the veggie nook’s 100th post! quinoa chocolate chip cookies and a Tropical Traditions giveaway

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Hello my chocolate chip cookies :)

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Well, it’s hard to believe, but this is the 100th post I’ve written on my blog! It’s crazy that I’ve written so much since mid-February. It’s all thanks to you, fellow bloggers and readers that I have come this far, so thank you so so much! Your support, kind words, advice and just in general being there have inspired and motivated me in ways I never though possible :)

Now, since you all have been so wonderful, I thought hosting a giveaway would be a great way to show my appreciation. Tropical Traditions contacted me a couple months ago to do a review and giveaway for their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. Since then I have been putting it through it’s paces, using it in raw recipes, baking, sautéing, in my decaf coffees as well as a moisturizer and make-up remover.

Now, you all probably know by now, how much I love coconut oil. This one is as good as it gets! The scent is subtly coconutty with a mild flavour. It creates delicious raw treats and is a great option for high temperature cooking and baking. For those of you who don’t like coconut oil and are sceptical about using it in cooking, rest assured once incorporated into your recipes, the taste is not detectable. The only place I have ever noticed it’s flavour being apparent is when blended into smoothies and even then it is more of a sweetness than coconut.

I used this coconut oil to make the following recipes on my blog:

As a moisturizer it works great and the subtle coconut scent was very pleasant and as a make-up remover it left my face feeling soft and got all my make-up off easily, even pesky eyeliner and mascara. It was very gentle as well, which was great on my super-sensitive skin.

I also made these quinoa chocolate chip cookies and the results were awesome! They were crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They aren’t the healthiest thing you’ll ever eat, but as far as cookies go, they are pretty darn good! I switched up the sweeteners I used in various trials with them and I found that both versions came out really well! I also tried out a lower-fat version with some applesauce. I’ll note the different substitutions in the recipe below!

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Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free)

These cookies use quinoa flakes to add in some extra protein and whole grains, which also lend these cookies an awesome chew. Feel free to change up the add-ins! I’ve made a couple different kinds which I’ll point out below!

Makes 30 cookies.

Dry:

  • 3/4 cup quinoa flakes
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca/potato starch (not potato flour!)
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1 cup erythritol (a zero calorie, natural sweetener) or coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Wet:

  • 1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water, set aside to gel
  • 1/2 tsp liquid stevia (not necessary if using coconut sugar)
  • 2 tbsp blackstrap molasses
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted ( or 1/3 cup coconut oil + 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce)
  • 2 tbsp water (or 5 tbsp water if using applesauce)

Add-ins:

  • to total 1 cup (ensure they are all vegan:
  • chocolate chips
  • cacao nibs
  • dried blueberries/cranberries + white chocolate chips
  • chopped walnuts + chocolate chips
  • raisins + chopped walnuts
  • anything else you might like!

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Form a well in the center of the dry and pour the wet ingredients in. Mix until completely incorporated. Then stir in the add-ins until evenly distributed.

Chill the dough for 30 min-1 hr. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease it (I like using a BBQ brush and coconut oil to do this).

Form the dough into balls and flatten onto the baking sheet leaving a little room in between for them to spread (they won’t spread too much).

Bake for 22-27 min (less if you are using applesauce or like softer cookies, longer if you are using coconut oil or like crispier cookies) or until the edges are browned, but the middles are still soft (they will continue to cook a little as they cool). Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray then move to a cooling rack to finish. These are delicious slightly warm with a little superpower ice cream ;)

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a version made with dried blueberries and white chocolate chips

I'm submitting this recipe to Allergy Free Wednesdays and Wellness Weekends!

Now I bet you’d all like to learn how you can win some super awesome coconut oil for yourself!

Giveaway Details:

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil - 32 oz.Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!

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.

How to enter:

Mandatory entries:

  1. Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions newsletter here *
  2. Leave a comment below telling me your favourite way to use coconut oil, or if you’ve never used it, the first thing you’d like to try!

For additional entries:

  1. Subscribe to my blog by email*
  2. Follow me on Twitter*
  3. Tweet about the giveaway with a link to this post*
  4. Follow me in Pinterest*

*You must leave a comment for each of these entries, letting me know you did!

The giveaway will stay open until next Wednesday, August 1st at 11:59 pm EST. Make sure you get your entries in! This is a pretty big jar of the good stuff.

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.

And once again I would just like to say, thank you for all of your support over the last few months. You guys are seriously awesome!

104 thoughts on “the veggie nook’s 100th post! quinoa chocolate chip cookies and a Tropical Traditions giveaway”

  1. Pingback: Two is Better than One (WIAW) | Eating 4 Balance

  9. I’ve never used coconut oil before but bought some for the first time recently since I’m doing a (slightly modified version) of the Clean Program. As soon as I add nightshades back into my diet i want to try it with your sweet potato fries.
    I stumbled across your blog tonight when I was googling for a way to combine my new obsessions of raw cacao beans and almond butter (other than just dipping the first in the second). I love your blog!

