Tasty Tuesday: Cooking With Coconuts Blogisode 6

It's Tasty Tuesday again over at FTLOB and in continuing on with my sweet tooth fixation - I found this recipe on the Tropical Traditions website that I'm going to give a try on my cheat day this weekend. I'll let you know how it turns out. Here's the recipe:

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No Bake Coconut Cocoa Chewy Bites

Servings: 1 dozen

Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes

• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
• 1/2 cup Gold Label coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups shredded coconut

In small to medium saucepan, add butter and coconut oil. Turn on medium-low heat and as the fats melt, stir in cocoa powder until mixed. Add in honey and sugar and continue to mix until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and thickens with a shiny appearance. (Be careful to not overheat or scorch the cocoa.)

Remove pan from heat and add salt, vanilla and mix. Then add the shredded coconut and mix until all coconut is covered (the mix will become thick, similar to stiff cookie dough, as the coconut absorbs the moisture).

Use a melon scoop or rounded measuring spoon to scoop out mounds and place on parchment paper. Let them sit to cool and set up. Can be placed in refrigerator to firm up more quickly.

I'll let you know how they turn out!!!

Why Coconuts?

I received a comment from one of you lovelies yesterday inquiring as to what the benefits of coconuts are - seeing as I am so obsessed with incorporating them into my daily diet. (ok - she didn't say obsessed but I am...) So I thought I'd share with you some of the research I did to come to the conclusion that coconuts needed to be a big part of my diet. 

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The first thing you need to know about coconut oil is this: to reap the most benefits you must use Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil. Avoid anything refined, bleached, grown with fertilizers or otherwise tampered with in an unnatural way. This is why I get all my coconut oil from the Tropical Traditions website. They make their coconut oil the "old-fashioned way" - by hand - this ensures all the good stuff stays in the oil and you're getting the most nutrients from it. 

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At Tropical Traditions, they extract the oil from the coconuts by grating the fresh coconut by hand, extracting the coconut milk, then letting the coconut milk stand in a covered container for about 24 hours. After about 24 hours, the oil naturally separates from the water producing a crystal clear oil that retains the full scent and taste of coconuts. It smells, tastes and feels delicious! 

Not only do I cook with it, I also use it as a skin, face and hair conditioner and I even feed it to my dogs to improve their coats and overall health. They eat it straight from the jar - it's a treat for them! With 4 skin problem prone shar-pei at home, it's been a miracle for their coats and general health. Watch out though - they only need a small bit per day. Mine get a little less than a teaspoon per day. 

I've got a jar of VCO in the kitchen for cooking, a jar in the pantry for the dogs and in my bathroom for my face, hair and body moisturizing needs. It's quite possibly the best facial moisturizer when your skin is feeling dry and looking aged. Coconut oil helps restore the skin's elasticity and doesn't leave you greasy. I don't use it every day on my face and body because I simply don't need to. I use it 1-2 times a week on my face and body for a deep moisturizing treatment and to combat the signs of aging - more often in the summer when I'm out in the pool and hot Arizona sun. :)

So what makes the stuff so awesome for us - both internally and externally? 

The internal benefits are numerous. Coconut oil contains unique saturated fats called medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). These MCFAs contain Lauric Acid. The body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is a monoglyceride compound (scientific junk...). This compound exhibits antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifugal properties. Research shows that MCFA's help speed up the metabolism - aiding in weight loss. Coconut Oil is one of the only sources for lauric acid other than breast milk. It protects newborns from infections and diseases. Additionally, MCFAs have been added to baby formula to mimic the protection of breast milk.

The external benefits are also numerous! 

Most commercial products contain mostly water so that they are absorbed into the skin quicker and appear to give elasticity to the skin - but the effects don't last very long. Coconut oil is easily absorbed into the skin as well - but being a pure oil is stays instead of disappearing soon after application. Coconut oil is absorbed into the skin and sinks into the cell structure of the connective tissues in the body which limits the damage excessive sun exposure can cause. 

Though it is not a sunblock, it IS great at relieving the effects of sunburn and is a natural exfoliant to help rid you of the peeling yuck skin. It also helps fight the development of liver spots and other signs of aging on the skin (caused by the attack of the free radicals!) Put it on right after you shower for best absorption. It makes you smell like fresh yummy coconuts too! The processed oils don't have that same pure smell - so beware! A little goes a long way so one jar can last for a while. I have used it as an overnight deep conditioning treatment for my hair as well as a leave in conditioner after my shower (you only need a tiny bit!) It helps control fly-aways and adds tons of shine!

