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Coconut Oil

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Need a great source for great coconut oil at a great price? You probably know that bulk is the way to buy good, health promoting foods to get them down to prices that are more affordable.

But, do you know why you should be using coconut oil? Raw, Extra Virgin, Organic Coconut Oil is one of the absolute best oils, with great health benefits. In fact, I’m still adding to a book I’m writing on it that I thought I had done almost a year ago. There is just so many wonderful things to share about Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. But for this post, I’ll let you read a bit about it from someone else – with impressive initials after their name. 🙂 Then, at the end of this post, I’ll let you know how you can get GREAT Coconut Oil at a GREAT price!

“A common question that many people have is whether or not food should be eaten uncooked. I personally believe that consuming a majority of your food uncooked is a cornerstone of optimal health.

“Typically, the less processed and heat-treated the food is, the more nutritious and healthier it is going to be.

“Nevertheless, most people prefer to cook their food, at least occasionally. When you do, you’re going to cook with some form of oil.

“The question is, what’s the best, healthiest type of oil to use when cooking?

“Dr. Rudi Moerck has studied oils for a long time, and offers some intriguing insights in this interview.

Cooking with Tropical Oils – Your Healthiest Alternative

“I have, for many years now, recommended coconut oil on the basis and the supposition that it doesn’t contain much unsaturated fat. As a result, it’s not going to be damaged by heat and create trans fats like some other oils. (Another tropical oil that is very similar is palm oil.) …

“Earlier this week I published an entire special report on the health benefits of coconut oil, which include:

  • Promoting heart health
  • Promoting weight loss, when needed
  • Supporting your immune system health
  • Supporting a healthy metabolism
  • Providing you with an immediate energy source
  • Keeping your skin healthy and youthful looking
  • Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland

“Part of what makes coconut oil such a healthful oil for cooking is that 50 percent of the fat content in coconut oil is a fat rarely found in nature called lauric acid.  This is also one of the features that distinguishes coconut oil from other saturated fats.

“Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties.

“In addition, coconut oil is about 2/3 medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.  These types of fatty acids also produce a host of health benefits.

“Best of all, coconut oil is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage, which you cannot say for other oils. In fact, it’s so stable you can even use if for frying (although I don’t recommend frying your food for a number of health reasons).

“I recommend using coconut oil in lieu of every other oil, whether your recipe calls for butter, olive oil, vegetable oil or margarine.”

Mercola.com

The way to get Raw, Extra Virgin, Organic Coconut Oil (with the best health benefits) at the best price is to buy it in 5 gallon buckets. This will last you quite a while, but it will keep well (2-3 years.) If you have a very small family and don’t use much, you can share a bucket with friends and all enjoy the savings. (Although you should be using raw coconut oil regularly for all it’s health benefits. It is a GOOD fat!)

Me & My House has 5 gallon buckets of Extra Virgin (Raw) Organic Coconut Oil at great prices for you, and we can have our supplier ship them directly to you to avoid higher shipping costs.  Extra Virgin Organic Centrifuge Extracted Coconut Oil (highest quality, and very mild tasting – excellent in everything) is currently $225 for a 5 gallon bucket or Extra Virgin Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil (still raw, just slightly more coconut-y taste – awesome in raw desserts and other recipes) is $205 for a 5 gallon bucket.  Plus Shipping – which we offer at subsidized (reduced) prices. We also offer smaller sizes for those wanting a cheaper up front price (but more expensive per ounce.)

You can order on our Whole and Living foods catalog page.

I know that can be a large chunk all at once for some of you, but this amount lasts our large family over a year and a half, and the 5 gallon bucket saves you about $100 over the 1 gallon price, which is a big savings over the small jar price. So if you can’t swing the full amount, find a couple friends to share a bucket with, and order more often.

I’ve used several different company’s extra virgin/raw organic coconut oils and I am very pleased with this one. It comes from Wilderness Family.

