Dairy Free, Sugar Free, & Gluten Free
Mint Grasshopper Bars
Written by Lauren Arent (Lo Clark)
Owner of Bewitched Esthetics & Licensed Esthetician since 2013
March 10th, 2023
Dairy Free, Sugar Free, & Gluten Free Mint Grasshopper Bars: For Glowing Skin
Written by Lauren Arent (Lo Clark)
Owner of Bewitched Esthetics & Licensed Esthetician since 2013
March 10th, 2023
Hello my darlings,
It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and these clean grasshopper bars are just the perfect dessert! I love mint flavored treats for this holiday, even if it isn’t traditional. So I replaced shamrock shakes from McDonalds with this FAR HEALTHIER recipe for delicious sweets. I love finding ways to cut sugar out of my life without losing the sweets and then sharing them with you. This is truly one of my favorite options, with a soft texture and hard chocolate top.
Food Magick
I discuss this topic in every recipe I post but I would like to reiterate that food magick is not just about the nutrients in the food. It is also about picking foods that do NOT contain certain inflammatory elements which can cause you to age faster, bring your skin to a dull & lackluster state, and trigger unwanted skin disorders. For beautiful, glowing, ageless skin, it is important to choose clean food for your body.
Why No Gluten in these Grasshopper Bars?
Gluten isn’t necessarily the worst, unless you have celiac disease. Even if you aren’t afflicted with gluten intolerance, it is still considered an inflammatory ingredient as it can lead to a spike in insulin. So if you have ever struggled with oh say, leaky gut (which is incredibly common!!), gluten is something to avoid in order to heal the lining of your gut. If your gut isn’t balanced, you can suffer from breakouts or other skin disorders such as rosacea or psoriasis. Gluten can also mess with your endocrine system. Specifically estrogen which can ultimately lead to hormonal breakouts. I replaced flour with shredded coconut in these grasshopper bars.
Coconut
Coconut reduces inflammation and has antimicrobial properties excellent for treating acne, as well as lots of healthy fats to keep the skin hydrated & nourished. In this recipe I find it very useful because shredded coconut actually replaces the need for flour! It binds the bars together with a slightly particle-y feel but without hardly a hint of the coconut taste. This allows the mint and the chocolate to really pull through. Coconut oil is also very handy in the chocolate portion of the grasshopper bars. The mixture hardens in the fridge much like a chocolate bar eliminating the need for butter. These are both handy dairy free and gluten free cooking hacks you might want to take note of!
Why No Sugar in these Grasshopper Bars?
Sugar is an inflammatory food. America is terrible about sugar content. Literally things that you would think don’t contain sugar do, like ketchup or sriracha. If you do expect it to have sugar, then there is an ungodly amount of it in comparison to the same products in other countries. The people of the US consume more sugar than any other country in the world. On average, Americans consume 126.4 grams of sugar daily. Sugar causes insulin spikes which can lead to diseases like diabetes and even disrupt hormone functions, leading to weight gain and breakouts.
If you want to get deeper into how sugar affects your skin, please check out this recipe for Energizing Mango Bites where I get into the pitfalls and dangers of sugar.
Honey
Honey is the OG healthy sweetener. It’s used not just as a sweetener though, it has many healing benefits and has long been used medicinally around the world. Honey is antibacterial and antiseptic, good for cleaning the pores and balancing oily skin. It is a humectant and will improve moisture levels and hydration. I replaced all sweeteners in these grasshopper bars with honey or coconut sugar.
Why No Dairy in these Grasshopper Bars?
Like most things, balance is always necessary. I try hard not to tell my clients to focus on completely eliminating foods (unless we are working to heal the gut). Rather, I tell my clients to focus on the quality of their food. Dairy has many nutritional benefits. If locally sourced from organic suppliers, it can be quite excellent for you. BUT most of the dairy products you find in grocery stores contain hormones, antibiotics, and other toxic ingredients which can trigger inflammation and lead to breakouts or other skin disorders. Inflammation can also lead to accelerated aging of the skin. For these grasshopper bars, I think the coconut oil and avocados are the perfect alternative to dairy & unnecessary inflammation.
Avocado
Avocado really binds together the grasshopper bars. They contain healthy fats and nutrients good for the skin and body such as Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. Omega-3 fatty acids are incredibly beneficial for the heart and the mind. This component can also aid the skin in hydration, easing acne, and reducing the signs of aging. Vitamin E is excellent for wound healing as well as scarring. I frequently recommend Vitamin E to clients with acne scars or conditions like eczema and psoriasis. The anti-inflammatory properties of avocado make it an incredible choice for all skin types!
Chocolate
You must be careful about the type of chocolate you pick. Dark cacao is the best as it contains loads of antioxidants which help to fight free radicals and the aging process. It also contains flavonols which help protect the skin from sun damage, increase skin hydration & density and blood flow. Dark chocolate WITHOUT SUGARS will also improve the texture of your skin, meaning a smooth and radiant complexion. I use a powder in my grasshopper bars because this also assures that it is dairy free for me.
Peppermint
Peppermint is literally a staple in my house. I drink peppermint tea at least once a week. It’s excellent for gut health, very soothing and healing for your tummy. It can relieve indigestion and gas swiftly. The extract used in the grasshopper bars has different components than the herb but I wanted to include it because tea is my favorite food magick. (Complete side track here: always make sure you get organic teas in paper tea bags because non-organic herbs are picked with the pesticides still on the leaves and the chemicals will steep directly into your tea. Choose paper not plastic as the plastics when put into boiling water will release BPAs into your water. Just trying to spread awareness because I love you.)
Grasshopper Bars are Best When Paired With
These Mint Grasshopper Bars pair well with the Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque. As I mentioned before, chocolate has amazing benefits for your skin and the Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque is the perfect way to reap those benefits when applied to your skin. Plus it smells absolutely decadent and it’s Charlie Lou approved! Check out the masque here.
Wishing you a life full of beauty and blessings!
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