I had a really great weekend – thanks for all your sweet birthday wishes.
Presents!
Kyle got me YogaWorks classes – something I’ve been “meaning to try” for almost half a decade now…haha.
My sister was obviously inspired by our dinner at RFD because she got me the official cookbook. I’m so excited to crack into this baby! So many delicious recipes. Thanks sister 🙂
Like any other day, I started with coffee…
A huge frothy mug.
Breakfast was atypically savory. In this bowl, leftover roasted butternut squash, leftover chickpea salad, and a chopped apple. I’m the queen of leftovers. I swear, I freeze even the most ridiculously teeny tiny scraps. Others may find the habit bizarre (sometimes I agree), but look at the meals you can create without any effort! Plus, I often don’t want the same thing several days in a row, so freezing food gives me the option to have it whenever I want it later. Who else saves leftovers?
I’m glad I had a decently substantial breakfast because I had no interest in eating a normal lunch.
Oh heck, if I want cookies and ice cream for lunch on my birthday then dang it, that’s what I’m going to have.
And by cookies, I mean Heart Thrive vegan chocolate chip suncakes. And by ice cream, I mean peanut butter banana soft serve.
More thorough review to come on the cookies…for now I’ll just say YUM.
My soft serve was based off Gena’s legendary recipe…with a peanut buttery twist.
Peanut butter banana soft serve *no recipe, just instructions since the only thing I am sure about (measurement wise) is the bananas
I used 1 1/2 frozen bananas (I freeze mine in slices), a huge spoonful of creamy peanut butter and a tiny tiny tiny amount of almond milk (just to help it blend).
There is nothing more decadent and simple. I swear this tasted sinfully good.
Sweet tooth…
Out. Of. Control.
After “lunch” Kyle and I tried to go for a bike ride…except his tires were flat, so that didn’t really happen. Instead, we went on a walk to Starbucks. ;)
Before I knew it, it was time to get myself dolled up for dinner…
Hello Gallo.
After sharing this bottle, we headed to sushi with a small group of friends. So fun! I will return later with dinner and bar pics.
Until then, dear friends, I’d like to give something to you!
The first present I have to share is a giveaway. I’m really excited about this since it’s something I know many of you want, but few people can find (or can afford to indulge in – myself included).
After I posted my pumpkin banana bread recipe I got so many questions about coconut oil, I knew I had to do a giveaway.
The generous people at Tropical Traditions were happy enough to participate…so now I get to offer one lucky reader a jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.
All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me what you’d use it for. This is a semi-self-serving giveaway because I am also trying to get recipe ideas myself…
You have until Wednesday night (10/27/10) to enter and I’ll announce the randomly chosen winner the next morning (Thursday 10/28).
The second gift I have relates to my OpenSky shop.
Whether your sweet tooth is going haywire like mine is…(vegan dark chocolate)
Or you’ve been looking for a way to jazz up your pasta…(spiralizer)
Or you’re in the mood for the best raw crackers ever…(Livin’ Spoonful)
You can now get a 50% discount.
Your coupon code is: hungry50pct (Note: this is a limited time offer only good for first 5 customers who use it. It expires October 31 and is not valid for orders over $100.)
I’ll be back with a post on my birthday dinner soon. Until then, enjoy my birthday presents.
Wine. Sonoma. Love.
I can think of many ways to use the coconut oil, but I would most like to make vegan brownies with them! Also, I would sauté anything and everything in it.
I would use it drizzled over a mahi mahi salad and in the shower… oh yes, its the best moisturizer in the world!
I would use the coconut oil in stir fry recipes!
I would use it in stir fries and baking! And granola! Yummm. Happy belated birthday!
I would definitely make your pumpkin banana bread recipe! Just thinking about it makes me drool 😀
Ah I really want to try peanut butter banana soft serve now- such a great combo!
I would use it for everything! Baking, cooking, roasting veggies…
I love coconut oil. I would use it for chocolate chip cookies in place of margarine, or maybe some chocolate truffles!
Gifts for you readers on YOUR birthday? And btw, peanut-butter banana soft serve and a hearth thrive cookie is not only TOTALLY okay on your birthday, but it is also the healthiest indulgence i have ever heard of someone having that sounds amazing! I can’t believe you own the RFD cookbook now, i love that place so much and i follow Ann Gentry on twitter! As for the coconut oil? I would probably smother it all over the mom’s zucchini date bread, toss it in the oven for about 5 minutes and immensely enjoy the melted mess! Hope your brand new job is going freaking awesome, i am sure it is…
I would definitely use it for vegan pumpkin carob chip cookies… With all this pumpkin you just can’t help getting seasonal.
