Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

A Real Food Package Giveaway From Tropical Traditions (31 Days of Real Food Reality ~ Day 7}

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Here’s a fun feature in our 31 Days to Real Food Reality:  Tropical Traditions, one of my favorite sources for real food, has put together a great whole food package to give away!

Why do I love Tropical Traditions? Because I can count on every product they carry to be the highest quality available…anywhere. Their site offers only food that nourishes.

Their prices are fair, considering the amazing quality of the food and the work it takes to produce such food. But that still sometimes means that their prices are outside my budget. I’ve found that the best way to afford their products is to wait for a free shipping weekend and pair it with sale prices. They offer free shipping every few weeks, with great buy one get one free sales and other discounts at the same time. When I shop that way, I score big time. I’ll be sure to continue keeping you updated on their free shipping and sale items as they come along!

You know how I’ve talked about coconut oil being an extremely healthy fat? Tropical Tradition’s coconut oil is one of the best around. (Read this article to learn lots of uses for coconut oil.)  And check out this great package they’ve put together to give to one of you:

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win this package. They also request that the winner of this giveaway is on their newsletter list, so head over there and sign up!

I’ll draw a random winner on Friday, January 10. Be watching for a post stating your name as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen.

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Free Coconut Oil With Purchase For Everyone From Tropical Traditions!

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This Christmas, Tropical Traditions is once again offering a free 32-ounce jar of coconut oil to each person who places a minimum order of $12.99. This is the best Christmas gift they could offer!! There’s no catch – it’s just a free jar of their highest quality, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

To go along with my free jar of oil, I ordered some bars of my favorite coconut oil soap (the only kind I feel comfortable with Malachi using with his very sensitive skin). Shipping costs were just $6.67 for me, making this one amazing deal! Here’s a list of my favorite Tropical Traditions products if you need some more add-on ideas.

Go grab your FREE Organic Virgin Coconut Oil!!  Offer expires midnight, December 25.

FYI:  I highly recommend Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil Book, which you will receive for FREE if you are a first time customer to Tropical Traditions! This book is loaded with wonderful information and recipes. If you, as a first time customer, purchase through the referral links in this post, Tropical Traditions will automatically include this book in your order. Please also be aware that I receive Tropical Traditions credit if you are a new customer purchasing through my links. See my full disclosure policy here.

Have fun taking advantage of this Merry Christmas deal!

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Free Shipping and BOGO Coconut Oil at Tropical Traditions

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tropical traditions coconut oil 2It’s a free shipping weekend at Tropical Traditions!  I’m excited because they are also featuring a Buy-One-Get-One-Free deal on their highest quality coconut oil. It’s always great when a sale and free shipping happen at the same time.

This Virgin Coconut Oil does have a mild coconut flavor. I love using it to make popcorn, and in almost all of my baked goods. It’s also great to use topically. (It’s great for wind-burn in the winter.)  It is the best coconut oil you can find anywhere.

Right now, you can get two 32 ounce jars for $40.00, plus free shipping. Use the code 91312 at checkout for free shipping to apply.

I also want to point out that I’ve learned all kinds of wonderful information in Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil Book, which you will receive for FREE if you are a first time customer to Tropical Traditions! This book is loaded with wonderful information and recipes. Please also be aware that I receive Tropical Traditions credit if you are a new customer purchasing through my links. See my full disclosure policy here.

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What to Do With Coconut Flour

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There’s been some conversation over on my facebook page about what to do with coconut flour. After all, if you take advantage of this great deal on coconut flour at Amazon, you may need a few recipes to go with it!

Coconut flour does not substitute one-for-one with wheat flour. Coconut flour is quite dry, therefore recipes usually require quite a bit more liquid (such as milk, water, or eggs) and less flour than you may be used to in wheat flour recipes. For instance, in my Coconut Flour Muffin recipe, I use just 1/2 cup of coconut flour to make 12 muffins. For a typical wheat flour muffin recipe that makes 12 muffins – I typically use 1 1/2 cups of flour. This means that even though coconut flour costs more than wheat flour, it will go much farther, keeping the overall cost quite similar! (Especially when you can get it for just $2.23 a pound. I am so thankful to know about this deal. Thanks again for your email, Heather!)

Here are the coconut flour recipes you’ll find here at Heavenly Homemakers:

And if you head over to the Tropical Traditions website, you’ll find tons and tons of recipes that include coconut flour.  From pancakes to chicken fingers to crepes to pizza crust – and everything in between. That page is a great resource. One more reason to love Tropical Traditions!

If you have any great recipes or links to recipes that use coconut flour, please share them in the comments of this post.  I’m excited to play with all of my coconut flour and to discover more great ways to eat it!