For Me & My House,
Lisa

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More on Virgin Coconut Oil

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Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is the healthiest oil – not just for cooking, but for health in general. I posted on Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) a while back, and have more info on my Resources and Recommendations pages, BUT also promised to post more info on what all it is good for here.

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Organic VCO is great for all your cooking and baking. It is a healthy, Good for You-Naturally!™ oil with NO transfats. It is the best oil to use whenever you are going to heat/cook with oil. It doesn’t undergo any changes that other oils do at high heats. It can be substituted for other oils or butter both in recipes and on foods such as bread/sandwiches, potatoes or other vegetables. But it is also a great addition to recipes and foods that don’t need added oil. Add a couple tablespoons VCO to your Good for You-Naturally!™ fresh fruit smoothies or other foods such as (already cooked) oatmeal or other grains, other drinks, or even just in warm water. (“Raw” is the best way to use VCO.) About the only place you will not want to use VCO is in salad dressings, since it is solid at room temperature. Optimal is 2-3 tablespoons per day for its health benefits. (See some of our recipes with VCO here.)

For external use coconut oil is good as a relaxing massage oil, but also so much more! – for scars, stretch marks, insect bites, athletes feet/fungus, body odor, rough skin, baby rashes, skin irritations, eczema, dermatitus, dandruff, wrinkles, corns, calluses, stop bleeding, reduces fever, reduces acne, improves digestion and aids in the absorption of nutrients including essential minerals (such as calcium,) is a great detoxifier, strengthens the immune system and increases metabolism. It is a great moisturizer and hair conditioner. Besides EFA’s (essential fatty acids,) VCO is high in vitamin E/anti-oxidents and is anti-fungal/microbial. [Scientific studies have proven that VCO’s major component, lauric acid, is an effective “anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal compound,”] (See The Virgin Coconut Oil website for one source of more info on VCO.)

“A statement released from the health experts and authorities in the coconut industry of the Philippines said, “While there is no direct proof available for the efficacy of the VCO against the H1N1 virus, scientific studies have proven that VCO’s major component, lauric acid, is an effective “anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal compound.” source and more info

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Although Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is an AWESOME oil, it is not a magic pill. Don’t expect overnight miracle results – especially if you are living in a way that is detrimental to your health. Use VCO as a part of a Good for You-Naturally!™ lifestyle of health.

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Books on Virgin Coconut Oil that may be helpful – but I haven’t read them yet.

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Another website with info on VCO – I’ve only read this page so far, so can’t vouch for the rest of the site.

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Order VCO on this page.

Food Friday: Apple Crisp

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It’s getting cold and that means some mornings we want more than just our fresh juice or green smoothies. We want warm belly. One of our favorites is Apple Crisp. I say this recipe makes 4-6 servings; we double it for our family of 7-8. But that’s for eating it by itself for breakfast, not as a dessert after supper, which you also could do. Recipe from Good for You-Naturally!™ Weekly Menu & Recipes ~ Level 1 – over 60 recipes and complete menu for transitioning to whole foods that are Good for You-Naturally!™

Apple Crisp

  • ⅓ cup Raw Coconut Oil or Organic Butter
  • ¼ cup Raw Honey
  • ⅓ cup fresh-ground Whole Wheat Flour OR **fresh ground Oat Flour
  • 1 cup rolled Oats
  • ½ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
  • 2 – 2 1/2 cups Apples, cored and sliced (about 1/4” thick) (or other fruit)

Cream Coconut Oil and Honey Lightly cut in Flour, Oats and Cinnamon (with fork – or mix with hands) Spread Apples evenly over bottom of 2 qt. rectangle baking pan (about 7×11) or square cake pan Crumble Topping over Apples Bake at 350° for 25-35 min. until Apples are tender.

 

Tip! Oat Flour is simple to make with Rolled Oats. Just toss Oats into the blender and blend until flour.