It’s also a great hair and skin moisturizer!
Gasp! You are very right that I’ve been dying to try this but haven’t due to its rather hefty price tag. Free sounds a whole lot better! I would love to use it to stir fry some tofu and veggies, but I’m sure it would also end up in something sweet and baked before too long. 🙂
i still haven’t found coconut oil anywhere!!! i would love to use it in a veggie/tofu stir fry! i also think it would be an excellent addition to baked goods, especially for the holidays like with chocolate bark!
happy birthday!! it was my birthday weekend, too 🙂 looks like you had an excellent time!
as for the coconut oil…i’d use it in everything. baking, stir frys (ies?), melted, mixed with coco powder, and poured on top of “ice cream” for a magic shell topping. the list goes on!
Great giveaway! I’d love to use the coconut oil in oatmeal…or maybe in some baked goods!
stir-fries, cookies, raw desserts, mixed with agave for icing.. i have been wanting to try some forever!
Thanks for the openshop code! I got some garlic gold oil, I’ve been wanting to try that stuff for a while now! As for the coconut oil… I’d like to enter the giveaway :). I would use it to cook/saute dinners more healthily (and not to mention more tasty!). Also I would probably try some in baked goods! Mmm coconut 🙂
Yay! It sounds like you liked the Heart Thrives–I am so happy to hear that 🙂 I can’t remember…what other flavors/kinds did I send you?
I have never tried coconut oil before, so I would totally be thrilled to try working with it! I would love to make your pumpkin bread with it 🙂
Courtney
HAppy Birthday!! So generous to give away presents on your bday : )
I LOVE coconut oil! I cook my veggies in it and mix it in my shakes
I would use the coconut oil to make Nikki’s Healthy Cookies!!
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html
And to make your banana pumpkin bread AGAIN!
What great birthday swag!
I’m the same way with leftovers. I CANNOT throw food away. And the freezer is my best friend. Even fruits and veggies I can’t finish go in there!
i really want to try coconut oil in oatmeal!
I would use it on toast! mmmmmm coconut whole wheat toast
I really want to win this giveaway!! haha I would make lots of stir frys and baked goods for sure.
Ohhh I want ALL of this food!! PB and banana softserve tastes better than ice cream to me. And I am forever trying to find those heart thrives! I may just have to order them online!
I would use the coconut oil to make homemade magic shell for my banana soft serve. I use good chocolate and a sprinkle of grey sea salt. So insanely good.
http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2008/03/28/make-your-own-junk-food-homemade-magic-shell/
enter me
i use coconut oil daily: eye make up remover, lotion, on popcorn, on bread for skylar, and in recipes like my vegan GF pancakes that i relinked today
PB softserve, ive been on that for a year. good shizzle, huh!
your open sky..when i had those 5 coupons for half off, they disappeared fast. I currently have 10 for 30% off but yeah, I want more half offs! ha!
Glad a decade later yoga is in the forecast!
ooh! I’d use it to make a “magic shell” for that ice cream!! Just mix liquid coconut oil with a little cocoa powder and pour it on top of your delicious-looking pb banana ice soft serve. Ridiculous.
I would like to use the coconut oil to use with veggies. Yum! And also baking. I always see people put it in there. Zucchini bread would be awesome!
Happy birthday! I’d use the coconut oil to put on baked sweet potatoes (so good) and in baking!!
Happy (belated) birthday! 🙂
I can’t wait until you start making meals from that cookbook! I miss cooking all of the time since I’ve been here at college. 🙁
I would use the coconut oil in some coconut dark chocolate almond granola!
I’ve been wanting to make almond joy bites using raw cacao (cacao powder with agave, coconut oil, chopped almonds, and shredded coconut). I tried it in a workshop and it was absolutely delicious, and I have everything to make it except the coconut oil. Thanks for offering the giveaway!
I’d love to try stir-frying with it.
I’d love to try it on oatmeal! There are a ton of baked goods I’d like to try it in too – scones, muffins, breads, etc!
