Coconut oil?

[ciyates]

I had heard all about the benefits of coconut oil and decided to try some. I am kinda concerned. It is hard like lard. I have heard from some many how great it is but what exactly am I suppose to do with it?? :confused::confused::confused:

 

The name brand is Now Healthy Foods, certified organic virgin coconut oil. It says it is cold pressed and unrefined 100% pure.

 

I thought I could use it like Olive oil but again this is solid. I used a small amount last night to saute salmon and it tasted fine.

I have to do something with because this cost 7 dollars for 12 oz.

 

TIA

[missmoe]

It is hard when cold. Once it gets into the 70s it will turn into liquid.

 

I've used it to replace butter in muffins. And to saute with it.

 

But mostly I don't use it in the kitchen. ;)

[MrsMe]

I bought some too. It was awful tasting! Now I have this $10 jar to do what with? All I could think of was that it tasted like sunscreen. I guess you either like it or you don't.

 

Slather it on your skin...use it as butter...who knows. :bigear::001_huh:

[i.love.lucy]

Are you keeping it in the fridge? You don't need to do that. It will be softer, like Miss Moe said, liquid, when warmed to the 70s like near your stove area.

 

I am reading the Eat Fat, Lose Fat book and heading out today to buy some. That book adds it to smoothies, cooks everything with it, use it as lotion, etc. If you google you will find recipes, but yes, you can use it just like butter in recipes.

[Surfside Academy]

I melt it to liquid and substitute it for vegetable oil in my bread recipes and other baked items. It doesn't have an overwhelming flavor. I haven't tried to saute with it yet. I don't think I'd eat it straight though...:D

[Snickerdoodle]

I cook (saute, fry) everything with it except eggs.

[HeidiKC]

I bought some to make deoderant with (someone here had a recipe on her blog or something). Haven't used it yet.

[kamom]

We like it smothered on waffles instead of butter, in smoothies.

[Angie in VA]

The melting point is 76°, I believe.

 

Much like the father in My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding, I use it for just about everything, inside and out. ;)

 

Expeller-pressed will have less of a coconut flavor. Virgin CO has the flavor, and a bit more nutrients, if I understand it correctly. Unrefined is gooooooood for you. Well done!

[Slartibartfast]

I put it in my bath, a bit on my hair. You can mix it with salt, a bit of soap, and use it as a scrub

 

My dd doesn't care for coconut so I generally just use it topically

[cjzimmer1]

You can melt it to measure like oil or soften it to measure like butter. I use it in blueberry muffins and it makes a fabulous combo. I had some on a trip I took with my son and another boy. The other boy didn't want any at first because he doesn't like blueberries but he ate one as it was the only snack I had available in the van. The next day (when we were at the hotel and had plenty of food/snacks available) he asked for more because he really liked them even with the blueberries.

 

I also saute french cut green beans in coconut oil and use it on most cooked veggies instead of butter.

 

We also use coconut oil as a lotion and as a leave in conditioner in long hair.

[Anita in NC]

You guys need to find an Indian store. They carry coconut oil for a very reasonable price.

[JeneralMom]

We use it in baking and for frying. It is a great skin/hair conditioner, works wonders on my DH's psoriasis, and if rubbed on a minor scrape helps it heal quickly and without a scar. I use it to wipe off make up with. It makes a great lubricant.

 

It has antiviral properties also, and I have used it on a growth in my dog's ear and the growth is going away.

[Denisemomof4]

I bought two huge 54 oz. containers at Amazon. I think the two containers are now $35 or $37 with free shipping. It's by Nutiva, extra virgin and organic. I read that Nutiva brand is recommended because it's not bleached and nothing else is added to it.

 

LOVE coconut oil! I use it wher ever I'd use butter or olive oil. The top of my container was hard but when you start working your way down it gets softer. It melts very easy.

