Coconut Oil Brownies [high-alt recipe]

Don't you want to just faceplant into this deliciousness?

I've been on the Coconut Oil bandwagon for about a year now. It started with popcorn and stir-fry, then soon became my go to moisturizer for winter-cracked skin and lips, then added to baking soda for spa worthy face masks as well as a deep conditioner for my hair...and now this. In my brownies. As a substitute for BUTTER (my sister and I get all Paula Dean with butter especially in baked goods so this is big!) But oh this is good stuff right here.

I LOOOVVEE chocolate and coconut together and the coconut oil adds just a hit of it's flavor so I'm a go with that. Also coconut oil is overall better for you so when I  you eat 5 of these brownies I  you won't feel as guilty. So from now on brownies made with coconut oil will always be a yes for this girl.

(Oh and this is a High-Altitude recipe since we need that sort of thing here in Flag. I don't know why I haven't posted more h.alt. recipes on here since its such a big part of cooking up here...I'll try to give you more of them if you are interested.)

Coconut Oil Brownies [h. alt.]

makes 9x9 pan. adapted from here.

1 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (loosely packed)
3/4 cup Coconut Oil melted
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 eggs
7/8 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt (for a taste closer to "Salted Chocolate" use course sea salt)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix sugars, coconut oil, and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and mix each until combined.
Fold the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into the sugar-egg mixture. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Blog Lovin'

I was trying to think of what to post on this lovely afternoon and I was drawing a blank so I headed over to some of my favorite blogs for some inspiration...no luck on the inspiration (though it did leave me wanting a margarita...in both drink and cake form) so I thought I would share a list of the blogs I've been frequenting recently in no particular order...

How Sweet It Is - Awesome food blog that will leave you drooling and laughing at the same time...yes that is possible and not an attractive sight but sooo worth it.

The Fitnessista- This lovely lady will make you want to get your butt in the gym to work off all of the food from the previous blog but don't worry she makes it quick...not painless though.

dash and bella- This one has wonderful recipes, poetry, rants, and reminders of how life is better and more delicious when it's edges are free form and that crème fraîche goes with everything.

Mariannan- For when I don't know what to wear and am missing European living...

Darling Magazine-This online magazine/blog space has refreshing articles and is like girl chat time. Their print magazines are gorgeous as well...

So that's what I have been reading recently... enjoy!

Cheers.

Prescott Birthday Weekend

With April being the Haystacks 2.0 birthday month and N's actual birthday was on Saturday...

...we celebrated with these insane cakebattericecream-funfetti-cakebatterwhippedcream-cupcakes (N's request) for breakfast...

...then jetted down to Prescott where we met up with the Haystacks 1.0 and friends...

...the boys did some of this (for over 40 miles!!!)

...and us girls did some of this (ran 9 miles uphill!!!+ shopping)

Then we went out to a fun dinner and had some (dry) chocolate cake with too many candles!

Cheers to Fun Birthdays and Wonderful Family.