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Can You Use Coconut Oil in Whole Wheat Quick Mix?

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I’ve had several emails and comments since I posted both the Whole Wheat Quick Mix recipe and the Tropical Traditions buy one get one free (with free shipping) coconut oil deal. Many are wondering:  Can you use coconut oil instead of palm shortening in the quick mix?

Yes, you sure can!

While I really, really love Palm Shortening and do prefer it in this recipe, Coconut Oil does work just as well and is just as healthy if not moreso. Plus, the Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil that is on sale at Tropical Traditions right now is flavorless, making it perfect for a recipe like Quick Mix.

So…if you haven’t taken advantage of the BOGO coconut oil with free shipping at Tropical Traditions, I say “go for it!” Then make yourself some Whole Wheat Quick Mix so that you’ll be all set for the recipes I’m sharing here and in my upcoming book!

coconut_oil

Tropical Traditions has their Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil (flavorless) on sale again for $12.50 for two 16 ounce jars. Plus, they are offering free shipping (code 25213) with a minimum $16 order.

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Win One Gallon of Organic Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions

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Looking to replace unhealthy oils in your kitchen with healthy oils? Or maybe you have already replaced your bad oils and you would simply like to stock up on the good stuff. I’m excited to share that Tropical Traditions is offering to give away 1 gallon of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil during our month of the Funky Fresh Kitchen!

Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?

You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.

Interested in winning this gallon bucket of awesome coconut oil? Leave a comment here on this post for a chance to win. For an additional entry, sign up to receive the Tropical Traditions newsletter so that you’ll be the first to know about sales and specials they are offering.

I’ll draw a random winner on Friday, September 14. Please watch for a post stating the winner as you will be responsible for contacting me if your name is chosen.

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Funky Fresh Kitchen Giveaway from Tropical Traditions!

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I’ve got several new recipes, plus another challenge or two planned for our Funky Fresh Kitchen series – but with company here visiting us and because I have been busy getting my face fried by the sun watching my boys play all weekend at a soccer tournament – I’ve just not had time to get any writing done. While you’re waiting for me to find the time to write something thought-provoking, witty and altogether life altering, I thought maybe I would offer another wonderful giveaway. You have signed up for our Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Cultures for Health and Nutrimill from Paula’s Bread giveaways, right?

Oh, and regarding the upcoming post that will be thought-provoking, witty and altogether life altering – I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t get your hopes up about that one. After all, I’m the one who has sleeves and therefore does not always use complete sentences. (You have to read this post to interpret that one.)

Anyway, did I mention that my face got just a tad bit sunburned this weekend? I am very happy for the wonderful dose of Vitamin D I received here at the end of summer, but you know your face looks a little bit baked when people start greeting you by saying, “Did Rudolph’s nose just explode all over your face?”

Okay, no one really said that, but I did hear a little snide something or other about Rudolph a time or two. But I’m over it.

So what do I always do when I get a sunburn? I slather coconut oil all over the sunburn, that’s what I do. Coconut oil soothes the burn, provides moisture my skin needs and keeps my face from peeling in scary ways. (And by the way, I am aware that one needs to be very careful about allowing oneself to get sunburned, so I’d like to take this moment to reassure you that frying my face is a rare occurrence.)

thumb-Virgin_Coconut_Oil_Gold_Label_Hair_Treatment[1]So back to the subject of Coconut Oil, my favorite oil for use in baked goods and on sunburns and other skin care needs. I think we are all aware that I love coconut oil. It’s one of the very basic Funky Fresh Kitchen ingredients I feel is important to have in your cupboard. I use it constantly (or sometimes even more). And here you have a chance to win some!

One of my very favorite online health food sources, Tropical Traditions has offered to give away a price package including many basic, healthy ingredients that are wonderful to have in your Funky Fresh Kitchen. This fun package includes all of the following products:

Wouldn’t it just be fun to win that package? Doesn’t it scream Funky Fresh Kitchen?? Think of all the yummy, healthy foods you can make with those ingredients!

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win this giveaway. I’ll draw a random winner sometime after my face turns a lovely shade of tan, or next Monday, whichever comes first. ;)

This giveaway is now closed, thank you!

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Why I Love Coconut Flour (but not sky diving)

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Between playing with my sourdough starter, making lots of fizzy bubbles with my water kefir and experimenting with all the cool things you can make with coconut flour, I’ve been incredibly adventurous in the kitchen lately. Who needs bungee jumping or sky diving when you can get adventurous with bubbles and coconut flour? Oh, I’m so wild and crazy – just try and keep up with me.

