Banana Cookie Dough Bites

Cookie dough from the bowl, the spoon, the raw batter you were told not to eat as a kid: that specific comfort does not translate onto AIP without work. This recipe rebuilds it dose by dose, one banana coin and one press of dough at a time, which means 12 small acts of patience before you get 12 small acts of pleasure.

Tigernuts are small tubers, not nuts despite the name, and the flour milled from them runs unusually high in resistant starch, the kind of fiber gut bacteria break down into compounds that seem to support gut lining repair. Banana's potassium plays its own quiet role in the nerve and muscle signaling that inflammation can throw off.

Make the ganache glossy. Scatter the coconut with a light hand. These are 12 small proofs that a limited plate can still hold real pleasure, not a lesser version of it.

Ingredients

Cookie dough:

• 1/4 cup tigernut flour
• 2 + 1/2 Tbsp melted organic palm oil shortening
• 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 1/4 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Carob ganache:

• 2 Tbsp carob powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter (manna), softened and stirred until smooth
• 1 Tbsp + 5 tsp water, divided (used to adjust the ganache consistency)

To assemble:

• 1 large banana
• Shredded coconut, for garnish (optional)

Method

Slice the banana into coins approximately 1/4 inch thick. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined plate or small baking sheet. Set aside.

Make the cookie dough. In a small bowl, combine the tigernut flour, melted palm oil shortening, salt, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Stir until the mixture comes together into a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds its shape when pressed. If it seems too loose, a brief rest of a few minutes will help it firm slightly as the flour absorbs the liquid.

Pinch off a small amount of dough - roughly a teaspoon - and press it gently onto the top surface of each banana coin, flattening it into a small round disc. Work through the whole batch before starting the ganache.

Make the carob ganache. Combine the carob powder with a tablespoon of the water in a small bowl and stir into a smooth paste. Add the coconut oil and softened coconut butter and stir until fully combined and glossy. If the mixture is thicker than you would like for drizzling, add the remaining water a small amount at a time, stirring between additions, until it flows easily from a spoon.

Spoon or drizzle the ganache over each bite. Scatter shredded coconut over the top if using.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the ganache is set and firm to the touch. Serve cold. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

*Adapted from Wendi's AIP Kitchen*