Coconut macaroons, by Diane

We made these as a Passover dessert and they were so good! We were all really impressed with how these turned out, and they were really easy to make. We reduced the sugar by a 1/2 and because it seemed like a lot, and added an extra egg white to hold them together, both of which came out great so I am adding them below. We also discovered that they softened when stored overnight in a tupperware container, which made them way better and more authentic, so I would suggest making these ahead of time!

Recipe from delish.com

Ingredients:

5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 egg whites

1 pinch of salt 

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

1.5 cups chocolate chips 

1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350, line a baking tray with parchment paper, and spray w cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, salt, sugar and vanilla until light and foamy. 

3. Fold in coconut and mix well. Roll into mounds lightly and place spaced apart on the tray.

4. Bake for 20 minutes (we tented ours with foil at the end because the tops were browning). Cool on a cooling rack. 

5. While the macaroons cool, melt chocolate and coconut oil until smooth. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate then drizzle the tops with chocolate. Let harden.

Whole30 Pumpkin Carrot Cake Muffins, by Diane

During this time of insanity thus known as corona quarantine, I knew immediately I needed to switch my diet to a Whole30 lest I eat everything in the house (aka the 'quarantine 15'). But since this is a crazy week I wanted something a little sweet to have as a snack or quick breakfast. These are SO FREAKIN GOOD and I will continue to make my little 'quarantine muffins' for the whole duration of this mess and then some!! They are also so nutritious and packed with good ingredients.

The recipe was originally inspired by this article, but I found that the texture and flavors were way off. So I improvised and came out with this version, which I am posting below. I added in raisins for extra sweetness and decreased the original amount of sweetener, added shredded unsweetened coconut to mimic carrot cake, and added more pumpkin pie spices (the original called for just Chinese five spice powder which was too savory). These are best stored in the fridge for the week, but they also freeze well according to the original recipe (I wouldn't know as I have eaten them all by the end of the week!).

Do yourself a favor and make these stat- they are well worth the trip outside!!!

Ingredients:

3 eggs at room temperature
4 medium carrots, peeled
1.5 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (if you don't have this on hand you can increase some of the spices below)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup date syrup (or other sweetener if you aren't doing whole30) (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup but I think 1/4 is sweet enough)
2 tbsp. almond butter
1 tsp melted coconut oil
2 small boxes (around 4 tbsp.) of dark raisins
2 tbsp. shredded unsweetened coconut
Garnish with slivered almonds and toasted pumpkin seeds


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a muffin tin. I have found that foil liners sprayed with cooking spray work amazing for nonstick perfect muffins!

2. Sift together all dry ingredients (almond flour, five spice powder, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda, tartar, and salt) until mixed finely. Don't skip this step as almond flour tends to form clumps.

3. Grate the carrots (or use a food processor) until ground small, then strain in a thick layer of papertowels or cheesecloth.

4. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, date syrup, almond butter, and coconut oil until smooth. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Add in carrots, raisins, and coconut and mix well.

6. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins, you should have enough for all 12 filled to the top. Garnish with almonds and pumpkin seeds, making sure to press them lightly into the muffins so they bake in.

7. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the tray 180 degrees halfway through cooking.

8. Remove and let sit for 1-2 minutes, then place the muffins in their liners on a baking rack to cool.

Coconut Almond Chicken Fingers, by Diane

I am trying out new air fryer recipes for this latest round of Whole 30, and I created these one weeknight for a quick dinner. They were pretty good, but definitely tasted more baked than fried. I read that spraying them with oil helps them taste fried, and will try that next time!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cut into strips (or chicken tenders)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup almond flour
1 egg
1 cup arrowroot flour
salt and pepper (I used Goya seasoning)


Directions:

1. Prepare three bowls: arrowroot flour, whisked eggs, and coconut/almond flour/seasoning. You want to over season the coconut mixture so that its almost too salty to taste as it will taste less salty once they are done.

2. Dip the chicken first in the arrowroot, then eggs, then coconut mixture and place in air fryer basket.

3. Cook at 400 degrees for 8 minutes, flip and cook another 6.

Garifuna Hudut, by Diane

We were recently blessed with the presence of this amazing chef in Belize, Ivy Flores. We loved her cooking so much we went back breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3 straight days, and on the 4th day she taught us how to cook some of her cultural specialties. This was one of the dishes, and I have been craving it since I got back a few weeks back. This is EASY to throw together and the flavors are out of this world! I was afraid mine wouldn't turn out like hers, but I'm happy to report that it was spot on!!

