Jules Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 What can you use flax seed oil in? I have tried adding a small amount to smoothies, but didn't care for that. How to use it up?? Also, can coconut oil be used in place of vegetable shortening in cookies or quick breads? Anyone try this and if so, what were your results? I'm trying to find a healthier subsititute for the shortening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 What can you use flax seed oil in? I have tried adding a small amount to smoothies, but didn't care for that. How to use it up?? Also, can coconut oil be used in place of vegetable shortening in cookies or quick breads? Anyone try this and if so, what were your results? I'm trying to find a healthier subsititute for the shortening. I have used flax seed oil and coconut oil in my bread-making. I don't know about the cookies, though. I did make some pita bread with the flax seed oil, if I remember right...I haven't had any in a while. I'd try a cookie recipe and see what happened. Teresa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 I like flax seed oil spread with my natural peanut butter on toast. I also like it as a salad dressing, I use about 2 teaspoons of flaxseed oil plus a squeeze or two of a fresh lemon, I've come to really enjoy it. I don't know of any other good uses, I am :lurk5: on this. My dh likes the coconut oil used instead of butter on toast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Ditto the coconut oil on toast. I haven't tried baking with it though. I have heard of people using it for stir-fry. I had a smoothie today with the flax oil and couldn't taste it. It was protein powder, flax oil, peanut butter, strawberries and a little bit of water. YUM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hi_itsgwen Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I have substituted coconut oil for shortening in my pancake mix that I make, and it's wonderful! I also substitute a combo of butter and co in cookies. I buy the extra virgin organic for the health benefits. One of the things with both oils is that heating destroys some of the good qualities. So I buy the cheap-o coconut oil to bake with. I also use it to make soap and to pop popcorn in. I use the 'good stuff' for coconut oil fudge (with raw honey and cocoa powder), and in smooties...basically for the stuff where I am not heating it. Flax seed oil can be substituted for some of your regular oil in salad dressing. (I have started making my own mayo and salad dressings, as this gets me away from soy oils and MSG.) One of my fav. natural health sites is www.welltellme.com I get a lot of ideas and recipes there. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferB Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I love using coconut oil to make popcorn. I have not tried it in baking, but I hear it can be used in place of shortening. If I was going to do that, like for cookies, I would used 1/2 cc oil and 1/2 salted softened butter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I've used Coconut oil in brownie mixes (I know, kinda defeats the purpose ...), the brownies are amazing (I like the unrefined, it adds a nice coconut flavor to the brownies). I put the jar in a pan of water on the stove to make it liquid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 I look for ways to use the flax seed oil in non-heated applications, or at the end of cooking, since it does lose some of its goodness when heated. Salad dressing, chewy granola bars, a drizzle on veggies before serving. Coconut oil I use in place of shortening/butter/olive oil for stove-top things, like sauteeing green beans, or stir-fry. I sometimes use a couple splashes of toasted sesame oil with it. I also use it in some baking applications, instead of oil or butter, but the texture, spread, etc. in cookies is different than when you use either of the others, so you may want to keep that in mind. (For instance, when I make oatmeal cookies, I have to smash the dough balls down a little before baking or they don't really flatten out.) And cakes tend to be denser than if using a lighter oil (I second the brownie use... very fudgey). The melting point of coconut oil is lower than butter (76F versus 90F) so you'd think it would melt and spread more readily during baking... but I've not found that to be the case. (Of course, now I'm wondering if I just haven't beaten enough air into it - there's no telltale color change like when you're creaming butter. Huh. ) I have not attempted to replace butter in baked goods where the water content / steam factor of the butter / shortening is crucial for the flakiness of the finished product, though, like biscuits or pie crust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Inman Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Well i just used coconut oil yesterday in 2 chocolate sheet cakes. I didn't intend to.. just realized too late that i was out of vegetable oil LOL. I don't notice a difference and no one in the family noticed. Sheet cakes are of course very thin so i don't think we'd notice any density issues like we might if it was a tall airy cake. We've also replaced some oil in quick breads with good results as well as replacing some flour with coconut flour. My son loves to smell the coconut flour LOL. I say go for it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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