I don’t know if you know this about me, but I like to bake. And cook, but mostly I love to bake. It’s soothing and comforting to fill the house with amazing smells. It’s actually relaxing to mix and knead, taste and adjust.

I’m pretty sure that in another life time, I owned a specialty bake shop. With loads of yummy things like cupcakes, truffles, cookies, brownies, freshly baked breads, and, and, and…

Great, now my stomach is growling.

One of the best things about baking is trying a new ingredient. Whether that means incorporating it in a tried and true recipe or venturing out to try a brand new recipe. There’s something invigorating about it. Unless of course the recipe turns out to be a total flop. Then I’m bitter. And hungry. And bitter because I’m hungry.

Thankfully, this time around, the new ingredient was anything but a flop. It came from Tropical Traditions, a company that I’ve worked with and tested many products before. This time I got my grubby little hands on their coconut flour.

Of course the first recipe I tried was brownies. I mean, if you are going to make something new, it better include loads and loads of chocolate. Am I right? Of course there are like a million recipes to try out, including many gluten-free options, on the Free Coconut Recipes web site.

Let me just get this out of the way. They. Were. Divine. So rich and chocolaty, just the way a brownie should be.

So, the big question is, did I notice a difference because they were made with coconut flour rather than normal white flour? Yes and no. They did have a slightly grainier texture, but it didn’t stop me from eating them, that’s for sure. They also felt heavier. Not as in they physically weighed more. More like I felt heavier, or fuller, after eating them. Otherwise they were pretty much the same. I didn’t notice a strong coconut flavor, which I had expected.

I’ve used coconut flour to substitute part of the flour in other recipes that I love. Especially my chocolate chip muffins. A family favorite that was passed down from my mom. One of these days I’ll even share this recipe with you. I promise.

Why use coconut flour rather than white or whole wheat flour? Well, because it has health benefits that you just can’t find in flour. Like it’s full of fiber, something that just about everyone needs to have more of. Ahem. It’s also a great source of protein, which helps keep you fuller, longer. So when you enjoy something as indulgent as a coconut flour brownie, you can feel a little less guilty, because it’s full of yummy healthy things that other brownies are lacking.

Plus, coconut flour is gluten-free. Perfect for those with a gluten allergy or sensitivity or anyone looking to reduce the amount of gluten they cram into their bodies.

Of course now that I’ve told you all about this tasty product, I bet you are dying to try it. Good news! I’m giving away a 2.2 lb bag of organic coconut flour to one lucky reader.

Easy to Follow Rules to Enter

1. Visit Tropical Traditions and let me know what other product you would like to try. This is mandatory and must be done first.
2. Follow my blog via RSS or Google Friend connect.
3. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway.
4. Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter.

This giveaway ends Friday January 14, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST. The winner will be picked by Random.org.

The Fine Print: The giveaway is open to readers within the US and Canada. Winner must contact me within 3 days after receiving my email with their mailing address to confirm that they want to receive the prize. I received a sample of Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Flour, but all opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure policy.

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.

Did you know that you can save my recipes in your very own recipe box, courtesy of ZipList? Just click on the link above, under "recipes" to get started. Want to learn more? Hop on over to read about this awesome new feature.

This post is proudly linked up to Mondays: Mouthwatering Mondays, Made By You Monday, Mingle Monday, The Girl Creative Tuesdays: Tuesdays and the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, It's a Blog Party, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On Wednesdays: Show and Tell, Works for Me Wednesday Thursdays: It's a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Full Plate Thursdays, Chic & Crafty Party, Transformation Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday Fridays: I'm Loving It, Foodie Friday, Simply Designing, Show and Tell Friday Saturdays: Sweets for a Saturday, Positively Splendid, Saturday Nite Special Sundays: Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sundae Scoop Party, The Sunday Showcase Party

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Tagged as: coconut flour giveaway, Giveaway, organic coconut flour, product review, tropical traditions, tropical traditions giveaway