(Hey, did you fall asleep already? Wake up. The post just started. I’m not that boring. Really, I’m adventurous. Just wait until you hear about the mayonnaise experiments I’m gonna write about next week.)

coconutflour

It’s one of my newest loves, coconut flour. Coconut flour is the fiber taken from the coconut meat after coconut oil is extracted from the coconut. How cool are these people to use the whole coconut! It’s hearty, it tastes incredible and it’s full of many nutrients that our bodies need. Since I tend to almost always bake with whole wheat flour – baking with coconut flour offers our family a nice variety and change of pace. Change is good. Our bodies like and need variety.

Coconut flour is also gluten free. Gluten free or not, I encourage you to try coconut flour as a new source of nutrition!

Why Coconut Flour is Good for You

  • It is a great source for natural fiber.
  • It is high in protein.
  • It is low in carbohydrates (not that all carbs are bad, but many of us tend to get too many of carbs – or empty carbs – in many of our baked goods).
  • It has a natural sweetness, which means you don’t need as much sweetener in recipes that include coconut flour.

The complaint I hear most often about Coconut Flour is that it is expensive. Yup. I can’t deny that. The stuff isn’t cheap. However, the more I use coconut flour, the more I realize that while it costs quite a bit more than wheat flour, you use quite a bit less coconut flour in most recipes. So maybe the cost isn’t so bad after all?

For instance, I typically use 3 cups of whole wheat flour to make 24 muffins for my family’s breakfast (I told you we eat a lot of muffins!). However, when I make muffins using coconut flour, I use only 1 cup to make the same 24 muffins. I find that I don’t go through the coconut flour very fast because ultimately, it just doesn’t take as much per recipe.

Coconut Flour is a dry flour – it usually requires a lot of eggs to create a recipe using coconut flour. Well how ’bout that? Now we’ve just added tons more protein because we’ve added more eggs. Have you tried these Basic Coconut Flour Muffins or Coconut Flour Banana Muffins yet? Wow, they’re good – and full of protein and great nutrition because of the coconut flour and eggs.

Where to Buy Coconut Flour

I buy my Coconut Flour either at Tropical Traditions, Azure Standard or through Amazon, depending on who has the best price at the time. Tropical Traditions often runs their Coconut Flour with a Buy One Get One Free sale. I never pay full price – I wait for the sale! I also watch Amazon to see if they have any specials going on. If they have Azukar Coconut Flour in stock, that is by far the best price I’ve ever seen!

I store my Coconut Flour in the freezer and just pull it out as I need it. I’m having fun learning how best to use it and since we love these Coconut Flour Muffins so much, I’m having fun experimenting with other recipes using the same idea. There’s a full page of coconut flour recipes over at Tropical Traditions that I’ve been looking over. Today, I tried their Gluten Free Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake.

?


If I didn’t know this cake was gluten free and made with coconut flour, I wouldn’t have known this cake was gluten free and made with coconut flour. Make sense? My kids didn’t know, so they didn’t know – and they liked it. Make sense? Mmm-hmmm. That means the cake was really good – and nobody knew it wasn’t “normal” but that it was packed with protein and nutrition.

Yep, much healthier than sky diving, these adventures of mine. You should get wild and crazy with me and make bubbles and coconut flour cake. Buckle your seat belt. It’s a wild ride.

{yawn}

Want to share some of the adventurous things you’ve been trying in your kitchen lately?

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It’s a Christmas Brunch at Heavenly Homemakers!

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I know the upcoming week will be a busy one for all of us.  Still, I was hoping you could all come over for a Christmas Brunch? You don’t need to bring anything, please just show up any time that is convenient for you…and invite along any friends or family members who might like to join you. We love a big crowd!

On our Christmas Brunch Menu:

  • Vanilla Muffins with Cinnamon Crumb Topping
  • Easy Breakfast Casserole
  • Gingerbread Cookies
  • Holiday Goody Buffet

Plus, there will be crafts and…presents!  You don’t want to miss the presents! I’ve got a wonderful Tropical Traditions Gift all wrapped up and ready to give to one of you…PLUS several Heavenly Homemakers Gift Certificates!! Yep, under our tree you’ll find three $5.00 Heavenly Homemakers Gift Certificates and three $10.00 HeavenlyHomemakers Gift Certificates (good for anything downloadable in our shop).

Please make plans to join us! Each comment you leave on this post or our upcoming posts with the Christmas Brunch Invitation (as seen below) will be entered in the drawing for the presents! (Limit one comment per person per post.)

Stay tuned…the Christmas Brunch posts begin tomorrow! Bring your appetites…and let the prize winning comments begin!

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