[meggie]

I use the refined stuff for all my stovetop cooking. DH didn't like the Extra Virgin because the flavor is so apparent. I use the extra virgin for granola bars. When it is solid, I just take a butter knife and scoop a little out and scrape it against the side of the pan. The heat from the pan makes it slide right off.

[JadeOrchidSong]

I bought two huge 54 oz. containers at Amazon. I think the two containers are now $35 or $37 with free shipping. It's by Nutiva, extra virgin and organic. I read that Nutiva brand is recommended because it's not bleached and nothing else is added to it.

 

LOVE coconut oil! I use it wher ever I'd use butter or olive oil. The top of my container was hard but when you start working your way down it gets softer. It melts very easy.

Sounds like a good deal.

I bought mine from country life and so far we have only used it on pan cakes. I need to use it to saute now that I know you can do that.

[nono]

If you get a sunburn, or have just been out in the sun...put that "lard" on your skin. It'll melt right down on ya! :)

[flobee76]

I use UNREFINED coconut oil for almost everything: cooking, baking, dry skin, deodorant, diaper cream (dont worry, I have little jars all over the house).

 

Be careful of the refined coconut oil... that's the bad stuff. :(

[Jayson]

.... I read that Nutiva brand is recommended because it's not bleached and nothing else is added to it.

 

there is such a thing as BLEACHED coconut oil?? whoa. I have to go check our jars! Had no idea :scared:

[ange]

Have used it in baking, especially good w/ chocolate cake or brownies. Also good for pancakes. i have used it (along with coconut milk) in a vanilla coconut cake w/ raspberry fruit. The flavor is good w/ anything sweet, so use in place of butter or oil. It melts easily like everyone else has said.

[missmoe]

Angie,

 

could you share your recipe for the vanilla coconut cake?

[klmama]

I bought some too. It was awful tasting! Now I have this $10 jar to do what with? All I could think of was that it tasted like sunscreen. I guess you either like it or you don't.

 

Slather it on your skin...use it as butter...who knows. :bigear::001_huh:

 

Did you buy the Spectrum brand? Nasty stuff. I use Nutiva, and it's wonderful! For the bad-tasting stuff you have, you might mix it with some baking soda, arrowroot, and a drop or two of essential oils to make homemade deodorant. There are lots of recipes on this site, if you search a bit.

[Liz CA]

You can use it for roasting and frying. It is harder in colder temps but once it warms up it becomes an almost clear liquid.

It's excellent in baking also. When a recipe calls for shortening, I use coconut oil instead. You'll get used to it. Give it a try.

[Jyniffrec]

 

I am reading the Eat Fat, Lose Fat book and heading out today to buy some. That book adds it to smoothies, cooks everything with it, use it as lotion, etc. If you google you will find recipes, but yes, you can use it just like butter in recipes.

 

I own and use that book! :D I use coconut oil to make smoothies and many of the recipes in Eat Fat, Lose Fat and Nourishing Traditions.

 

Taken with high vitamin butter oil it is a very potent health food.

[flobee76]

I own and use that book! :D I use coconut oil to make smoothies and many of the recipes in Eat Fat, Lose Fat and Nourishing Traditions.

 

Taken with high vitamin butter oil it is a very potent health food.

 

I have this book as well. I use a lot of the recipes for our family as well. I loosely follow the Quick & Easy Weightloss plan.

 

I do the same: coconut oil, just 1 tsp- 3/day, 1 dose of Fermented CLO/Highvitamin Butter oil combo.

 

ALSO: I order my coconut oil from Mountain Rose Herbs. They sell an unrefined one. Good prices. If you have an Azure Standard drop near you, get on the list for great bulk items, including Coconut oil there. :D

Edited April 15, 2011 by flobee76

[Rene']

I use Nutiva as well and love it! I've tried other virgin CO's like Spectrum and Nature's Way and while Nature's Way was pretty good, Nutiva is better. I get it through Amazon as well.

