Smoky Apple Coconut Bacon

There’s Applewood smoked bacon, so why can’t there be apple smoked coconut bacon? I didn’t want to go outside to smoke the bacon, because I don’t like the cold, or the work involved, so I just used a little bit of applesauce. I know! It’s a bit weird. Although I’ve never really tried Applewood smoked bacon, I think that it would make a good alternative that’s healthier than the bacon and easier than smoking it.MAKES 1 CUP

INGREDIENTS
– 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (I used Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Flaked Coconut)
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons lite tamari
– 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
– 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke (around 6-8 drops-do not go crazy with it!)
– 1/8 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all of the ingredients except for the coconut into a medium bowl.
2. Add in the coconut and stir. Let sit while you preheat the oven to 325F.
3. Spread the coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring around every 3 minutes. The coconut can burn very quickly, so you need to keep an eye on it. The cooking time will vary based on how large your flakes are. You want it to be golden brown. It will be slightly damp still when you pull it out but it will harden as you let it cool. Cool on pan completely.
5. Store in refrigerator.