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So just a few benefits of this oil include: 

• Improved cholesterol levels
• Boosts immunity
• Controls glucose levels 
• Boosts nutrient absorption 
• Increases bone strength 
• Relieves stress 
• Moisturizes skin 
• Helps relieve and repair damage caused by the sun and natural aging process
• Promotes proper digestion (including help with IBS and Crohn's) 
• Aids in weight loss

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Coconuts - they'll cure what ails ya! 

Tasty Tuesday: Cooking With Coconuts Blogisode 4

I've got two recipes for you today.... Both sweet. I'm getting the sweets out my system before the diet starts. 

Mmmmmm Candy!

Vanilla Coconut Cream Candy

Vanilla Coconut Cream Candy

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 30 pieces about 1/2 inch thick

• 16 oz Coconut Cream Concentrate
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup raw honey (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup raw or toasted walnuts (chopped)

Slightly warm the coconut cream concentrate over a bowl or pan of hot water until it can be stirred.

Stir in the honey, vanilla and chopped nuts into the coconut cream concentrate until well mixed.

Before it hardens, shape mixture into rolls and wrap in waxed paper. Let harden in the refrigerator and slice into rounds to eat as candy once firm. Store in refrigerator or at room temperature if below 75 degrees.


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Coconut Cream Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups Coconut Cream Concentrate (heat if needed to soften)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Beat the coconut cream, sugar eggs and vanilla together until combined. Stir in baking soda, cream of tarter and salt. Beat in the flour.

Shape dough into balls using one tablespoon of dough per cookie.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes. The sides should be set but not browned.

Remove from oven and let set on pan for 1-2 minutes before putting on racks to cool completely.

Makes 40 cookies.

Tasty Tuesday! Blogisode 2: Cooking With Coconuts!

UPDATE 8:30pm Tuesday
Here's what mine turned out like. I thought it was delicious! Pops said he prefers his coconut in a pie - so I'll have to try out a sweet recipe for next week :)

Happy Tasty Tuesday lovelies!

Continuing on with my quest to add more of this healthy and nutritious fruit and oil into my diet, I bring you Cooking With Coconuts Blogisode 2: Cooking With Coconut Cream Concentrate.... mmmmmmm!
Now I must admit that I have not tried this recipe as of yet - however... I intend to make it for dinner - so pictures of my actual creations will be posted later. 
Let's talk a bit about Coconut Cream Concentrate before we get to the recipes.... I purchased mine from Tropical Traditions via their website. (No, they aren't paying me to review their products or giving me free stuff. I'm just sharing what I use.) It's a little tricky to work with - as it has to be melted prior to use. They do have a nice little video tutorial on their website that shows you how to properly melt the concoction so that you can easily mix the separated coconut oil back in with the meat prior to using it to cook with. Basically - you put the entire jar into a large bowl, leave the lid on loosely. Fill the bowl up with hot water and let sit 20-30 minutes. Stick a knife in - if it doesn't go easily to the bottom, repeat the process until you are able to mix the oil and coconut meat back in together easily. Mix thoroughly. For info on the benefits of this delish stuff - there's lots of good info on the TT website - so check it out. Now on to the recipe...

Creamed Corn

2 cups fresh chicken stock1 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate10 ounces fresh or frozen corn kernals1/4 (to taste) sea salt1/4 (to taste) teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Directions: 
1) Combine chicken stock and Coconut Cream Concentrate in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat2) Add corn kernals. Stir and return to boil. Then reduce heat to simmer. Cook 3-5 minutes or follow package directions
This recipe came from the book Virgin Coconut Oil. I intend to modify it slightly - by adding some organic butter. I'm southern... everything's better with butter!  

Tasty Tuesday!

Adventures in Cooking With Coconuts!



I've been reading a lot lately about the benefits of coconuts and specifically coconut oil both topically for the skin and internally for the body. As you might have read here - I especially like using it as a body lotion/oil. Up until now, I haven't done much in the way of cooking with the oil. I've experimented here and there. But as part of Project: Do Me! I've committed myself to ensuring that I consume the recommended amount of coconut oil per day - approximately 3 tablespoons. 



First of all - let's talk a bit about what the benefits of coconut oil are. Coconut oil was once prevalent in the United States however - a negative campaign against saturated fats in general, and the tropical oils in particular, led most manufacturers to abandon the use of coconut oil in favor of polyunsaturated oils that come from the main cash crops in the US, particularly soy, and contain trans fatty acids. These polyunsaturated oils were not a big part of the diet of previous generations, so how has the health of Americans changed now that polyunsaturated oils are - for the most part all - the main oils consumed by Americans today? Hmmmm...


Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss. When I began my coconut oil research I tried several different brands to see which had the best flavor, the best smell and soaked into my skin the best. The best I've found so far has been Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.

They have a lot of great information on their website - and I love, love, LOVE the fact that they employ local people and make the oil by hand - as opposed to the majority of what you will find in stores. Those oils are expeller pressed and I've found them to have a much less pleasing flavor, consistency and smell than the Tropical Traditions coconut oil. 


So... without further ado - my first Cooking With Coconut Oil experiment was lemon pepper asparagus. Here's the ingredients:

Lemon Pepper Aspargus

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil

fresh lemon 
(I used concentrate - wasn't too great)

dash of sea salt

dash of pepper

fresh trimmed asparagus

Directions: 

Melt coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add asparagus and other ingredients once oil is completely melted. Sauté until slightly tender - or done to your liking.

These actually turned  out quite nicely. Hot out of the pan there was no coconut taste whatsoever. However, as they started to cool the coconut flavor did set in a bit - which was less favorable. Coconut Asparagus isn't so much a good thing. I think that next time I will try real lemon or lime juice and see if that helps the flavor out a bit. Tweaked a bit this could be a staple in my house.

Have you cooked with coconut oil? What's your favorite recipe to use coconut oil in?

xoxo Heather 

Coo-Coo For Coconuts on Thirsty Thursday!

I'm a total lotion-ista. If it smells good, I WANT. Coconut is my favorite scent, when done right. It's also my favorite flavor - but that's a different blog post all together...

I shared with you my favorite drink on here - so on this blog I'll share my favorite scent for Thirsty Thursday! I love to layer my scents and believe that there's nothing more therapeutic than a really delicious smelling shower gel/lotion/perfume ensemble. To get the full effect you can't just use the lotion - you need the body wash, lotion and preferably a body spray and perfume.

But there's more to life than just smelling good - you've also got to feel good! I live in the desert now but grew up in South Georgia. I now spend my winters inside of a highly temperature controlled NHL hockey rink, the summers in a chlorine filled pool - but neither activity is at all dry skin friendly. So when it comes to lotion - I need a product that not only smells heavenly but also moisturizes well.

I've been on the prowl for the perfect moisturizing lotion for years now and the best thing I've come up with thus far is simple and plain pure organic, unrefined coconut oil. Yes, coconut oil. No, it doesn't make me greasy, yes it has a smell. Not a horrid smell though, it smells like pure, real coconut. If you aren't a fan of coconut, the smell is easily masked by applying another lotion on top of the coconut oil after your shower.

It's imperative however, to only apply coconut oil immediately after you shower - it won't sink into your skin properly if you do it any other time. I use it once or twice a week, or whenever my skin is in desperate need of extra moisture. I love the stuff! I recently have been pairing it with Philosophy's Coconut Frosting shower gel (which you will LOVE if the smell of coconut plastic is your thing.... blech! I won't be purchasing that one again Philosophy!). I also pair it with Cake Beauty's Deserted Island shower gel and lotion when I'm in the mood for sickeningly sweet coconuts drenched in sugar.

I'm picky about my coconut scents and I've yet to find one that completely appeases me. Deserted Island is good enough that I may purchase it again, the jury is still out. If anyone out there knows of a good coconut scent I'd love to hear about it! Cake Beauty, you would make me much happier if you'd make a body spray to go along with it and make the lotion bottle bigger (hinty, hint, hint!)

I've also recently purchased Philosophy's Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream - in the super sized bottle - so here's hoping I like it better the second time I use it... The good thing about Philosophy's shower gels is that I love their formulation - and the scents don't linger. So if it's not necessarily a scent I fall madly in love with, its ok because it does the job to clean me and once I'm done washing myself, I won't have to smell it all day.

My newest favorite find is Pacifica's Indian Coconut Nectar line.They have fulfilled all my requests - they have it in a shower gel, an ahhhhhhmazing body butter, a large perfume bottle for my bathroom, a roll on for my purse and they also carry it in a solid perfume - but I'm not much for solid perfumes. The scent is a little too musky at first for my tastes (hence the "Indian" part) but once the scent settles into my skin it softens a bit. They have several different scents - I can't wait to try out some different ones! The high quality of the products are enough to make me purchase again - but I'd like to see the scent tweaked a bit to make it more of a nectar scent instead of a musky scent.

Run - don't walk - to your local Sephora & try it! (Nope, they aren't paying me to say that. It's THAT GOOD!) What are you waiting for??? GO!