I would love to make some vegan baked goods with coconut oil, but I have never bought it myself. The banana bread recipe sounds delicious!
i’d use the coconut oil to make homemade coconut oil fudge! <3
Hmmm… I would use half the jar for baking and half the jar as a body lotion. Try it!! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Besides using it in baked goods recipes, I’d stir it into oatmeal!
Happy belated birthday!! My birthday was the 7th. October babies rule 🙂
what wouldn’t I use the Coconut oil in?? More than anything, I think I would bake with it. I am a baking fanatic!! 🙂
kristen
I’d use the coconut oil to finally make “Vegan Cherry, Banana, Coconut Butter Bread” (via Angela Liddon) correctly! I made my own coconut butter last time, but I think subbing in half coconut oil would really make it out-of-this-world!
I will use the coconut oil to make some macaroons! Yum!
OMG!!! I have been DYINGGGGG to buy a jar of coconut oil…but like you said…it’s so expensive…and I’m a working college student! 🙁
I would LOVE to incorporate it into our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner with a homemade pecan pie recipe. Both my mom and my boyfriend love coconut but I can’t stand the texture of raw coconut, which is why coconut oil is perfect!!
Coconut oil to make sweet potato fries is my favorite!
I LOVE banana soft serve! I actually make mine with nutella instead of peanut butter. It makes it all chocolatey and good! Best treat ever!
I would really love to use the coconut oil for thai cooking! Plain tofu fried in it on top of some noodles and crisp veggies sounds divine!
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I would drizzle it over my oatmeal for sure!!!! Yum!!!
I’ve always wanted to try coconut oil. I’d use it for sauteing or roasting vegetables…or for making that fantabulous pumpkin bread recipe that you posted. Yum!
I grew a bunch of pumpkin in my yard this year, so I’m thinking I’d try making a pie crust with it.
I also love using coconut oil as moisturizer, but it’s a bit pricey for that.
I want to try using coconut oil in baking, sub the regular bland oil for yummy coconut oil!
Oh I’ve been dying to try all of averie’s recipes — something with tofu!
Great giveaway! I would use to coconut oil in some sort of baked good….
I’ve been wanting to try coconut oil for the longest time! I would first try it as a spread on toast 🙂
I would use it in my zucchini bread! i mix coconut oil with some coconut flour, grated zucchini, stevia, pumpkin spice and bake that baby into deliciously light bread!
I would use it in some vegan peanut butter fudge!
Those suncakes look amazinggggggggggggg…omg.
The first thing I’d make with coconut oil is your pumpkin banana bread-it looks to-die-for good! I’d also probably make a batch of coconutty granola! yummm.
Well I am not sure what I would use the coconut oil for, but I have been reading a lot about it and have been wanting to try it out so i know I could find some yummy recipes to use it in. 🙂
~~~~~TWO WORDS~~~~~~ PINA COLADAS~~~~~~
also i would love to make your vegan brownies, i love coconut and want to make coconut banana muffins…. yummy.
I’ve never tried it before so I think I would incorporate into a lot of my meals!! But I would certainly make pumpkin banana bread with it asap!
i would use it to make vegan frosting! which would force me to also make a cake to go with!
i would use it to make this cherry banana coconut butter bread from ‘oh she glows’! i’ve been wanting to try this recipe out for the longest time – looks soooooo good!
http://ohsheglows.com/2010/06/28/will-run-for-cherry-banana-coconut-butter-bread/
i would use it to make this cherry banana coconut butter bread from ‘oh she glows’! i’ve been drooling over this recipe for the longest time – looks soooooo good!
http://ohsheglows.com/2010/06/28/will-run-for-cherry-banana-coconut-butter-bread/
woops! sorry i posted this twice – i got confused when it didn’t show up the first time… :/
i usually stir it in with my oats. and by usually i mean that’s all i’ve ever done with it!
i need to get some inspiration!
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I know the traditional use would be food based but I would use it on my daughter’s hair. Apparently it is a great moisturizer for fine curly frizzy hair! Oh, and I’m sure I would sneak a little bit for myself too!
I want, no, NEED that coconut butter to make magic shell for banana soft-serve, and to make vegan fudge and other delicious vegan sweets!
someone just gave me the idea of popping popcorn with coconut oil. me needs to try…
I’d spread it on toast. Yum, coconut toast sounds so amazing!
I want to make that fudge in your post! Choose me! Choose me!
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where did you get your coffee cup??
crate and barrel
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