    Reply

    • Oh thank you Elie! Coconut oil is my favourite so I hope you enjoy it! It’s so versatile! Let me know how you like my recipe if you try them!

      Thanks for your kind words :) hope to see you back here!

      Reply

  10. Haven’t actually used the coconut oil yet, but I am considering using it along with coconut flour for baking and I am looking forward to sauteeing fish with the coconut oil. I think a light mild flavored fish would be wonderful cooked this way.

    Reply

  21. Pingback: wiaw # 22 – i’m back! | the veggie nook

  24. I have never had coconut oil before but I would like to try making cookies with it. This is the first time I’ve been to your blog and really enjoyed the visit. Way to go Gabby!

    Reply

  31. Mmmm those cookies GABBY you are such a Rockstar!

    Love coconut oil – it is so versatile and not to mention awesome in baked goods and raw treats :)

    Reply

  34. I adore coconut oil- my fave oil for sure.
    Spread on toast with cinnamon & truvia, or in homemade macaroons, are some of my best uses for it.

    Reply

  54. Congrats! Those cookies look fantastic! What a yummy and healthy recipe :-) I love, love, love coconut oil, too, as you are aware, and use it for everything from makeup remover to body lotion to butter replacement in cooking!

    Reply

  61. I’m subscribed to their newsletter.
    I love frying chicken with it! It makes it super healthy and I swear, coconut oil never leaves anything it fries ‘greasy’ looking or tasting. It always comes out perfectly crispy. I love it!

    floatingpyramids@gmail.com

    Reply

  63. My favorite way to use coconut oil (I just started using it about a month ago) is in my kid’s pancakes and waffles. It leaves a subtle taste of coconut which I love.

    Reply

  65. I like to use coconut oil on top of sautéed vegetables. It is my secret ingredient in almost every recipe too. It can make any bland recipe a masterpiece.

    Reply

  67. Hi
    I now follow you on pinterest.
    Have you read the newest Thrive book? I have one of Brendan’s books and really enjoy the info and recipes in it and have been debating on if I needed his newest one.

    Reply

  70. Congrats on your 100th post! Such a great accomplishment! can’t wait to see what you have in store for the next 100 posts too :)

    Those cookies look so delicious! Chocolate chip cookies are so comforting and yummy and now I’m totally craving one :)

    I love baking with coconut oil and using it for stir fries! I also love using it in my Beachy Hair Spray. it makes my hair so soft and smell so good!

    Congrats again!

    Reply

  72. hi
    I like to use coconut oil to pop popcorn in. I also have the Babycakes cookbooks that are vegan and GF and in those most of the recipes use coconut oil.
    congrats on the blog and thanks for the great giveaway.

    Reply

  73. HAPPY ONE HUNDRED!! YAY!! And we are so glad you have written so much, too!
    Those cookies look SO GOOD! I’m trying to be healthy this week after my cupcake blow-out weekend but these cookies are tempting me….. aaarrrrrrggggggggg… :-)
    Coconut Oil is the BEST. I have a jar in the kitchen for cooking and a jar in the bathroom for body and face moisturiser. It’s great on sensitive skin and eczema (like mine) because it’s soothing and all natural. YUM.

    Reply

  76. Congrats on your 100th post! I assumed you were a much “older” blogger based on how professional everything looks over here (and the huge number of comments you get!). Awesome blog[wo]manship, friend! : )

    I looove coconut oil too! I sub it in any baking recipe that calls for butter/Earth Balance and have not run into any problems yet. : )

    Reply

  80. Congrats on your 100th post! I’m approaching mine too :)
    Love your giveaway, I use coconut oil in just about everything, including your Frozen Tahini Banana Bites
    Just noticed you’re a fellow member of FBC…signed up for email, I’ll be back, after I find you on Pinterest and Twitter. Makes me sound like a stalker, doesn’t it?

    Reply

  82. Well of course I’d try to win this giveaway…you know me and anything coconut ;-)
    Weirdly enough, I don’t use coconut oil too much in my food, although I do bake with it once in awhile or add it to pancakes when I make them for my son (I need to sneak in extra “healthy” calories for him when I can…he’s a stick!). I do need to start using it more and have some recipes lined up to do so, and I think I’m adding your cookies to that list! I absolutely love using it at night on my face in place of moisturizer….as much as I thought using oil on my face would be gross, I love it!

    Reply

  86. My favorite way to use coconut oil is in these chewy granola bars I make. yum! (Also subscribed to their newsletter) :)

    happy_haylee_3(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply

  89. OMG These cookies look amazing!! I LOVE Quinoa and eat it every day… but really I think the first thing I’d make is these cookies:) NOM NOM

    Reply

  91. And (finally!) I follow you on Pinterest :) Congrats on the 100th post! You got there way faster than I did- you’re so motivated! Way to go!

    Reply

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