Ingredients:

2 ripe plantains, cut into 2 inch cubes
2 unripe plantains, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 can coconut milk, full fat (we made our own with her, but I have since found it doesn't taste the same or have the same consistency, so canned is easier!)
Water
Chicken bullion or consume, about 2 tsp
3 green habanero peppers, whole
4 okra, whole (I couldn't find these in season so I bought frozen sliced)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 small white onion, chopped
2 tbsp. crushed oregano
Salt to taste
2-3 fish filets (tilapia, flounder, or snapper), cut into chunks
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Coconut oil
Optional: yams or sweet potatoes

Directions:

1. Boil water and add plantains, boil until fork tender. Let them cool completely and then mash with one clove crushed garlic. Set aside.

2. Pour the coconut milk into a soup pot, then fill the can back up with water and add to the pot. Add in bullion/consume, habaneros (keep whole- you don't want them to burst), okra, onion, remaining clove of garlic, and oregano to boil. Add in the sweet potatoes/yams now too if using. Reduce to a simmer uncovered.

3. Meanwhile, coat the fish in salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then fry in coconut oil until just cooked. Add into the soup along with pan drippings.

4. Simmer together for another 5-10 min, adjust seasonings (I found Goya works best).

5. To serve, grab a small ball of the plantain mixture and dip in the soup, or you can create dumplings out of the plantains and drop them in. All good!!!

Frenchy's Chicken Salad, by Diane

About 17 years ago my family and I vacationed in Clearwater, FL and we came off the beach into a casual beach shack called Frenchy's for lunch. My mom and I ordered the chicken salad pocket, which was a beachy type chicken salad with toasted coconut, grapes, and nuts in a pita pocket. We came back for that lunch about two more times during that week, and have since created this recipe at home. This week, I was really missing being at the beach and trying to decide what to come up with for lunch that would be Whole30 compliant, and I remembered this chicken salad. I could've sworn that I had posted this before, but like so many other recipes on this blog, I haven't. This is quick, easy, and a great go-to lunch, not to mention an interesting chicken salad recipe so things don't get boring.  I ate mine in lettuce cups instead of the pita pocket to make it Whole30 compliant and a bit healthier.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded or cubed
2/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/4 cup nuts (I picked slivered almonds since I had those on hand)
1 cup red grapes, halved
1/2 cup mayo
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried rosemary

Directions:

1. Toast the coconut just until it browns in a small pan, watching carefully and stirring often so that it does not burn (this will happen very quickly so keep an eye on things). Set aside.

2. Toast the nuts in the same pan, with the same process. Although you will want to toast both the coconut and the nuts together, the coconut will brown much more quickly than the nuts so make sure you do this separately. Set aside.

3. Combine all of the ingredients together, stirring well.

Homemade Coconut Milk, by Diane

I suppose it was bound to happen that I would make this recipe at some point. Having already made my own oat milk and almond milk it was only a matter of time! I recently switched to coconut because I wanted to see if almonds were giving me headaches, and I was eating a lot of my milk in soaked oats so having oat milk seemed like overkill. I've been buying store bought coconut milk for a few weeks now, but I don't love all the added chemicals and lack of nutrients that raw coconut has, plus I know it's way cheaper to make your own milks at home! So this week I learned how to make coconut milk, and let me tell you, it's not only easy and cheaper than store bought milk but it's also WAY tastier! Coconut acts really different than grains and nuts, so there were a few variations on this recipe that differed from the other two. When I looked online, no two recipes were the same. Some had the coconut soaking for a while before using, some had varying ratios of coconut to water, etc., so I just did what made most sense to me which is below!

I keep finding new ways to customize it by adding flavors, proteins for easy smoothies or tonics, or spices to help boost the immune system. This batch here has tocos and cinnamon in it and it's delicious. I also made a matcha version that is seriously seriously good and tastes amazing on soaked oats! Of course, the plain version is also fine :)

Ingredients:

*makes ~7 cups of milk*

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
6 cups of hot water (I use our spring water that we get locally, but filtered water would work too)
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch sea salt
Optional sweetener (I don't think it needs it unless you're drinking it plain)


Directions:

1. Soak the coconut for a while. It can be 30 minutes or it can be overnight, if you're pinched for time it doesn't have to be soaked at all!

