Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Coconut Oil




My blog would not be complete if I didn't get on my soapbox about coconut oil!
Coconut oil has really helped my low thyroid problem and improved my energy level. I try to get around 2 T. a day of the oil and other natural coconut products. I originally found out about the benefits by reading an article in Above Rubies and through the Weston Price Foundation.

I think the coconut is one of God's greatest gifts to us (in the way of food). It's funny because I never liked coconut when I growing up because it was the fake kind! Once I tried the real thing, I loved it! My latest love in coconuts is the young coconut. They are super good for you. They different from the "old" ones. The young ones have more juice and the "meat" is soft. My younger kids fight over the "meat"!

Coconut oil is also great for losing weight because it speeds up your metabolism. The people in the world who still eat a lot of coconut and their traditional diet are some of the healthiest people on the planet! No cancer, heart problems etc.

My favorite way to eat coconut lately is with a little lemon or lime with salt. "Put the lime in the coconut ..."
Here's a recipe from Nourishing Traditions which I have used many times for an easy pie crust so I can get a good amount of coconut:
Coconut Pie Crust
1/2 C. melted coconut oil
2 Cups dried unsweetened coconut meat, finely shredded (I buy the bagged organic kind)
Mix coconut with the oil in a small bowl. Transfer to a buttered, floured 9 inch pie pan and press firmly and evenly against the bottom and sides. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
I fill it with homemade chocolate pudding. Yum!

3 comments:

Erin said...

You have made me want to eat cocomut more! So, were do you get your coconut? Do they sell it in the market there? You must have to special order, right?

Hummingbirder said...

I find mine at our local grocery store. The old ones are sometimes bad inside but they are good about exchanging for another one. Our store carries the yound coconuts too but lately, there haven't been any. The brown coconuts are usually $2 each and the young ones are a little more. I order the coconut oil from Tropical Traditions. They are a great company and have wonderful oil. I use the expeller pressed oil for most of my frying and baking. I use the other kind too which smells like coconut oil (the expeller pressed doesn't have the coconut flavor) I also use coconut cream in soups, curries, etc. I'm adding a really easy recipe to my post.

Mrs. E said...

Yum... sounds good and Oh,
SO healthy!!! :)