Whole Wheat Banana Coconut Muffins

Whole Wheat Banana Coconut Muffins, a tropical flavor explosion!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add coconut oil, coconut milk, bananas, vanilla, and eggs, and mix until combined. Fold in shredded coconut.
3. Top with a sprinkling of raw turbinado sugar. (I topped my muffins with shredded coconut.)
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

I found this recipe from How Sweet It Is, I was about to make a different recipe and this recipe immediately caught my attention. These muffins are really fantastic, they are super moist, and full of flavor. The coconut flavor mixed with the banana is awesome. These are one of my favorite muffin recipes!

*Camala*

Tropical Avocado Smoothie

Tropical Avocado Smoothie, Super creamy, full of fiber, and loaded with so many health benefits!

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1 large ripe avocado
2 tsp agave nectar
1 cup frozen tropical fruit (I used a combo of pineapple and mango)
1 scoop of Protein Powder (optional)
shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour 2 cups of milk into a blender.
2. Remove avocado from skin and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into large chunks and add to blender.
3. Add agave nectar, desired frozen fruit and scoop of protein powder; if desired. Blend for 20 seconds.
4. Pour into glasses and top with shredded coconut; if desired.

This smoothie is like an avocado milkshake…it has a wonderful smooth and creamy texture. I personally use Jay Robb protein powders, I use either the egg white or whey protein. I don’t like protein powders loaded down with junk you can’t even read and I like that the Jay Robb powders use natural ingredients and use stevia to sweeten their protein powders. I have tried other healthy protein powders as well but the Jay Robb brand tastes the best to me thus far. In this smoothie I used the Jay Robb Pina Colada Whey Protein Powder to add an extra tropical flavor but feel free to use whatever flavor you want. This smoothie would also be equally delicious with out the added protein powder if you don’t want to use protein powder.

Hopefully the avocado in this smoothie doesn’t weird you out, It really does taste good and the avocado does not dominate the smoothie, it really has a more tropical fruit taste with the added creaminess of the avocado.

*Camala*

Fresh Pineapple Oatmeal

Oatmeal made with Fresh Pineapple, very tropical-ish!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk (or other milky substance)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rolled oats
pinch of salt
1 cup pineapple, chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins
shredded coconut

Directions:

1. In a saucepan combine the milk, water, salt, oats and pineapple.
2. Turn heat to medium and stir occasionally until mixture comes almost to a boil and most of the liquid is absorbed, which takes about 5-7 minutes.
3. When the oats are done, stir in brown sugar, vanilla extract and raisins.
4. Pour oats into bowl. Top with shredded coconut.

This is one delicious, tropical tasting bowl of oatmeal, maybe like a pineapple upside down cake:) Very filling and refreshing, tasty way to start your day.

*Camala*

Lemon Coconut Cookies

I can not begin to describe just how delicious these cookies are!!!  The whole house smells so fresh and with strong scents of lemon and coconut!    They are so light, and healthy too.  No sugar, just a little agave syrup for sweetner.   This recipe is so easy and simple and has just a few ingredients.  I adapted this recipe  from Anja’s Printable Recipes.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees and line sheet pan with parchment paper.

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup agave syrup
grated lemon peel from 1 lemon
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
some grated coconut for rolling the cookies in

In medium bowl combine butter, agave and lemon peel and beat until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt and stir to blend.  Stir the dry ingredients into lemon peel mixture until well blended.  Stir in the coconut flakes.   Cover dough and keep in the fridge until stiff enough to handle–at least 45 min.  (waiting is the hardest part!)
Remove dough from fridge and roll into 1″ balls.  Roll balls in shredded coconut and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.  Remove cookies immediately from baking sheet and cool on wire rack. 

These cookies are so delicious I will definitely make them again.  Be sure to store them in an airtight container after they are completely cool.
*Christine*

Rice Krispie Cookies

These cookies were very good with a little crispy texture from the Rice Krispies!

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup quick rolled oats, uncooked
1/2 cup flaked coconut (sweetened)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease 2 large cookie sheets. Set side.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
4. Place the butter into a bowl and beat on medium until light and fluffy. Add the white and brown sugars and beat until blended. Add the egg and vanilla, beating to incorporate.
5. Stir in the reserved flour mixture. When well combined, stir in the cereal, oats, and coconut.
6. Drop the mixture by level measuring tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving room between cookies.
7. Transfer the sheets to the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
8. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
9. When cool, store in an airtight container.

I got this recipe through Kellogg’s and these are really good cookies. I got 24 cookies out of this recipe. They are crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle, I brought these cookies to a get together and got really good reviews, my friend says she doesn’t like cookies with oatmeal in them but she really liked these cookies and everyone said these are a great alternative to oatmeal raisin. I will make these again.

*Camala*

Coconut Almond Muffins

Good Morning neighbors,
Everyone has an addiction and one of mine is definitely coconut. 

this morning I made delicious Coconut Almond Muffins—a recipe I tweaked a little from The Garden of Vegan.

Start by preheating your oven to 400F degrees and line muffin pan with paper—you can get 10-12 muffins (depending on how big you like them).

Mix in medium bowl the following dry ingredients
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup of almond flour
1 cup freshly grated or unsweetened store-bought coconut
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1  1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Next whisk together in seperate small bowl:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup coconut milk
Pour wet into dry and mix well— but do not over mix—fold in
1/2 cup chopped almonds and bake for
15-18 minutes

****for vegan muffins:   substitute oil for butter; egg replacer for eggs; and all coconut milk or soy yogurt for regular yogurt.

******also if you dont have almond flour available any other will do—
ENJOY!!!!
*Christine*