Review and Giveaway: Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil (CLOSED)

An oil that's naturally solid at room temperature (well, ok, not when it's 100 degrees outside)? That's, right, coconut oil firms up at about 76 degrees F, making it a possible alternative to partially hydrogenated oils like shortening and margarine. It's also dairy-free, a good fit if you are on a CF diet or can't use butter.

And it smells and tastes like fresh coconuts, yum!

I've been reading a lot lately about different fats and oils and their relative healthiness. Our family stopped using margarine and canola oil a years ago...and I'm always looking for possible natural alternatives.

Tropical Traditions sent me a quart of their certified organic Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. You can read all about their wonderful oil here.

We've been having fun baking some of our favorite foods with coconut oil. It adds a little hint of flavor to chocolate chip cookies, a sweet complexity to whole-grain cornbread and even an interesting twist to pie crust...

Pie crust? Am I weird? Maybe, but the kiddos loved it when I made a Quiche Lorraine and used coconut oil in my pie dough instead of butter or shortening. The crust was tender, flakey, and tasty. A little less brown and crisp than usual, but my 6-year-old actually preferred it that way...and no trouble with burnt crust!

We haven't even tried any of the free recipes from Tropical Traditions, yet...but, I see someone has already posted a recipe for pie crust. (And I thought I was being so original {grin}.

I will share my Whole-Grain Cornbread invention (inspired by Betty Crocker's Cornbread recipe)---this is definitely not southern cornbread, but it's good for those of us with a sweet-tooth:

A note on the cornmeal: I use Brinser's Best Yellow Cornmeal, which is regional for us. It is roasted, so the color is a little less "bright yellow" and has a slight sweetness to it. It is not de-germinated.

1 cup milk
1/4 coconut oil (liquified)
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably not de-germinated, if you want whole grain)
1 cup whole wheat flour (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat)
1/4 cup sugar (you can use more or less if you like)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
a little solid coconut oil to grease the pan

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" round pan or 8" square pan with some solid coconut oil.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add milk and oil and beat until smooth. Add all the other ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon just until mixed.
• Pour in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until it starts to brown and a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Serve right away with butter or jam.

Is your mouth watering yet?

While you can buy Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions (they even have a 100% money back guarantee on the 16 oz trial size!), one of my readers will win a free quart of coconut oil!

Deadline to enter: August 15, 2010 ( midnight EST)

This giveaway is open to anyone in the U.S. or Canada (note, Tropical Traditions is not responsible for customs or duties to Canada)!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Mandatory to enter: Leave a comment telling me about a favorite recipe you'd like to re-imagine using coconut oil. (1 entry)

Note: Please be sure to leave your email in your comment if it is not in your profile.

Optional additional entries:

• Subscribe to Tropical Traditions Newsletter. (1 entry)
• Follow me in GFC. (1 entry)
• Blog about this giveaway---leave a link to your post in your comment. (3 entries)
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. (1 entry)\
• Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter. (1 entry)

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 free product.