whoops, need coconut oil ideas, please!

13 years ago

I use a lot of coconut oil in my cooking and baking (and as a moisturizer in the shower, but that's another forum...), but the last jar I grabbed was unrefined instead of refined coconut oil. Unlike the refined, it definitely smells like coconut. A lot like coconut.

The taste is too strong to use in breads and the smoke point is too low to use for frying, I also can't use it for a moisturizer since it's so ovewhelmingly coconutty! Brownies? Cookies? What other baking could I do with this jar?

Thanks for your ideas.

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Comments (10)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
Ice cream.

dcarch
shambo
13 years ago
I have the same problem. A relative gave me a huge container of coconut oil but it too has the coconut flavor. I suppose it would be good in baked sweets, but they're the one thing I don't make (Except at Christmas & it's all Greek stuff, so coconut flavor really doesn't work.) I'll be looking forward to the replies.
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I tried reading this thread throughly, but just couldn't do it.... Call me stupid, but nothing made sense to me. I am in no way a scientist, and doubt anyone in here is. There MAY not be enough research to prove coconut oil is better than any other oil, but there are thousands of testimonials of people who made the switch from vegetable oils to coconut oils and are just astounded at how much healthier they are. No this does not mean that you can go ahead and eat a double double cheeseburger or a couple slices of all meat pizza and then take a tbsp. of coconut oil and it will make it all better for you. I want to share how coconut oil has helped ME. I started cooking at home more and cut out almost all eating-out (only eat out when it's a really kick back weekend and I don't feel like cooking). I was still using vegetable oil at first but in moderate amounts, I wasn't gaining any weight but I wasn't loosing either (and yes I was counting calories, cut out most of the sugars and most carbs), but I felt a bit better. THEN I found coconut oil, I cannot rave enough about all the good things it has done for me. I don't count calories anymore, but I do follow portion control and have my snacks in between. Two of my sisters (the thinner and "healthiest" ones in the family) had their cholesterol checked and found out it was a bit high, I on the other hand am overweight compared to them and enjoy a healthy life, since I made the switch I've been loosing pounds little by little (something that wasn't happening when I was counting calories, only 1200-1500) maybe because I had candida and didn't even know it until I started coconut oil and started experiencing yeast die-off. Not only for cooking but for dry skin, dry damaged hair, acne, and I don't have a list but I know there are many other benefits. My son didn't like to eat, I had to literally force him to eat, now he actually tells me to cook him something because he's hungry!! I am more active, with lots of energy that I actually feel like starting the p90x. I just want to say "God, thank you for putting coconuts on earth. And whoever started making oil out of this, thank you for coming up with this great idea. Its been a miracle food for me and my family. P.S. I told my sisters about coconut oil, they switched, and I'm glad to say that their cholsterol levels have actually lowered since then. (What's up with all the media misinformation? The big guys with the big bucks actually pay and threaten them with lawsuits if this kind of good information leaks out)
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I started using coconut oil not too long ago on my hair, and putting it into my coffee in the morning. yes, it floats on the top of the coffee, but surprisingly, it doesn't leave a greasy taste in your mouth when you drink it. My hair has never been so soft! I don't even use conditioner anymore. I just put a dab on my hands (not much, you may have to experiment) and rub it on and let it sit for a few minutes to soak in, then comb it through really well. Even blow drying my hair doesn't make it frizzy with the coconut oil on. Once a week, I put it on and let my hair dry naturally, so it can soak it all up. It makes your skin so smooth! I tried using it on my face, but I have adult acne, and it broke it out. But I did add a couple of drops to my moisturizer at night, and it didn't break me out that way. Anyway, my skin is much smoother, on my face and everywhere else I use it.
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I finally made a cake with the Meyer Lemons that fell from my tree. Grainlady, I thought I had coconut oil but I didn't. I looked where I normally shop and wasn't happy with what they had so I wound up using the quick lemon cake recipe that Shambo posted and my lightest, virtually flavorless, olive oil. I still think that the slight coconut flavor of coconut oil with the lemon would be great and I have put it on my phone shopping list. The spicy lime mayo you posted is definitely something we would love and I just looked at their website and one of my local supermarkets sells it, so it's on the list too. Thanks for your help. Sherrmann, coconut oil has been controversial, but from all the reading I've done, I feel it is healthy. We all have to make our own decisions on lots of foods and I will be quick to admit that I often feel there is conflicting research on all sorts of foods. I love butter too, but since my very serious heart surgery I have to be careful about how much I use. Coconut oil has no cholesterol and no sodium and butter is very high in cholesterol. I certainly do eat some butter, but it's in my best interest to limit it which is why my original question was to ask what to substitute for some of the butter. I'm sure this recipe would be fabulously wonderful with the original amount of butter. Lee
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Who is the one subbing in Coconut Oil??
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We sold coconut oil from NOW foods while I was still married to the ex. He still carries it, it's $5.99 for a 12 oz. bottle. It's more expensive than butter, and certainly more expensive than shortening, but not more expensive than walnut oil or hazelnut oil or even good olive oil and it's much healthier for your heart, IMO, than butter. They all have about the same amount of fat and calories, but all fats are not created equally in a nutritional sense. Ashley likes apples sauteed in a bit of coconut oil in lieu of butter, and says they don't need as much sugar either, because the coconut oil adds some flavor of its own. I use it in some baked goods, but find that things like shortbread are somewhat the worse in taste and texture for the substitution. Of course, I make shortbread about twice a year, so it's an occasional splurge anyway. It's all a matter of what you like, and I find that I have to experiment and try things to determine whether its a good sub for certain other fats. I can also say that I'm in my 50s and have extremely low blood pressure, my glucose levels are excellent and the only reason I have high cholesterol is my genetics, it's an inherited trait from my mother's side and has nothing to do with my diet. I eat sugar when I like (Michigan beet sugar, grown and made locally), butter in moderation, use regular old flour off the shelf. However, I grow my own organic garden, my own grass fed beef, my own free range chickens and eggs and then I can and preserve those things myself. I try to avoid the hydrogenated fats and remember what my old doc told me: "If it wasn't a food 50 years ago, it's not a food today". Of course, he also told me that if you're over 40 and you get up in the morning and nothing hurts, you've died in your sleep. In spite of that, I have no discernable aches and pains and can still do a cartwheel on Makayla's lawn, spend 10 hours digging post holes without giving out and outrun the grandkids, so I must be doing SOMETHING right. Annie
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Terri_PacNW
13 years ago
Well I do use virgin coconut oil for my skin and hair. The scent dissipates. Here are some recipe from the place I buy my Coconut Oil and Palm Shortening.
Tropical Traditions

