free artisana! holy crap!

i just had to let you know about the most freakin' awesome giveaway ever!
check out katie's giveaway for hug-a-fat month - 2 free jars of artisana coconut butter!

p.s. - katie is a total sweetheart, and really encouraged me when i was struggling to eat from the fibro. if you don't follow her, you should! she's super encouraging and has the best body image of anyone i've ever met. my kinda girl :)

coconut brownies, anyone?

guess what i finally got around to opening?

the tropical traditions coconut cream concentrate i won in miss stephanie's giveaway like two months ago!

i'm so on top of things.

so, what is it?

coconut cream is simply ground coconut meat. period.

just like how peanuts are ground up to make peanut butter, coconut meat is ground up to make coconut cream.

it's 70% fat, so it's similar to coconut butter, except coconut cream has all the fiber of whole coconuts... score!

ok, so what do you do with it?

the website recommends using it to make homemade coconut milk (my wallet rejoices!), as a spread on toast, a soup base, or blended into smoothies.

well, what did i do with it?

funny you should ask...

cocoa coconut brownies

adapted from the tropical traditions recipe blog

1 cup coconut cream concentrate

3 room temperature eggs

1/3 c maple syrup or brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

splash vanilla extract

1/3 c cocoa powder (my favorite ingredient ever!)

and 1/3 c each add-in: nuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, dried cherries, etc.

mix all ingredients until just combined.

bake in a greased 9x9 at 325* for 18-20 mins.

um... aren't they gorgeous?

i couldn't help but drool.

these. are. so. good. these. are. so. good. these. are. so. good.

hey sexy!

i wish i had planned to be this awesome, but i also realized after i made these they are flour and gluten-free.

score. my little sister can now join me in snacking my face off.

and promise you won't laugh?

here's... um... dinner:

ohhhhhhhhhh mmmmmyyyyyy.

because really,

what's better than yogurt, fresh strawberries, chocolate, and coconut?

thanks again stephanie!

p.s. - check out the tropical traditions website.

they're a really cool company with an awesome story behind them. and hello coconut peanut butter!!!

- r

ok guys... i never do this.

i can't believe i'm posting... an oatmeal recipe.
i'm officially a bandwagon blogger, but forgive me.

these oats are just that good.

dreamsicle protein oats

1/2 c rolled oats
3 spoonfuls oat bran
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/2-2/3 c orange juice (depending on how thick you like your oats)
1 packet stevia/sprinkle of sugar (optional)

toppings - shredded coconut, coconut butter drizzle, and vanilla extract!

1. eat and 2. enjoy!!!
- r

update ya.

hey there lovelies!
the stomach hasn't felt very good recently, so i really haven't eaten meals - just snacked my face off all day long. therefore, no good pictures!

however, i did get my Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate in the mail yesterday!

i won it in miss Stephanie's giveaway a while back... girl, you rock!

i absolutely cannot wait to try it! does anyone have any good recommendations on how to use it?
i am really new to coconut so i need your suggestions!!!

from what i understand, it's different from coconut butter because coconut butter is part ground coconut meat, part added coconut fat/oil. the cream concentrate is just pure, straight-up coconut meat. it cannot be used as a cooking oil. it has no additives - no water, no oil, no salt, no nothing!

the website suggests using it as a spread (almond butter and coconut sammie anyone?) or to make your own coconut milk! awesome! it will be so nice to not have to buy a carton of Turtle Mountian So Delicious Unsweetened every week at whole paycheck.

i'll do a post as soon as i use it! i predict a coco-nutty day tomorrow :) and with the weather being almost 90 freakin' degrees, it fits!!!

in other breaking news, i think i figured out my stomach issues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it had been pretty good the last few days - no major upsets, as i had been laying off the nuts, dairy, and wheat (just try that for long with my appetite! ....yikes).

this morning, i ate some yogurt, and INSTANTLY it was cramping and hurting, so i took a lactase pill. my little brother is severly lactose intolerant, and has had to take a lactase pill anytime he eats dairy almost all his life. we already had them on the kitchen table, so i thought "why not?" it was just a shot in the dark, but magically - the cramps went away probably 2 or 3 minutes later! i'm so excited! i can't wait to get frozen yogurt.


and finally - i'm headed out to dinner tonight with the boy at probably my favorite restaurant of all time - ipanema cafe. ipanema is a vegetarian restaurant in downtown richmond that i first went to last year for my birthday dinner. their menu is awesome, seasonal, and mostly local produce. "i'm not anti-meat, i'm pro-veg!" that's their motto. awesome. i'll try to actually remember to take pictures tonight! t
he boy is so supportive of me eating meat-free... it's really incredible. he pretty much always caters to what and where i want to eat. i'm lucky!

help me out with what to use this coconut in, ladies!
katie? jess? kate? any of my other coconut experts?
-r