Frugal Foodie Mama: coconut

Monday, August 24, 2020

Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake

This super easy to make and delicious Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake is bursting with bright lemon, sweet mandarin oranges, and toasted coconut- just like summer on a fork!



This super easy to make and delicious Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake is bursting with bright lemon, sweet mandarin oranges, and toasted coconut- just like summer on a fork!







So, the last time I posted a new recipe on here it was near the beginning of summer. I do apologize for the almost 3 month long hiatus, but I promise you all that it was for a very good reason. A very good reason that I can't reveal to everyone just yet, but that I should be able to tell you all about within the next two months or so. ;) So, stay tuned- because it is a pretty BIG. 





In the meantime, I am over here soaking up these last little bits of summertime and digging into this easy to make Citrus Coconut Sunshine Cake. Seriously, folks. This citrusy and bright cake is summer on a fork.





And when I say summer, I mean the pre-Covid, all day at the pool, backyard family BBQ's, beach vacation summer. Because let's face it- this has been a super weird summer. Summer 2019 with its outdoor concerts, and the crowded city pool, and packed restaurant patios seems like a lifetime ago at this point- am I right?





Friday, May 13, 2016

15 Tasty Recipes that Put the Lime in the Coconut

Sweet, creamy coconut and tart lime come together perfectly in these 15 Tasty Recipes that Put the Lime in the Coconut...
Sweet, creamy coconut and tart lime come together perfectly in these 15 Tasty Recipes that Put the Lime in the Coconut.

I am sure you all are probably familiar with these lyrics...
"You put the lime in the coconut and drink them both together
Put the lime in the coconut and you feel better
Put the lime in the coconut and drink 'em all up
You put the lime in the coconut and call me in the morning..."

There is no hidden, mystical meaning behind the lyrics. It's just a fun, catchy song that celebrates something that I think most of us already know- that lime and coconut go damn good together, am I right? ;) There is just something about that combo of creamy, sweet coconut and tart lime that screams summertime to me. 

To celebrate my love for all things coconut & lime, I have scoured some of my favorite food blogs to put together this collection of 15 Tasty Recipes that Put the Lime in the Coconut to share with you all today... 

Monday, May 9, 2016

Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread

This Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread is the perfect combination of sweet & tart thanks to creamy coconut and a hint of fresh lime...
This Lime in the Coconut Banana Bread is the perfect combination of sweet & tart thanks to creamy coconut and a hint of fresh lime.

There is no flavor combination out there that screams summer is on its way to me quite like lime with coconut. The sweet & tart combo of lime and coconut makes me think of cabanas on a tropical beach, and sipping on frozen libations on the backyard deck, and of course that super catchy song by Harry Nilsson. And I know pineapple and coconut get most of the summer lovin' (Hello, pina coladas! Duh.), but I think the coconut/lime combination deserves a little time in the limelight too (Like what I just did there? ;) ). 

I know that the official start of summer is still over a month away, but who says that we have to wait until then to get into that summertime vibe? Not me! I am diving right in with this moist and flavorful banana bread recipe. The banana bread itself is packed with lots of sweet coconut flavor and just a hint of fresh lime. But what really makes this bread something else is the super simple tart lime glaze you drizzle right over top. Finish it all off with a little toasted coconut, and you have just created the perfect taste of summer in the middle of May... 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread

If you are looking for a sweet tropical treat that will feed a crowd, you can't wrong with this easy to make Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread...

If you are looking for a sweet tropical treat that will feed a crowd, you can't wrong with this easy to make Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread.


In case you haven’t noticed, pull apart breads are all the rage right now. Most of the versions I have seen have seen happen to be ooey, gooey, cheesy savory ones (think pizza inspired, game day ready, etc.). And I have seen quite a few breakfast versions of pull apart breads. But even though they are not as popular (yet), I am calling it now, folks- dessert pull apart breads are about to be the next big thing in easy to make dessert recipes.

