Monday, April 26, 2010

Coconut Biscuits (gluten free, egg/dairy free, soy free, grain free)

My recent baking activities have been limited to trying out the many wonderful recipes that other bloggers have been producing- the result- less on my own creative side, but many wonderful treats created.  I'm hoping to post soon on some of my favorites that I've tried out recently.


So for this month's 'Go ahead honey it's gluten free' (Breakfast in Bed theme) I decided to make a type of coconut biscuit/cookie/scone... whatever you wish to call it.  And really- it's not very coconutty, so maybe I should call it an almond flavored coconut biscuit ;)  Regardless of what you call it, I really enjoyed coming up with this recipe because it was REALLY simple to make, quite tasty, and a great snack, breakfast, or dessert.  The texture is really soft and chewy and they tasted even better the next day after sitting out.  There are no eggs, no grains, as well as the usuals, and sweetened just with dates and a bit of honey- pop it all into the food processor or blender and it's ready to go!


(Almond) Coconut Biscuits**

*leave out the almond extract if you're not crazy about the flavor, but I think it provides a great addition

















3 Medjool Dates - torn in half, seeded
1/4 cup Boiling Water
2 Tbsp Ground Flax Seeds
1/4 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Organic Almond Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder


Tear and seed your dates and place them flat on the bottom of your food processor (or blender).  Pour boiling water over dates.  Sprinkle Flax seeds and coconut oil in water as well.  Allow to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the dates to soften and flax seeds to gel while you gather the rest of your ingredients and pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. 


Pulse your food processor until you have a creamy date mixture.  Add in the rest of your ingredients and mix until well blended - should happen pretty quickly.  Mix it by hand a bit as well just to make sure that the ingredients are well incorporated.


Scrape out your biscuits onto a silicone (Silpat) liner on a baking tray or well greased pan.  Arrange your batter into 5 biscuits using a wet spatula.  





Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes depending on how brown you like them.    Although okay warm, I thought they tasted even better when cool.  Enjoy!




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Friday, April 23, 2010

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review

Anyone familiar with my tastes would know that I'm coconut crazy.  Especially being dairy free, coconut milk is one of my favorites.  I also use coconut aminos (like soy sauce), coconut vinegar, regular shredded coconut, coconut sugar, coconut yogurt, coconut ice-cream, coconut flour, and of course coconut oil. Call me coco crazy, but it's so versatile, healthy, and tastes great.

I was recently sent a jar of coconut oil by my new favorite company Tropical Traditions to review, and couldn't wait to try it out.  I've been using Nutiva Naturals coconut oil (I usually buy their largest jug), but I definitely saw a difference between the two.  What really stands out about Tropical Traditions' Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is its great texture.  It is smooth and creamy, and much lighter than other brands that I have tried.  The taste is great, and it also melts quickly for when you want it in liquid form.  I've used it in baking and cooking, as well as just a spread on things like waffles.  For people (shockingly) opposed to the flavor of coconuts, it is also very mild and the coconut flavor is not really detectable.  Overall I give TT two thumbs up for this product- they also run great deals on their products all the time including buy one get one free deals and more, so price-wise you can definitely be flexibly in your budget.

If you are interested in trying this or other products by Tropical Traditions, definitely take part in their Referral Program.  If you place an order with them as a first-time customer, please select “Referred by a friend” and in the box that says “How did you hear of us?” enter my sponsor ID number 5685168. By telling Tropical Traditions that I referred you, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy with your first order! This book is filled with testimonies and research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how one can incorporate coconut into their diet.  I also get a free gift! :)

To see a recent recipe I created using this coconut oil, try out my Coconut Biscuits!

If you're still not convinced, I definitely recommend watching this video:

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

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