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Toasted Coconut Butter
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You guys. I (Emily, here!) LOVE this recipe. I used to spend 10 dollars plus on jars of this stuff from *those who take whole paychecks* and would go through it within a couple days - cue the bank robbery. It took me such a long time, even after reading recipes (!) to finally make it for myself. Thank goodness I finally did, because let's talk about a bang for your buck. Now, I spend a fifth of the price and get fresh, homemade coconut butter that takes less than 15 minutes to make and requires only one ingredient. Can I get a booyah? Too lame? Alright ... we'll move on.
This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...
ONLY one ingredient
a perfect base recipe
done in under 15 minutes
creamy
rich
decadent
versatile
I put this yummy goodness on basically everything. A couple weeks ago, it was featured in it's non-toasted variation in my Mexican Cold Chocolate recipe. I've been known to eat it by the spoonful, drizzle it over sweet potatoes with a little bit of cinnamon, stir it into a can of pumpkin with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tumeric, or mix it with maple syrup and a little lemon juice to make a yummy frosting for cinnamon rolls. *cravings beginning now*.
Note: Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your tastebuds will still have a party. Promise!
What is it we love so much about coconut? I spent all day Monday, chatting up my favorite healthy fat, coconut, over on twitter - follow me here -, because why not? Coconut is amazing and it comes in so many different forms... flaked, whole, liquid, butter, oil, the list is endless! Okay, not endless, but definitely a lot of options from which to choose. Coconuts are made up of 90% fat, which has most people gasping and pinching their waistlines, but 65% are medium-chain fatty acids. These guys are absorbed by our body in a way that fuels us, not fattens us, and have been known to boost our metabolism, slim our waistlines, help moisturize our skin and boost it's integrity, aids in gut and digestive health, and may even have antimicrobial power. Hot dammmnnnnnn. So many benefits thanks to the nutritional profile (I'll just mention a few...) boasting of vitamins E & C, sterols, fiber, and electrolytes - i.e. potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium.
Ingredients & steps after the jump ...
Toasted Coconut Butter
Ingredients ::
+ 1 bag of unsweetened flake coconut
(organic, nothing added - I use Trader Joe's brand)
Recipe ::
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread unsweetened flake coconut onto a baking tray.
Toast coconut in the oven for about 5 (maybe more) minutes, until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Place cooled, toasted coconut flakes into blender or Nutribullet (if using Nutribullet, using milling attachment, not blender attachment).
Blend coconut, scraping down the sides or shaking the coconut back down, until fully blended and creamy. You'll know it's done when it's the same, even consistency of peanut or almond butter.
Top on smoothies or oatmeal, eat by the spoonful, or drizzle over sweet potatoes with cinnamon for a decadent treat packed with nutrients. The options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.
Notes:: Store in a sealed, glass container. Will be solid in rooms cooler than about 75 degrees. To remelt, sit in a bowl of hot water, or if you're short on time (like me, always), pop in the microwave for about a minute, stirring every 15 seconds.
+ do you ever make homemade nut butters or coconut butters? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook!
[recipe inspired by Tenacious Acorn]
P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.
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P.S.S.S. Have you checked out all of the
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Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
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It's going to be Halloween in 17 days (!!!!!!!)! If you can't tell, I'm (Emily, here!) beyond excited. Not only is Halloween my favorite holiday, but it's also the eve of my birthday ... and this birthday is a big deal. Woot woot! Since my sugar detox a few weeks ago, I've been introducing sugar back into my diet. I'm fortunate enough to have access to natural sweeteners and fruits, so I've been consuming sugar, all natural to processed, about 90/10 (I have no way to prove this, so I'm just estimating here ... remember what we said about being Superwoman). It's been amazing to see the large effects on my mental state even in small doses. Not seeing how sugar affects your body? I've got you covered.
But let's get back to Halloween. Here's the thing...
I don't believe in Halloween without candy.
I just don't.
It seems cruel to the tastebuds - and the soul - not to drop some sweetness on there in the months leadingup to the beloved holiday season. I've written before on my feelings of foods called "cheats" -- ugh what a hard way to live life -- so today's recipe comes from a place of Good Vibe-ing TREATS! They said trick or treat, and I'd much rather have a yummy-in-my-tummy treat than deception, thank you very much ;) .
Peanut butter cups are beyond nostalgic for me; the amount I've eaten is a testament to the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate being a winning one. I've plans to turn them on their heads over the next several months, but for now, we begin with the base recipe.
This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...
less than 5 ingredients
easy peasy to make
features the classic pb & chocolate combo
rich
chocolatey
sweet
filling
The best part is it's functionality. Don't have a full bag of chocolate chips? Melt what you have and adjust the number you make. Not into using the microwave? Use a double broiler to melt your chocolate. Not a fan of or allergic to peanuts? Swap it out for any other nut butter or coconut butter if allergic to all. Not supposed to or don't want to eat sugar? Leave it out. Yes, there will be differences in flavors or consistency with some of the above changes, but I promise you won't be sacrificing the Great Vibes with those changes.
Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your tastebuds will still have a party. Promise!
What is it we love so much about this recipe? Chocolate is good for the soul, and if it's high quality chocolate, can pack a punch in regards to antioxidants and illness fighting power. Peanuts can get a bad rep, but they are high in protein, stocked with Vitamin E and B6, help you lose weight, and loaded with heart-healthy, waist-line-friendly, monounsaturated fats. Don't fear fats, babes. It's not the 80s. Here at The Great Vibes Guide, we choose all natural pb (aka nothing in it but peanuts) to maximize the bennies and yum factor. If you're using sea salt at the end, get ready for the blissful joy that is balancing pH levels, stabilizing blood sugar, getting a complex, sweet flavor, as well as getting a healthy dose of sodium - which is a necessary mineral for sustaining life.
Ingredients & steps after the jump ...
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
the below amounts are estimates, adjust where necessary
Ingredients ::
+ 1 bag Chocolate Chips (vegan, gf)
+ 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (made only of peanuts, no extras)
+ 1/2 cup + Powdered Sugar (vegan)
+ Optional: Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Recipe ::
Pour about half of the chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until all of the chips have melted.
Place about 1/4 cup of peanut butter into a bowl.
Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to the peanut butter, stirring until the peanut butter can be rolled between your fingers and is no longer runny (like the inside of a store-bought peanut butter cup).
Line a mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Pour chocolate onto the liner until the bottom is completely covered.
Scoop a heaping teaspoon (and more if desired) of the peanut butter mixture onto the chocolate base.
Repeat step 1 if running low on chocolate.
Completely cover peanut butter with chocolate.
Sparingly crack salt, if using, over the still slightly melted tops.
Place into refrigerator (or freezer, if you're impatient like me) to set.
Pull from the refrigerator once set -- your finger no longer gets covered in chocolate when you touch the top.
Grab one, tear off the wrapper, pop in mouth, and enjoy! Xx.
Keeps well in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.
