Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Coconut Oil: How Do I Love Thee? Let me Count The Ways...

So if you are my friend or family member you already know about my obsession with coconut oil. What I've learned is that it is chock full of healthy fats and without any cholesterol. It's texture makes it an awesome replacement for shortening and also for butter. Since I've been talking about my LOVE for coconut oil some folks have asked me how I've been using it in my cooking and I thought it might be fun to keep a running list of the ways I have used coconut oil. Now, I can tell you that I have tried it in sauteeing twice and was not a huge fan. It hits a smoking temp earlier than olive oil and since I tend to burn things as it is this is not good for me. I have read people online say they use it for this purpose however, I figure olive oil is also a very health oil so it's just easier for me. I've only tried two types of olive oil so far but, really like Nutiva becaue it is more reasonably priced, is expellar pressed (this is important) and it has a more fragrant coconutty flavor than the other brand did. Enough about this...here is my list:

-Spread on bread, bagels, banana bread, corn bread
-Slathered on mixed veggies, and corn on the cob
-Substitution for shortening or butter in yellow cake mix
-Substitution for shortening and butter in buttercream icing
-Substitution for butter in banana bread (yes, the same one I spread it on)
-Substitution for butter in corn bread recipe
-Made a healthier version of rice by replacing the suggested butter with 1 part olive oil and 1 part coconut oil. This makes the rice really yummy (and I do use the suggested salt)
- My favorite has been expirementing with a coconut oil icing recipe. I actually enjoy this more than traditional buttercream frosting. Please try the recipe and let me know what you think. It's on the page "Too Good To Keep To Myself."

From what I've read you can replace shortening (yicky animal fat) in any baking recipe with coconut oil. Soon I plan to try this with oatmeal cookies. It makes me really happy to think of all the cholesteral I have avoided in my family's diet with just this one small change. And I've really come to love coconut oil!! Dr Ogg says if I love it so much why don't I marry it ;-) We're so juvenile hehe Seriosly though, please try it and let me know what you think.

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