Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Product Review

As you know, I don’t use much oil in my cooking (or un-cooking), but when I do, it’s often coconut oil. And Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil works perfectly for all of my cooking and beauty needs.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.  But, I liked the Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil so much, I made dessert with it. Enjoy!

ChocoNutCrunch Butter

1/4 c nut butter

1 TBSP cocoa powder

1 TBSP maple syrup

2 TBSP Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, melted

1 TBSP cocoa nibs

Warm oil until it becomes a clear liquid. Add to bowl with other ingredients. Stir to combine.

Uses:

As is: Use as is for a spread on bread, wraps, fruit, etc.

ChocoNutCrunch Sauce: Add an additional 1 TBSP melted coconut oil to original recipe. Stir to combine. Warm resulting sauce and poor over your favorite non-dairy ice cream (banana soft-serve anyone?!), swirl into your amazing oats, add to your morning smoothie, use as a dip for fruits or cookies, use as a g’nosh for cakes and cookies, etc.

ChocoNutCrunch Bar: Reduce the coconut oil by 1/2  TBSP. Mixture will be thicker than the buttery spread. Poor into candy molds or onto parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment, flatten into a bar, and freeze.

ChocoNutCrunch Balls

1/2 c nut butter

1/4 c cocoa powder

2 T Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, melted

2 T (heaping) cocoa nibs

2 T maple syrup

Combine ingredients. Scoop by tablespoon full and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Shape into rounds. Freeze rounds until solid. Transfer to an air-tight container and store in freezer.

Options:

Sugar Free: Use liquid or powdered stevia instead of maple syrup (or your favorite liquid sweetener). Or use a combination of the two. If using liquid stevia alone, I’d start with one dropper full, or about 10 drops. If using powered alone, I’d start with two packets (about 1 scooper of uncut product). If combining with liquid sweetener, I’d half each of the suggested amounts and work my way up to desired sweetness.

Nut butter choices: I used peanut butter for the butter, sauce, and bar. I used almond butter for the balls. Both were delicious. I’m sure any nut or seed butter you like would work wonderfully.

Measuring Coconut Oil: I measured my oil in it’s in liquid state by first warming it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. A warm water bath works just as well. Or, you can try sitting the jar in a gas oven while your prepping your other ingredients (or a little before that). I’ve read the heat is enough to liquify the oil. (I’ve never tried this; we have an electric stove/oven.)

Check out these links to learn more about Tropical Traditions and/or Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil on YouTube

Tropical Traditions Homepage

Virgin Coconut Oil: America’s First Traditional Handcrafted Virgin Coconut Oil

How to Use Coconut oil: There are hundreds of uses for coconut oil!

Tropical Traditions YouTube channel

Peanut Butter Eggs

Mr. M and I just had a conversation about Easter egg hunts. Neither of us can remember participating in Easter egg hunts as children. I think we were deprived! But, you don’t have to be

Just in time for the Easter bunny…

I used to love peanut butter eggs. The super sweet peanut butter. The melty chocolate. Big or small, I liked them all. But whole food vegans don’t eat that stuff, right? Wrong!

I made my own peanut butter eggs. And, I donated them to a bake sale at work to support a group of my co-workers who are participating in the  Susan G Komen Walk for the Cure this summer. Their team name is We Pink We Can. Too cute! Anyway, my PNB Eggs were a hit – at least with the three people who reported eating them

Peanut Butter Eggs

Peanut Butter Filling

1/2 c peanut butter

2 TBSP maple syrup

1 tsp psyllium powder

dash salt

Combine peanut butter, maple syrup and psyllium in a small bowl. Add dash salt if your PNB doesn’t contain salt (this will help bring out the sweetness of the peanuts and maple syrup). You want the mix to be dry and crumbly. Refrigerate the peanut butter filling for a few hours.

After thoroughly chilled, remove peanut butter filling from fridge and scoop mixture by the tablespoon full. Form into egg shapes and flatten slightly. (Reese’s PNB Eggs are flat-ish.) Place eggs on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze for a few hours.

Chocolate Coating

4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate or about 1/2 c vegan chocolate chips

2 TBSP coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave 30-45 seconds until chocolate is melted and easily combines with oil to form  smooth, liquid chocolate goodness.

Remove peanut butter eggs from freezer and quickly dip into melted chocolate. Return coated eggs to the parchment covered cookie sheet and refreeze for a few hours. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.

Notes——-

Nut-free Option: Replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter (or another nut butter if you don’t have an issue with tree nuts)

Sugar-free Option: Replace the maple syrup with liquid stevia to taste or powdered stevia to taste. With either, you may need to add a little liquid to the peanut butter mixture. I added a little water to one batch, and it didn’t affect the taste at all. I think a few drops of non-dairy milk would also work.

Refined Sugar-free Option: Make your own chocolate coating. Equal parts cocoa powder, liquified coconut oil, and liquid sweetener. Combine and warm to create smooth, liquid, chocolatey goodness. Remember, however, coconut oil liquifies at about 74 degrees, so keep your eggs chilled. (Freezing is best.)

Love Coconut? Try replacing the peanut butter with coconut butter!

Love Chocolate? Try replacing the peanut butter with chocolate peanut butter or white chocolate peanut butter. Or, make your own chocolate peanut butter by adding cocoa powder to the mixture. (You probably won’t need the psyllium…)

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I’m sharing this recipe with the readers of…

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

Allergy Free Wednesdays @ The Tasty Alternative

Wellness Weekends @ Diet Dessert and Dogs

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love @ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery

Allergy Friendly Fridays @ Cybele Pascal – The Allergy-Friendly Cook