The pull apart dessert bread recipes that I have come across recently though seem to have one thing in common- almost all of them are made from scratch with actual dough making and rise times and all that jazz. And while I have absolutely nothing against homemade, sometimes you just need a few quick, easy, yet impressive go-to dessert recipes that don’t require hours of your time. Am I right? 


Cue this Pina Colada Pull-Apart Bread! You use a ready-made sweet loaf of bread that you pick up from your local grocer or bakery and in 30 minutes you have an amazing, perfectly shareable pull-apart dessert bread.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Your favorite summer and fall flavors meld perfectly in this creamy & healthy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl...

Your favorite summer and fall flavors meld perfectly in this creamy & healthy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl.


Did anyone else get hit by that sinus cold/infection thing that has been going around lately? I was down with it for most of last week, and I am so not good at being sick. Or doing that resting thing, but this crud kicked my booty. I found myself napping or lying down whenever I could and heading to bed early almost every night for at least five nights last week. 

And when this mama is down for the count, cooking meals at home comes to an abrupt and grinding halt. My husband doesn't really cook often, so I found myself texting him to pick up pizza or fast food before he came home from work last week more times than I would like to admit to you all. 

Add in the fact that I was in no shape to head to the gym at all for the duration of that yuckiness, and I was feeling pretty sluggish and unhealthy by the time this thing finally ran its course near the beginning of this week. I have eased back into my gym routine, but I am craving healthy foods after all the greasy fast food I consumed last week. 

Wanting to get back to some healthier eating, I decided to finally take the leap and made my first ever smoothie bowl. If you are not familiar with a smoothie bowl, you whip it up in a blender the same as you would a smoothie. But a smoothie bowl is thicker making it perfectly spoonable- like a healthy, cold "soup" that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Since I am craving fall flavors, but still clinging a little to summer I decided to meld one of my favorite summer flavors (coconut) with one of my favorite fall flavors (pumpkin) in this creamy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl... :)

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Pina Colada Macaroons

Baking up a batch of these moist & delicious Pina Colada Macaroons is a sure-fire way to cure a case of the beach blues...
Baking up a batch of these moist & delicious Pina Colada Macaroons is a sure-fire way to cure a case of the beach blues.

Pardon me, friends... But I happen to be going through a little bit of beach withdrawal this week. My family and I traveled to the Outer Banks with 9 other members of our family last week to take up residence in a 3 story beach house complete with a pool and hot tub for a full 7 days. If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you may have caught some of my photos from our little trip to the beach. ;)

We spent lots of time on the beach (no shark sightings or attacks for us, thank goodness!) and just hanging out together relaxing in our big ole beach house. We may have also enjoyed a frosty cocktail or two. 

Frozen pina coladas, to be exact. Once I saw that our beach house kitchen was equipped with a blender, I headed to the next little town over to seek out a liquor store. I picked up some white rum and a bottle of pina colada mix and got right to whirling away frozen and fruity concoctions for the ladies of the family. I blended up a few traditional pina coladas, and then spying the fresh fruit we had on hand I decided to make a few strawberry and banana ones as well. 

While I am glad to be home and back to the the familiar, I am missing the beach. The salty breezes, the seashell hunting, and those frosty pina coladas...

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Tropical Green Goddess Smoothie

This delicious & dairy-free Tropical Green Goddess Smoothie gets its rich creaminess from a surprise secret ingredient- avocado!
This delicious & dairy-free Tropical Green Goddess Smoothie gets its rich creaminess from a surprise secret ingredient- avocado!

Post updated 1/30/18- This creamy Tropical Green Goddess Smoothie deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals down below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

I am bringing you all a different kind of green smoothie today. The green in this Tropical Green Goddess Smoothie not only comes from the leafy greens this time. The green in this creamy, tangy, & sweet healthy smoothie also comes from a little mashed avocado! 

Yep, folks.  Avocado.