Cookie recipes:
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another one, I've made this one. Bye Bye Butter CC Cookies

Here is a link that might be useful: 101 Cookbooks, coconut oil recipes
arley_gw
13 years ago
Coconut oil, even scented stuff, is great for stir frying shrimp.
grainlady_ks
13 years ago
The scented coconut oil is the "secret" ingredient in brownies, quick breads, power bars, granola, cookies and bar cookies, at our house. When it's coupled with another strong flavor, especially in a recipe where there is not a lot of fat to begin with, it's not as prominent. Muffins, which only take a couple T. of oil is a good match.

Mix it with peanut butter, especially fresh peanut butter you make at home. The mixture will now keep well in a cool kitchen on a shelf and not require refrigeration. Use it as a spread on your toast. We did this for years and now I see it's a product they are selling at Tropical Traditions.

Mix it 50/50 with unscented coconut oil or butter to tame it down a bit for cooking/baking.

-Grainlady
arabellamiller
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for all the ideas!

I would love a T&T recipe for ice cream using coconut oil. I've made coconut ice cream, but never with oil, and I've eaten olive oil ice cream but didn't make it myself.

Terri - you are absolutely right. I used it yesterday and while it smelled like a tropical drink in my shower, it was much milder after a few minutes dry. It did smell really good in the shower! I may use the scented stuff in the shower from now on mixed with raw sugar for a scrub.

Arley, while we are not shrimp eaters, I can think of some other stir frys that would work, and maybe I'll try it in some rice too.

And thanks GL, I never would have thought of mixing it with peanut butter. That's a great idea for my kids; I'm always trying to pack healthy fats into their diet since they are so slim. My middle kid in particular has a hard time maintaining a healthy weight, so this will be great on his cinnamon bread in the mornings for a quick breakfast.

The kids and DH aren't big coconut fans, so I'll use it sparingly in baking. I'm going to try the vegan cookie recipes since I'm always looking for non-dairy desserts.

Thanks!

AM
Islay_Corbel
13 years ago
Thai curry?
arabellamiller
Original Author
13 years ago
Great idea, Islay! I make curry chicken all the time, I'll definitely add a Tbs of coconut oil (although over the past 2 days I've loved it as a moisturizer!). I may have to get another jar.

BTW, the exact same jar at Whole Foods was $9.99 and at my local grocery store it was $6.99. Crazy.

AM
dirtygardener73
13 years ago
I mix it 50/50 with Canola oil for frying. Tones down the taste, but you still get some benefit. It's great for stir-frying shrimp or chicken. I also mix it 50/50 with butter (melt to mix, but DO NOT use microwave, as it kills all the goodness in it) as a spread. It tastes just like butter, and is better for you. I just used up my 54 oz. jar and ordered a gallon bucket. I'm going to try to use it in baking and see how it goes.

BTW, the refined oil is actually made from copra, not fresh coconut meat, and has none of the same health benefits.

Here is one of my favorite coconut oil recipe sites.
http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com/coconut_oil_recipes.htm
arabellamiller
Original Author
13 years ago
great suggestions, dirtygardener, thank you.

"BTW, the refined oil is actually made from copra, not fresh coconut meat, and has none of the same health benefits."

The Spectrum website reports that there is little nutritional variance between oil processed from fresh or dried coconut meat. Reagardless, as long as it isn't hydrogenated, it's better than butter which I use sparingly, or shortening, which I use never.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spectrum FAQ

whoops, need coconut oil ideas, please!

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dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

shambo

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whoops, need coconut oil ideas, please!

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dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

shambo

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