2. Heat the water- you want it to be hot but not boiling. Apparently this helps the coconut release more of the good stuff.

3. Strain the coconut and add it into the blender with the water. Make sure you use a spatula to really push the liquid out before adding it. (Some recipes say you shouldn't drain the water the coconut is soaking in, I'll try that next time!)

4. Blend on high power for about 5 minutes to allow all the nutrients to leach out of the coconut.

5. Strain the mixture, pushing with a spatula to get all the liquid out of the coconut, then add the milk back into the blender along with whatever other ingredients you are adding (if using vanilla, salt, and sweetener, add them now). Blend on high for 30 seconds (or long if you are adding powders).

6. Pour the milk into a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Shake well before using.

Coconut Curry Dijon Chicken Fingers, by Diane

I came up with these last night to make as a quick and easy dinner, and they were really good! I used what I had on hand, but it came out perfectly and they were really juicy and had a great flavor.

Ingredients:

Chicken (I used about 1.5 lbs)
2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup flour (I used quinoa flour that I had on hand)
1 tbsp garlic salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp pepper
1 egg
3 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Slice chicken lengthwise into strips. You may need to half the chicken breasts so they aren't too thick first.

2. Create two bowls for dredging- the first containing the coconut, flour, and spices; the second containing the egg and dijon. Combine the ingredients in each bowl well.

3. Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with cooking spray, and set it next to the bowls.

4. Dredge each of the strips of chicken into the mustard/egg bowl first, then the coconut bowl. Press down firmly so the coconut topping sticks well.

5. Place the coated chicken strips on the baking sheet with a some room in between each strip. Cook for 10 minutes, flip, and cook another 5-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Green Matcha Soaked Oats, by Diane

Given my latest obsession with green mylk, I wanted to try a new variation on my superfood soaked oats. This version is really good, and I promise you can't taste all the health benefits packed in here!


Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick oats
1/2- 1 cup green mylk (depending on how soaked you like the oats, see recipe link on blog)
2 tbsp. matcha powder (I love Sencha's matcha latte mix!)
2 tbsp. dried cranberries
1/4 tsp of cinnamon, turmeric, maca, and ginger
2 tbsp. cacao nibs
Toppings of almonds, unsweetened shredded coconut, and hemp seeds


Directions:

Mix all ingredients except toppings together and let soak from 1/2 hour-overnight. Add in toppings when you are ready to eat so they are still crunchy!

Green Mylk, by Diane

Lately, I haven't been drinking smoothies or juicing because it's been so cold, and I haven't been eating as many leafy greens. I was brainstorming a way to solve this problem when I came across an article for green mylk, and I knew this was perfect for me to try (note: I now cannot find this article...). Basically, you can use any type of milk and any greens, and you can sweeten it or keep it plain. I typically whiz up a batch and keep it in a mason jar for a few days in the fridge. If I'm feeling lazy I will use store bought milk/mylk and add greens from there. Either way, if you're using a mild green like spinach you'll barely taste this, but still get a great boost! Win!

Note: I usually use the recipe for my homemade oat milk, but lately I've been subbing the oats for coconut with awesome results! :)

Ingredients:

1 cup oats
3 cups filtered water
3 soaked dates or 2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp pink sea salt
2 cups spinach


Directions:

Blend until completely smooth and store in an airtight container.

Almond Butter Apple Stack, by Diane

I have had a really busy schedule lately, and this snack I came up with a while back has been a great option to keep me full and energized on the go! It's pretty customizable, but I tend to use the ingredients listed below for protein and fuel (except the chocolate, that's for me!). It's really great post-workout or if I'm craving something sweet at night but don't want to eat junk. I stack it up like this and wrap it to eat it on the go one layer at a time, but if I'm home I'll just leave the rings on a plate and eat it like that (it kind of reminds me of my watermelon pizza this way!). YUM.

Ingredients:

1 large apple (I use organic granny smith)
2-4 tbsp unsalted, unsweetened almond butter
Toppings: shredded unsweetened coconut, hemp seeds, mini chocolate chips, almond slivers, sea salt

Directions:

1. Slice the apple horizontally into 5 rings, removing the cores.

2. Spread the almond butter on top, sprinkle on ingredients in this order (if you sprinkle the larger ones first the smaller ones won't stick, and then you only want a small amount of sea salt).

Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs, by Cheryl

Wow, this was good! The sauce had such a nice taste to it... I couldn't stop tasting it when it was cooking. This was pretty easy and quick to make and was a big hit, though it may have been a little too spicy for Julia. The original recipe didn't include breadcrumbs, but I just couldn't get the meatballs to form right without them, so I added them in. I would have liked the meatballs to be a little more tender, but they were still good. I served this over cauliflower rice for me and brown rice for Jon. Yum!

Ingredients (modified from original recipe):

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ground basil
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1.5 cans coconut milk
1/3 cup chopped basil

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375.

2) Mix the curry powder, basil, ginger, garlic powder, almond flour, and bread crumbs together in a bowl. Add in the meat and incorporate well. Finally, add in the egg and form meatballs. Place on large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

3) While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add coconut oil, onion, garlic, peppers, and ginger. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Add curry paste then all of the coconut milk. Simmer for 10 minutes until coconut paste is mixed into the sauce.

4) Add meatballs to the sauce and cook for an additional five minutes. Finish off with fresh basil.

Slow Cooker Coconut Basil Chicken, by Cheryl

Picture from here

This was a good dish. Not great, but good... decent. It was super easy to make, as you only had to put a couple of items in the blender and then pour that over the chicken and let it cook for 4 hours. I served it with some basmati rice and it went well together. I really liked the coconut and basil together! Yum!

Ingredients (from here):

1 lb chicken boneless, skinless chicken breast
14oz canned coconut milk
2 cups basil
1 tbsp ginger
1 jalapeno
3 garlic cloves
2 limes
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1) Add everything but the chicken into a blender and blend together.

2) Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Pour mixture on top of chicken. Cook for four hours on high or until tender.

Banana, Mango, and Spinach Smoothie, by Cheryl

This has been my go to smoothie in the mornings! It's sweet from the mangoes and gives me a green boost from the spinach. An added bonus is that Julia loves this smoothie as well... I usually end up splitting it with her because she always wants more. Paired with an egg muffin from the previous recipe and it gives me the energy I need for a great morning workout, or a typical morning of chasing after Julia. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water
1 banana
1 cup frozen mango
chia seeds flax seeds
2 cups spinach (I've made it with kale as well)

Directions:

1) Pour coconut water and chia seeds into blender. Let sit for a couple of minutes in order for the chia seeds to absorb the water.

2) Add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.

Chewy Coconut Cookies, by Cheryl

Like my picture?

These are delicious! The coconut is such a nice taste to have in a cookie! I was trying to find a recipe using ingredients that I already had in the house and these flaky coconut pieces have been in my closet for who knows how long. They're not the healthiest, but they are oh so good! The recipe is from here. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2) In a medium bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in the flour mixture, then mix in the coconut. Drop dough by the teaspoonfuls, about 3 inches apart, onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

3) Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven, or until lightly toasted. Cool on wire racks.

Spicy Tropics Juice, by Diane

This juice is super hydrating, energizing, and provides an amazing kick midday that will keep you going! The fresh pineapple is amazing for inflammation and pain as well. If you want it sweeter, you can either add more pineapple or a sweetener. This one is a keeper!


Ingredients:

6 cubes fresh pineapple
1/2-1 inch ginger
1 inch slice jalepeno, seeds and ribs removed
1 large handful cilantro
1 large handful parsley
3 large leaves/stems kale
1/2 lime, peel removed
1 orange, peel removed
1/2 cucumber, peeled if not organic
1/2 cup coconut water

Directions:

1. Juice all ingredients in the order above and enjoy!

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Tarts, by Diane

These gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free heavenly bites of deliciousness were a definite hit at a recent Thanksgiving-themed gathering, and I will definitely be making them again! They are a fantastic alternative to regular pumpkin pie, and are quick and easy to prepare. They don't even require precious oven space during holiday prep! And the best part is that they are both healthy and bite-sized, so you don't really overdo it like you would on normal pumpkin pie (or you can feel free to have 5 and still feel relatively ok with yourself!). Bonus- the crust recipe is extremely versatile and will be on heavy rotation for lots of fun future recipes!

