Music For The Morning & Tasty Tuesday

It's been a splendid long weekend - wine tasting, fine dining, shopping, partying and lots and lots of laughs with family and friends. But now it's time to pack up and head back to reality - and Arizona. 


Back to work tomorrow. 


I had an absolute BLAST with my California family and friends. I took many pictures and will share them with you when I return to my desert dwelling.

Today is also Tasty Tuesday - With the weather warming up in Phoenix, I'm feeling a BBQ  and some QT in my swimming pool comin' on at the Belle's house soon! 
I've found a coconut recipe that I am looking forward to trying out at my next BBQ (hopefully next weekend!) This is a recipe I found on the Tropical Traditions website, submitted by a user at their site.

Coconut Oil Vinaigrette Coleslaw

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/8 cup coconut oil, liquefied
• 3/8 cup virgin olive oil
• 10 cups cabbage mix/coleslaw (you can shred whatever cabbages and carrots you feel like shredding)
• 1/8 cup roasted, salted, shelled sunflower seeds

Whisk vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until salt dissolves

Slowly add oils, continue whisking

Allow to stand 5 minutes, taste and adjust to your liking, whisk again.

If you’re serving the whole thing, add the dressing to the cabbage mix and toss - then add the sunflower seeds, mix well. Otherwise, just put some of the vinaigrette on your cabbage mix and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

YUM!!!

Enjoy your day Lovies! 

I'll catch you up on my weekend when I'm back in the blazing inferno that I (for some reason) call home. 

P.S. I miss my doggies - so here's some pictures of them:

Little...

Oooof...

"It's exhausting bein' dis cute all da time..."

"See?"

Goggies all growed up!

Lili

Me: "Scarlett it's raining, please come in the house." Scarlett: Wags tail, doesn't move.

"Dis a berry comfy new blanket you gots me Lady!"

"I'm trying to sleep..."

"Dis my chair nao. Not your's Lady."

Tasty Tuesday: Cookin' With Coconuts - Blogisode 7: Gluten Free Strawberry Coconut Muffins

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It's that time again! 

I'm so happy that I found all of these user submitted recipes on the Tropical Traditions website! They have been quite helpful. I'm on a quest to eat things without flour, wheat or ingredients that are otherwise not necessarily good for you. I have a theory that I've got myself a bit of a wheat allergy - but it has not been proven yet...

Anyway, here's a recipe I found and wanted to share. The muffins are made with coconut flour - which is nothing but the fiber from the coconut meat after most of the oil has been extracted to make Virgin Coconut Oil. 

I'm currently pouring through tons of coconut flour recipes and this one caught my eye. I'm headed to Sprouts tomorrow for the ingredients. I'll share pictures of my attempts once I'm done! 

For now - here's the recipe:

Gluten Free Strawberry Coconut Muffins

Servings: 6-12 muffins

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

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Muffins:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen, chopped

Cream Cheese Topping:

• 1 cup homemade or store bought cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 - 3 tablespoons raw honey

For the muffins:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl mix the eggs, honey, coconut oil and vanilla until well blended. 

Mix dry ingredients into the wet, blending with a hand mixer or by hand. Gently fold in strawberries.

Place batter in paper lined muffin tins OR oil small individual glass bowls and pour batter in about 1/2 - 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Take them out and let them cool and serve topped with Strawberry Cream Cheese.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Place everything in a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

When muffins are ready, generously top each muffin and enjoy!

Recipe submitted to the Tropical Traditions Website by Marillyn, Bloomingdale, IL

Tasty Tuesday: Cooking With Coconuts Blogisode 4

I've got two recipes for you today.... Both sweet. I'm getting the sweets out my system before the diet starts. 

Mmmmmm Candy!

Vanilla Coconut Cream Candy

Vanilla Coconut Cream Candy

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 30 pieces about 1/2 inch thick

• 16 oz Coconut Cream Concentrate
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup raw honey (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup raw or toasted walnuts (chopped)

Slightly warm the coconut cream concentrate over a bowl or pan of hot water until it can be stirred.

Stir in the honey, vanilla and chopped nuts into the coconut cream concentrate until well mixed.

Before it hardens, shape mixture into rolls and wrap in waxed paper. Let harden in the refrigerator and slice into rounds to eat as candy once firm. Store in refrigerator or at room temperature if below 75 degrees.


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Coconut Cream Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups Coconut Cream Concentrate (heat if needed to soften)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Beat the coconut cream, sugar eggs and vanilla together until combined. Stir in baking soda, cream of tarter and salt. Beat in the flour.

Shape dough into balls using one tablespoon of dough per cookie.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes. The sides should be set but not browned.

Remove from oven and let set on pan for 1-2 minutes before putting on racks to cool completely.

Makes 40 cookies.