Roasted Balsamic Strawberries with Coconut Cream

Every Monday night, my roommate and a friend of ours have a nice ladies night. It typically consists of hours of Once Upon a Time, and delicious food. Sometimes too much wine. Recently, I've been in charge of desserts. Not that I mind - I LOVE making desserts. I've been trying to be a bit healthier recently, though, and that tends to prove problematic when trying to come up with dessert ideas. This time, I was really craving strawberry shortcake, and spent the afternoon brainstorming how to make it just a bit healthier. Then it hit me: no heavy cream. I decided to whip coconut cream, instead of heavy cream, to make a delicious whipped topping. And then I decided to get a little crazier, and roast about a third of the strawberries. Let me tell you: that was a great decision. I could have had five plates of this, but I behaved!


Roasted Balsamic Strawberries with Coconut Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 Can Full Fat Coconut Milk, refrigerated upside-down for several hours
• 2 Pints Strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
• 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Honey (Optional)
• Several Slices Pound Cake

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small rimmed baking sheet  with parchment, and set aside. Set a bowl in the freezer for making the coconut cream.

Toss 1 cup of the berries with coconut oil and vinegar (don't worry if the oil is clumpy), and arrange on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until the juices begin to release and the edges darken. Set aside to cool.

Toss the roasted berries and any juices with the remaining fresh berries, and sugar or honey if using, and set aside.

To make the coconut cream, remove the can from the fridge, leaving it upside-down and being careful not to jostle it. Use a can opener to open the bottom, pour off the translucent liquid, and reserve.

Scoop the thick, white coconut cream into the chilled bowl. Whip on medium speed until mixture is smooth and creamy. Add a drizzle or two of the reserved coconut liquid to smooth things out.

Layer strawberries and cream on pound cake, and enjoy immediately!