 

I only use virgin for supplementing though. I can't stand swallowing oily stuff, so I chill it in the fridge in these little trays that Easter egg gum came in, then I swallow them while cold and hard like pills. My kids think they are treats and I keep finding my trays empty! But it's good for them. :)

 

Another way I take it is with Nutella on a ritz cracker. Oh my, yummy!

 

I use refined for some cooking or making bread. It's the LouAna brand from Walmart. I contacted the company to ask what chemicals are used in the refining process and they responded and said "none". They said all they use is heat and filters. I know bentonite clay is one filter used. So I feel safe cooking with refined coconut oil.

[Peela]

I add it to my home made raw chocolates :)

 

Recipe:

 

 

~Raw yummilicious MILK chocolate (with no dairy)~



2/3 cup cashews


2/3 cup agave (I use ½ a cup)


2/3 cup cacao butter (I substitute a few tbs of coconut oil for some of the cacao butter) 


1 tsp. vanilla


4 Tbsp. pure raw cacao powder



Liquify cacao butter in sun or dehydrator or double boiler. In vitamix blend all of the above, and pour into molds or onto wax paper in dish or into ice cube trays. Freeze ,cut, and enjoy!

 

The recipe is flexible- I add goji berries, maca powder, or whatever I have on hand.

I use silicon, heart shaped ice cube trays as moulds and keep the chocolates in the freezer although they can handle room temp (not too warm though).

It could be made without a blender if you left out the cashews, but it would have a much stronger, less “milky†flavour.

[Nestof3]

I bought a huge organic tub from vitacost to use when I want something to have a little coconut flavor (brownies, muffins, etc.) I also use this on my hair, face and hands (and other body parts). :lol:

 

Nutiva Certified Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil -- 54 fl oz from Vitacost for $21.11.

 

I buy the cheap stuff from Kroger when I want to cook something and not have it taste like coconut oil.

 

Lou-ana

 

I use coconut oil to make popcorn, on toast, to bake with, to cook chicken and veggies in, etc. I haven't used butter in over a month.

 

I love it for toast because you don't have to soften it first like butter.

Edited April 15, 2011 by nestof3

[ciyates]

I cooked DH's eggs in this morning and he loved it. When I melt it is has a strong coconut smell (which I kinda like:)) but the flavor isn't overwhelming. We keep our house pretty cool so I guess that is why it is so hard. I am now excited to try it on everything.

 

LOL

[Nestof3]

I cooked DH's eggs in this morning and he loved it. When I melt it is has a strong coconut smell (which I kinda like:)) but the flavor isn't overwhelming. We keep our house pretty cool so I guess that is why it is so hard. I am now excited to try it on everything.

 

LOL

 

I cook egg whites nearly every day. I take a paper towel, get some coconut oil and rub it all over the pan. :)

[ange]

Angie,

 

could you share your recipe for the vanilla coconut cake?

 

I'm allergic to wheat, so I eat gluten free. I use Pamela's Brand, Classic Vanilla Cake Mix. (I imagine you could use a regular vanilla cake mix - just follow the instructions for that mix, using coconut milk and coc. oil instead of water and veg. oil. You will likely use less eggs for a regular mix. Follow for oven temp and time too) There is a recipe on the side of the bag for Pamela's Coconut Cake. It uses 1 bag of the mix, 4 eggs, 1 cup water OR unsweetened coconut milk, 1/3 cup oil OR coconut oil, 1/4 tsp almond flavoring (I omit due to allergy), and 1 cup shredded coconut. preheat oven 325. combine all ingredients (except shredded coconut) and mix on med./ low for 2 min. Fold coconut into batter, pour into prepared pan (i use two 8" rounds) and bake for 18-23 min. After cake has cooled, I spread a layer of Polaner Seedless Raspberry All Fruit on top of the bottom layer. I then place the second layer on top of that and frost the entire cake in cream cheese icing. I then sprinkle shredded coconut, and another option is to place some fresh raspberries on top. I have not tried baking fresh raspberries into the batter yet, but it's something I plan to try. HTH. ~Angie

[missmoe]

Thanks so much Ange! This sounds so yummy!