Almond Flour Crusted Rack of Lamb

We recently picked up a few racks of Australian lamb from Costco because it was on sale.  We wanted to take a stab at 'breading' the lamb to see what kind of result we would get.  This recipe is definitely one to add to the books.  The crust adds a nice flavor to the lamb without taking away from the juiciness and flavor of the meat.    

Crumbly Choco-Pumpkin "Cheesecake"

I swear it tastes better than it looks! ;)

Do you love chocolate? What about cheesecake? And pumpkin too? "YES, YES, YES!" should be your answer. ;) I know that's what I would say. Anyways, this is my humble attempt to combine some of Brent's and my favorite treats--chocolate, pumpkin, and cheesecake. 

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

4 tsp honey

3/4 cup coconut butter

1 and 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

1 and 1/2 tsp honey

1/4 cup 100% coco powder

1/2 cup coconut cream from can of coconut milk*

1/4 cup organic pumpkin

1/16 tsp freshly ground clove (or a few good shakes)

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

*Tip: Let the can chill in your fridge for a few hours before, then skim off the cream that rises and settles at the top.

Method

Start by blending the cup of almond flour and 4 tsp of honey in a Ninja or blender. Then, press into your dish round or pie pan using a spoon or your fingers to form a crust.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, blend the coconut butter, lime juice and 1 and 1/2 tsp of honey. This is the "cheesecake" base. Split the mixture, scooping about half of it into another medium or large mixing bowl.

Next, blend the coco powder and coconut cream with first half of "cheesecake" base in the large bowl.

Mix the organic pumpkin, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon in with the second half of "cheesecake" base.

Finally, layer the mixes over the crust, pressing each layer gently down with a spoon (or your fingers--who doesn't love to use their fingers?!) to form a solid surface. 

As you can see, I chose to have a layer of chocolate mixture, then a layer of the pumpkin mixture, and lastly a second layer of the chocolate mixture. 

Allow the whole thing to chill in your refrigerator for at least 5 minutes before serving.

I'll be the first to admit, it's a little dry; but Brent and I think the flavors are good. I'll be sure to keep tinkering with this recipe (and post successful updates) so that it's in prime condition for our Paleo Thanksgiving. This year, we're hosting both parents and some of my siblings--it's going to be a zoo! I'm hoping this dessert will tame the masses, that is, if the tryptophan from the turkey doesn't. :-p