Cookbook Giveaway: The Spunky Coconut

by Maggie on February 21, 2012

Most of you know Kelly Brozyna from her amazing blog The Spunky Coconut.

Kelly’s also a published cookbook author; her first book is called The Spunky Coconut Cookbook: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free, and her most recent book is The Spunky Coconut Grain-Free Baked Goods and Desserts: Gluten Free, Casein Free, and Often Egg Free. Both are amazing cookbooks and Kelly’s love for nutrition, baking, and her family is evident throughout each one.

I recently had the chance to chat with Kelly on her podcast . It was so great to talk to her. We talked about The Balanced Platter, about our kids, about nutrition, and of course about FOOD. Make sure you listen to it when you get a chance - folding laundry, cooking alone in the kitchen, washing dishes...

I was lucky enough to meet Kelly at the Gluten-Free Expo last April. The kids and I sat in on one of her cooking demos and watched in amazement as she casually made grain-free bagels (recipe below). They were simple, nutritious, and most of all, delicious.

I picked up a copy of her second book The Spunky Coconut Grain-Free Baked Goods and Desserts: Gluten Free, Casein Free, and Often Egg Free while I was in Chicago and I wanted to share it with you guys.

One of the things I love about Kelly’s recipes is they’re loaded with healthy ingredients. But they’re also incredibly simple and delicious.

Some of the recipes in the book do contain eggs, but they’re all gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.

The book begins with a list of Kelly’s most-used ingredients, among them: coconut flour, chia seeds, stevia, and coconut oil.

The first recipe I made was the Spunky Pie Crust, a grain-free and easy to use pie crust. I filled the crust with Kelly’s recipe for Banana Coconut Cream Pie. This was my birthday breakfast and dessert, and it was nothing short of fabulous. Which is exactly what every birthday girl deserves!

I also love making Kelly’s muffins - a far cry from the sugar-laden ones that won’t leave you feeling full for more than ten minutes. The cookbook has a few muffin recipes but my favorite is her Blueberry Muffins. Kelly’s recipes are so easy to make, and they’re fool-proof! You can have a batch of healthy muffins on the table for breakfast.

Lastly, Pete and I have become slightly addicted to the Foothills Bagels (recipe below), the very bagels that Kelly made at the Expo. I can’t believe how easy they are to make, and how tasty they are. We double the recipe now since we go through them way too fast!

Foothills Bagels

Reprinted with permission from Kelly.

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Add to mixing bowl:
3 tbsp applesauce
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp flax seed meal or 1 ½ tbps chia seed meal
1 tbsp apple cider vinvegar
¾ tsp guar gum or xanthan gum
¼ cup cashew milk ( I use almond milk)

Beat with electric mixer.

Add:
1 tbsp honey (I use maple syrup)
¼ cup ghee or liquefied coconut oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut flour
If you live in a moist climate, you may need a little extra flour.
½ cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Beat again until a mass begins to form.

Form the dough into a ball with your hands.
I put some oil on my hands so the dough doesn’t stick to them.

Divide the ball in half.

Break each half in two, so that there are four balls.
Roll each ball in your hands, then push one finger through the middle and shape the dough in a ring.

They do rise slightly in the oven, so the size of the hole will shrink during baking. Tip: Use dry or slightly oiled hands to shape the dough, not wet hands. When my hands are wet the dough tends to break.

Bake on a slightly greased cookie sheet for about 24 minutes.
Makes 4.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Contest rules: Contest will be open until Tuesday, February 28th at 11:59 pm CST. Winners will be chosen with the help of Random.org. International winners are responsible for any duties and tariffs.

Make sure you hop over to Kelly's blog, or catch her on Facebook and Twitter.