Recipe from: http://detoxinista.com/2013/10/no-bake-pumpkin-tarts-vegan-paleo/


Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water for at least 30 minutes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


Directions:

1. Line a standard muffin tin with 8 parchment cups, and set aside.
2. To prepare the crust: pulse the walnuts and shredded coconut in a small food processor until ground into a fine meal. (Be careful not to over-process, or you’ll wind up with nut butter instead!) Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and salt and process again until just mixed, and the dough sticks together when pinched between your fingers. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons into the 8 parchment cups and use your fingers to press down and form a crust for each cup. Place the pan in the fridge to set while you prepare the filling.
3. To prepare the filling: simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Remove the pan of crusts from the fridge, and pour/spread the batter evenly into the 8 cups. Smooth the top, then return to the fridge to set completely, about 4-6 hours.
4. When the center of the filling is firm to the touch, the tarts are ready to serve. Top with whipped cream, if you like!

Breakfast Quinoa, by Diane

I've been seeing a lot of recipes lately for using grains other than oats at breakfast. I couldn't really imagine eating this at breakfast time, but decided to give it a try. I picked quinoa since it's a complete protein and packed with nutrients. This recipe was surprisingly good, and very filling. I can't wait to make it again and add more types of fruit in the summer!


Ingredients:

1 package quinoa (roughly 2 cups)
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsp. agave
Pinch salt
Raw shredded unsweetened coconut
Sliced strawberries


Directions:

1. Combine quinoa through salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Let boil until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Let sit covered for 5-10 minutes until tender.

2. Top with coconut and strawberries, or any fruit you like. :)

Coconut Banana Spinach Smoothie, by Diane

This past weekend I found a local festival with lots of cool vegan treats. Among the treats was one of my favorites- a green coconut. I brought it home and created this smoothie, which packs a great nutritional punch and is an amazing pick-me-up midday. The addition of spinach really doesn't change the flavor, so I often add it into a lot of my drinks. The only difficulty in this recipe is cracking open the coconut- but once you do you'll be glad you did because there is no comparison from store bought to fresh raw coconut!

Ingredients:

1 green coconut, both the liquid and the meat
1 banana, preferably on the spottier sweeter side (bonus if it's frozen!)
1 handful spinach leaves


Blend until smooth!

Eggplant Curry, by Cheryl

Not the most appetizing shot... but it was delicious!

The first week we were in Italy we met our friends Ashley and Kamalan. Kamalan is Sri Lankan so when they have us over for dinner their meals usually consist of Sri Lankan cuisine made by Ashley. The food is so delicious and SPICY! Ashley gave me all of their recipes and I've tried making some of them. While the meals generally don't take that long to make, it's very hands on using a lot of spices that were a little foreign to me. I've made this dish twice and both times it came out very well... although the second time was a little better since I knew what to expect. I highly suggest giving it a try since this can be a side dish to any meal you make, not just when the whole meal is Sri Lankan. Yum!

Ingredients:

- one eggplant
- 1 can coconut milk
- oil (to fry)
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- spices: anise, cinnamon, chili powder, tumeric, curry powder, black pepper, salt, crushed fenugreek (I didn't use this), cumin powder, and curry leaves (about 6). Use more curry powder than the other spices.

Directions:

1) Cut eggplant into small pieces. Toss with red chili powder, salt, and tumeric.

2) Heat oil in a pan and fry the eggplant. Remove once eggplant has browned and dry on a paper towel.

3) Add a few tablespoons of oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add the spices and saute until the onion is cooked.

4) Add the can of coconut milk, more tumeric and red chili powder to taste.

5) Mix well, add the eggplant, and let simmer until the curry sauce has thickened.

Coconut Chicken, by Cheryl

On Monday night I was at a total loss for what to make for dinner! I put some chicken in the sink to defrost without knowing what I was going to do with it. I almost gave in and grabbed the take out menus, but as I stood staring at my pantry for awhile I thought I'd put some coconut to use. I found this coconut chicken recipe from an old issue of Cooking Light. Paired with some sweet chili sauce and white rice, this dish hit the spot. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 cup rice flour (I used regular flour)
  
• 1 cup whole buttermilk (I used skim, which is what I had on hand)
  
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Sweet chile sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture; dredge in coconut.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and red pepper flakes to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Serve with chile sauce, if desired.