Avocados are already so creamy and have such a mild taste that they work perfectly into fruit smoothies. And because the avocado makes this smoothie so darn creamy, I left out the yogurt when making this one resulting in a delicious dairy-free option for Green Smoothie Week on the blog. :)

(P.S. You can make any of the green smoothie recipes I am sharing this week dairy free by subbing soy or coconut milk yogurt for the low fat or Greek yogurt.)

Friday, June 7, 2013

Pina Colada Smoothie {Greek Style}

Take your taste buds on a guilt free getaway to the tropics with this creamy & low fat Pina Colada Smoothie...


Our beach vacation is just one and a half months away.  And I will admit it- I want to look good in my bathing suit. Who doesn't?  
But I also have no desire to give up my sweets.  (You all have perused the recipes on my blog, right? ;) )

So, I am not cutting out all sweets.  I am still baking cookies and making homemade ice cream.
But I am trying to to replace some of the sweets that I love with some healthier alternatives here and there.

My coupon to try FAGE Total Greek Yogurt for free as a newly appointed BzzAgent came just in time. ;)
Honestly, when I took my first bite of the FAGE Total 0% Greek Yogurt I was FAR from sold. It wasn't sweet at all.  But I quickly learned it was fabulous with a drizzle of honey topped with crunchy almonds and sweet dried cranberries. ;)
And then I started baking with it.  And then I start making smoothies with it... 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Coconut Chai Biscotti {The Leftovers Club Recipe}

Pin It

So earlier in the month, I saw some chatter and recipe links floating around on Twitter about a new little fun foodie program that had just started called The Leftovers Club from Savory Simple.  After probing a little and finding the club page, I decided that this was my kind of club!  You basically are paired up with another blogger, make some goodies that month, send the "leftovers" to your partner, and then post the recipe for what you sent to them on the first Thursday of the following month.  I strongly suggest you all get signed up for the next go-round of The Leftovers Club. ;)

This past month I was paired up with Colleen from Souffle Bombay. After conversing a bit with her via email, I learned that she is a hot tea drinker.  I have recently become pretty obsessed with this Sweet Coconut Thai Chai tea from Celestial Seasonings, so it became the inspiration for my Coconut Chai Biscotti that I sent to Colleen.  (Psssttt... Colleen sent me amazingly chocolaty Mexican brownies with a spicy kick. Make sure you check out her blog today for that recipe!)
Also, I may be a tiny bit obsessed with making homemade biscotti lately. ;)  It really is so simple to make, and so much more cheaper than the biscotti you buy at the fancy coffee shop. 

What you will need:
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded coconut

For the cinnamon white chocolate glaze-
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp canola oil
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Set aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and coconut extracts in a large bowl.  Beat on medium speed until the the mixture is light in color, about 3-4 minutes.  
Fold in the shredded coconut.

In a medium bowl, whisk all the spices (the cinnamon through the black pepper) evenly into the flour.  
On low speed, gradually beat the flour/spice mixture into the wet mixture until incorporated.

Transfer the dough to your lined baking sheet and form into a flat loaf, about 15 inches long & 5-6 inches wide.  Bake for 25 minutes, and then remove from the oven.  Turn the heat down to 325.  
Allow the loaf to cool for about 5-10 minutes.  I like to lightly pat down the loaf with water after it has cooled for about 5 minutes to prevent the loaf from cracking.

Once the loaf has cooled a bit but is still warm, cut into about 1 inch thick slices using a chef's knife.  I know that most people tend to use a serrated knife when cutting biscotti, but I ALWAYS find that my slices rip and crumble when I use one.  I switched to cutting them with a chef's knife and never had that problem again. :)
You can cut your slices on a diagonal, if you wish.  I usually just cut them straight across.

Once cut, transfer all the slices flat side down back to the baking sheet.  Bake an additional 20-25 minutes.
Transfer the baked slices to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

Once cooled, you can prepare the cinnamon white chocolate drizzle or glaze.  Mix your white chocolate chips and canola oil in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 minutes, and then mix.  If it isn't 100% melted and smooth when you mix it, microwave for another 15 seconds.  Then mix in the cinnamon.  I like to drizzle my biscotti while they are still on the wire rack.  I just slide a piece of waxed paper underneath of the rack to catch the drippings.  
Allow the chocolate to harden completely, and then store in an airtight container for up to a month.

