coconut

Coconut Banana Muffins

For the love of coconut, when a friend of mine shared this muffin recipe I literally went bananas. How did I not think of this sweet little treat sooner, however within hours I was baking my own batch. Warm from the oven, I knew these would be a household winner. And sure’y, they were!

A twist on a traditional banana muffin, these are sweet and bright, delectably comforting and easy peasy to make! They are my new go to muffin recipe and I’ll be sure to experiment ways to make them more coconutty. 🙂

Coconut Banana Muffins (yields 12-18)

  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup earth balance buttery spread or unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • 2 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well.
  4. Fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.
  5. Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
  6. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes.
  7. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Coconut Banana Muffins

Enjoy! xx

Coconut Baileys Irish Cream

When I think of Baileys Irish Cream, I associate the consumption with indulgence and am instantly taken back to the colder weather and the winter holidays. I feel nostalgic with the thought of sipping Baileys on ice, Christmas eve or enjoying a Baileys spiked coffee on a cold winter’s morning. Rarely, do I think to enjoy this decadent treat in the warmer months, until now.

Recently, I had been looking for a dairy free option that I could easily make at home with natural ingredients. I wanted to eliminate the unknowns of glycerol monostearate, maltodextrin, and artifical flavours, yet still satisfy that Irish cream craving.

As soon, as I stumbled upon this recipe on Oh She Glows, I knew it would be life-changing. 🙂 Angela Liddon, hits it right, every single time. With five simple, natural ingredients, this homemade treat offers a  hint of coconut and espresso, a dynamite combination. Let’s just say I may have over-indulged, it’s just that good.

Not only, does this vegan option hit the mark on taste, but this recipe is just as easy as picking up a “convenient” bottle at your local liquor store. I insist that you give this homemade recipe a try to see for yourself. From here on in, I will absolutely choose this version over store-bought each and every time.

My Saturday morning coffee on the front porch just got a whole lot better.

Coconut Milk BaileysHomemade Baileys Irish Cream (yields 3.5-4 cups)

  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup strong espresso, or to taste
  • 3/4-1 cup Jameson Irish Whiskey, or to taste
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. In a medium or large pot, add the cans of coconut milk and whisk. Now whisk in the sugar. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes, while stirring frequently, until it cooks down and thickens slightly.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the espresso or coffee.
  3. Add a pinch of salt and finally the Jameson, to taste. Make it as strong or weak as you prefer.
  4. Store in sealed jars and serve over ice, with coffee or tea, or in baked goods. The whiskey and espresso settles to the bottom of the jar slightly, so give it a good stir before using.

xx!

Coconut Hummus

Two obsessions combined to make a new favourite, how did I not see this coming.

I could eat hummus all day everyday, literally. Dipped with veggies, crackers or used as a spread, I always have a tub in the fridge best used for a quick snack or lunch. Roasted garlic, basil, spicy, avocado, beet, olive, lemon dill, caramelized onion, roasted red pepper, the varieties goes on and on. It’s so tempting to pick up the newest tub at the local grocer but trust me when I say that you can easily whip up a batch that’s healthier for you and in my opinion, more delicious.

Take these staple ingredients to make a regular hummus and then add in something above and beyond to jazz it up. Have fun with it, you really can’t go wrong!

The staples:

  • 1 can of rinsed chickpeas
  • juice of a half-full lemon
  • 1-3 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • water for consistency
  • salt and pepper to taste

With this recipe, I decided to try and mimic My Little Chickpea Thai Coconut Hummus (yes I sometimes buy hummus out of sheer laziness or to be inspired). And I did better than! 🙂

Coconut Hummus Ingredients

Coconut Hummus is quite similar to my regular hummus, except I reduced the olive oil to 2 tbsp and added 3 tbsp of coconut oil + 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes + 1 tsp of cayenne for some heat. Throw everything into a blender or food processor and you’re done. Finish it off with some chopped jalepeno and coconut. Yum!

Coconut Hummus

Nutrient Fact: Adding hummus to your diet can help regulate your digestive system, reduce risk of heart disease and cancer, and help with weight management.

xx!