2 Ripe plantains* (amarillos)
1/2 cup Oil
8 tablespoons peanut butter

Peel and slice plantains into 1/2 inch slices.  Fry in oil until soft, flipping to lightly brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Lightly salt if desired. Top with peanut butter. Serves 4.

*Plantains are a type of banana but larger and much less sweet. Wait until they are black before you open and they will be sweeter. Unripe plantains can be also fried in oil for chips.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sweetened shredded or angel-flake dried coconut
2 bananas
1 lime
1 pint mango sorbet

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Spread coconut on a baking sheet. Bake until toasty brown, 3 to 5 minutes (watch carefully, since coconut can burn quickly). Let cool.

2. Peel bananas, cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices, and put slices in a bowl. Finely shred zest from the lime (shred just the green part, not the bitter white pith underneath) over the banana slices. Juice the lime and toss juice with banana slices.

3. Divide 1/2 of the banana slices among 4 parfait glasses or small glass bowls, lifting bananas out of the lime juice with a fork or slotted spoon. Top bananas in each glass with 1/4 cup sorbet and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. coconut. Repeat to make a second layer in each parfait. Serve immediately.

1 cup sugar
1/2 c. very good cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
2 c. water
1/4 c. brewed espresso (1 shot)
11/2 tbsp. coffee liqueur (recommended: Tia Maria)

In a large saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in 2 cups water and the espresso. Cook over low heat until the ingredients are dissolved. Off the heat, stir in the coffee liqueur. Transfer to plastic containers and refrigerate until very cold.

Freeze the mixture in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer's directions. The sorbet will still be soft; place it in a plastic container and freeze for 1 hour or overnight, until firm enough to scoop.

4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place apples, sugar and cinnamon in pan, cover and cook on low heat.  The apples will excrete liquid to make the sugar into a sauce.  Stir occasionally.  Do not brown. 

Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans light coconut milk
3 1/4 cups milk substitute
3/4 cup short-grain brown rice
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Put the coconut milk, milk substitute, rice, salt and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers very gently. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender but chewy and absorbs most of the liquid, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the pudding from the heat and transfer to a bowl, or divide among 4 to 6 individual bowls. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and cool in the refrigerator, about 1 hour.

To serve, top with brown sugar and bananas.

Other topping suggestions: Diced fresh pineapple with toasted coconut and finely grated lime zest, berries or peaches sweetned with honey or 2/3 cup dried blueberries steeped in 1/2 cup boiling water.

To top

3 ounces popped popcorn, approximately 3 quarts
1 cup salted peanuts
4 ounces CF margarine
16 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 2 cups
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray as well and set aside. Combine the popcorn and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla and stir until combined. Heat the mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F, approximately 10 minutes.

Pour the syrup over the popcorn and stir to combine. You will need to work quickly because the syrup hardens rapidly. Spread the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Cool completely. Break into pieces and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

1 stick (8 tablespoons, 1/2 cup) CF margarine
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (about 1 lb.)
2 cups of chunky peanut butter
2 cups of GFCF substitute for Rice Krispies (such as Rice Twice)
1 package of GFCF chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together except for chocolate. Refrigerate for several hours. Overnight is ideal. Form peanut butter mixture into small balls. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip balls into chocolate using small spoon or toothpick. Set on wax paper and let cool.

Makes about 3 dozen peanut butter balls.

12 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted CF margarine
6 ounces semisweet CF chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup white CF chocolate chips

Lightly grease a large bowl and place the popcorn in it.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water and cook over medium heat to the soft ball stage, 235 to 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Off the heat very carefully, add the butter (it will boil furiously), stir in the chocolate and vanilla.

Very carefully, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture over the corn, stirring to prevent from lumping. Continue stirring until the mixture is cooled and the popcorn is evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine and coat. Turn out onto a silpat or a greased foil-lined sheet pan. Let cool, then store in airtight containers.