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Gift Guide :: 21st Birthday
/Happiness is about the unseen things, the moments that take your breath away, laughter at the end of a long day, puppy kisses, hugs with an extra squeeze, love. That's what it's all about. As long as my birthday has at least one of the intangible, it'll be a great one. But the next few items wouldn't hurt either ...
Today, I've put together 21 items that you'll find on my birthday list! I'm super excited to share with you my faves. Note :: I've used affiliate links throughout this post. Thanks for supporting The Great Vibes Guide & me! Xx.
Part I ::
Part II ::
1. j.crew pixie pants
2. donation
3. lipstick (1/2/3)
4. grown-up pajamas (1/2/3)
5. the mira heel
6. love your melon beanie
7. books (1/2/3)
Part III ::
+Now, real talk here ... how much do you love gift guides?
P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.
P.S.S. Did you know you get a free free Great Vibes Guide & grocery store printable when you sign up for The Newsletter? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
P.S.S.S. Have you checked out all of the
other places Emily's spreading the Great Vibes?
Toasted Coconut Butter
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You guys. I (Emily, here!) LOVE this recipe. I used to spend 10 dollars plus on jars of this stuff from *those who take whole paychecks* and would go through it within a couple days - cue the bank robbery. It took me such a long time, even after reading recipes (!) to finally make it for myself. Thank goodness I finally did, because let's talk about a bang for your buck. Now, I spend a fifth of the price and get fresh, homemade coconut butter that takes less than 15 minutes to make and requires only one ingredient. Can I get a booyah? Too lame? Alright ... we'll move on.
This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...
ONLY one ingredient
a perfect base recipe
done in under 15 minutes
creamy
rich
decadent
versatile
I put this yummy goodness on basically everything. A couple weeks ago, it was featured in it's non-toasted variation in my Mexican Cold Chocolate recipe. I've been known to eat it by the spoonful, drizzle it over sweet potatoes with a little bit of cinnamon, stir it into a can of pumpkin with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tumeric, or mix it with maple syrup and a little lemon juice to make a yummy frosting for cinnamon rolls. *cravings beginning now*.
Note: Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your tastebuds will still have a party. Promise!
What is it we love so much about coconut? I spent all day Monday, chatting up my favorite healthy fat, coconut, over on twitter - follow me here -, because why not? Coconut is amazing and it comes in so many different forms... flaked, whole, liquid, butter, oil, the list is endless! Okay, not endless, but definitely a lot of options from which to choose. Coconuts are made up of 90% fat, which has most people gasping and pinching their waistlines, but 65% are medium-chain fatty acids. These guys are absorbed by our body in a way that fuels us, not fattens us, and have been known to boost our metabolism, slim our waistlines, help moisturize our skin and boost it's integrity, aids in gut and digestive health, and may even have antimicrobial power. Hot dammmnnnnnn. So many benefits thanks to the nutritional profile (I'll just mention a few...) boasting of vitamins E & C, sterols, fiber, and electrolytes - i.e. potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium.
Ingredients & steps after the jump ...
Toasted Coconut Butter
Ingredients ::
+ 1 bag of unsweetened flake coconut
(organic, nothing added - I use Trader Joe's brand)
Recipe ::
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread unsweetened flake coconut onto a baking tray.
Toast coconut in the oven for about 5 (maybe more) minutes, until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Place cooled, toasted coconut flakes into blender or Nutribullet (if using Nutribullet, using milling attachment, not blender attachment).
Blend coconut, scraping down the sides or shaking the coconut back down, until fully blended and creamy. You'll know it's done when it's the same, even consistency of peanut or almond butter.
Top on smoothies or oatmeal, eat by the spoonful, or drizzle over sweet potatoes with cinnamon for a decadent treat packed with nutrients. The options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.