I was really pleased with how the flavor of these biscotti turned out.  It had just the right amount of spice to it, and went wonderfully with a cup of hot tea or a nice cup of coffee.  I hope Colleen has enjoyed them as much as I have. :)

Pin It

So, what do you all think?  Will you be joining us in The Leftovers Club this month? ;)
Be sure to check out the other recipes in this month's The Leftovers Club below!

Savory Simple - Quinoa Granola
Bakeaholic Mama - Amish Friendship Muffins
Damn Delicious - Cinnamon Puppy Chow
Frugal Foodie Mama - Coconut Chai Biscotti
Let's Give Peas a Chance - Chocolate Chip & Potato Chip Cookie Bars
A Zesty Bite - Oreo Toffee Brownies
Sugar Dish Me - Chocolate Cake Cookies
Eats Well With Others - White Chocolate Blondies
Kelly Bakes - Lemon Thyme Shortbread
Eat Bake Drink Cook - Frosted Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Food n' Focus - English Muffin Bread

Coconut Chai Biscotti

by Frugal Foodie Mama
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients (10-12 biscotti)
    For the biscotti
    • 2 eggs
    • 2/3 cup sugar
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp coconut extract
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1 tsp cardamom
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
    For the cinnamon white chocolate glaze
    • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
    • 1 tsp canola oil
    • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
    Instructions
    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
    Combine the eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla and coconut extracts in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed until the the mixture is light in color, about 3-4 minutes.
    Fold in the shredded coconut.
    In a medium bowl, whisk all the spices (the cinnamon through the black pepper) evenly into the flour.
    On low speed, gradually beat the flour/spice mixture into the wet mixture until incorporated.
    Transfer the dough to your lined baking sheet and form into a flat loaf, about 15 inches long & 5-6 inches wide. Bake for 25 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Turn the heat down to 325.
    Allow the loaf to cool for about 5-10 minutes. I like to lightly pat down the loaf with water after it has cooled for about 5 minutes to prevent the loaf from cracking.
    Once the loaf has cooled a bit but is still warm, cut into about 1 inch thick slices using a chef's knife. I know that most people tend to use a serrated knife when cutting biscotti, but I ALWAYS find that my slices rip and crumble when I use one. I switched to cutting them with a chef's knife and never had that problem again.
    You can cut your slices on a diagonal, if you wish. I usually just cut them straight across.
    Once cut, transfer all the slices flat side down back to the baking sheet. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes.
    Transfer the baked slices to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
    Once cooled, you can prepare the cinnamon white chocolate drizzle or glaze. Mix your white chocolate chips and canola oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minutes, and then mix. If it isn't 100% melted and smooth when you mix it, microwave for another 15 seconds. Then mix in the cinnamon. I like to drizzle my biscotti while they are still on the wire rack. I just slide a piece of waxed paper underneath of the rack to catch the drippings.
    Allow the chocolate to harden completely, and then store in an airtight container for up to a month.
    Powered by Recipage

    For Nutritional Info on this recipe, please CLICK HERE.


    Thursday, December 6, 2012

    Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze

    This incredibly moist & decadent Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze is a must-make boozy treat...



    This incredibly moist & decadent Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Buttered Rum Glaze is a must-make boozy treat.




    The first part of the year (aka, what we bloggers deem the first quarter) is usually the slowest time of the year as far as new work for bloggers goes. But I have been putting that "extra" free time to good use by updating some of my most popular posts on the blog. These posts are oldies, but goodies that were in desperate need of some pretty new photos. 





    This recipe for Pina Colada Banana Bread with a Hot Buttered Rum Glaze first appeared on Frugal Foodie Mama in December of 2012 and has been directly pinned from the site over 33,000 times since then! It was definitely deserving of a fresh new makeover... ;)