’s one of my all-time faves as well–and I LOVE chocolate (of course I actually love carob, too. . . !). 😀