Tip! Double or Triple this recipe will fit in a 9X13 pan.

Tip! Make very cute individual servings, by dividing ingredients out into 1/2 pint, wide mouth canning jars to bake and serve.

Bon Appétit!

 

Decadent 3 Layer “Raw” Brownies

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I just made the yummiest “death by chocolate” type, 3 Layer brownies. The base layer is brownie. The middle layer is a cream (almost mousse like) with peppermint. The top is ganache.  I adapted a recipe I found online. Oh, and it’s a “raw food” recipe – no baking – and Good for You-Naturally!™

It’s close enough to Friday to make this a Friday Food post, especially since so many have asked for the recipe. So here goes….

Decadent 3 Layer “Raw” Brownies

Brownie Layer

  • 3/4+ cup raw almond flour* (see below)
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
  • pinch nutmeg
  • very small pinch unrefined salt

Mix together. Add:

  • 1/4 pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract (mine’s homemade)
  • approx. 2 Tbl. pure water

In food processor, add maple syrup and extract to dry ingredients, process. Gradually add water to get just wet enough to be all mixed and hold together – brownie consistency. Press into small pyrex rectangle pan.

(This is a bit different than my regular bRAWnie recipe, which would also work as a base – but the maple syrup in these is yum.)

Cream Layer

(This makes twice as much as needed for this small pan. But my food processor wouldn’t do the half-size recipe. I left half of this cashew cream without the cacao in it for another use.)

  • 1/4 cup fresh coconut milk (blend coconut meat with coconut water)
  • 2 Tbl coconut butter (Artisana brand is what I have)
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
  • approx. 20-25 drops Sweet Leaf stevia drops (plain or peppermint) and
  • 4-6 drops doTerra Peppermint Essential Oil  (whatever to get the right sweetness and as pepperminty as you like – since this was my first time making this, I used a combination of these trying to get just the right mix. Next time I’ll get more precise.)
  • 2 Tbl. raw cacao powder

Process until smooth and creamy. Spread about 1/2 on top of brownies and refrigerate to set.

Ganache Topping

    • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup + 1-2 Tbl. raw cacao powder (told you this was death by chocolate!) 🙂
    • 2-3 Tbl. raw extra virgin coconut oil
    • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbl  coconut butter

(Again I had to do a bit of adjusting, by adding a bit more cacao and the coconut butter to get a thicker consistency. You want a soft creamy spreadable texture. Not as stiff as frosting, but not runny.)

Process till soft and creamy. Spread on top and return to refrigerator.

(This Ganache would make a scrumptious fudge topping for ice cream, or frosting for cupcakes, or just eat it with a spoon.) 🙂

You could also double the brownie recipe, and omit the cream layer for a plain “frosted” brownie.

Mm-mm good.

* Almond flour – Get 2 for the price of one. I make almond flour from the pulp leftover from making almond milk. (Almond milk instructions in Good for You Naturally!™ Weekly Menu & Recipes – Level 1.) Dehydrate almond pulp till dry, then blend/process into flour.

Friday Food – Crunchy Granola

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fridayfood2.jpgAs per request, here is my favorite granola recipe. Get this and over 60 other Good for You-Naturally!™ family-friendly, easy to make, budget conscious recipes in Good for You-Naturally! Weekly Menu & Recipes – Level 1. See demos of many of these recipes – and TASTE them too, at the Good for You-Naturally!™ Seminar LIVE!

 

Good for You-Naturally!™ Maple-Almond Granola

  • 1 cup pitted Dates
  • 1/2 cup Purified Water
  • 1/4 cup Real Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 cup Raw Coconut Oil
  • 1 tsp. pure Maple Flavoring (or organic Vanilla)
  • 1 tsp. ground Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Raw Almonds
  • 8 cups Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 cups dried, shredded Coconut

granola• Blend (or process in food processor) Dates, Water, Maple Syrup and Coconut Oil until smooth. (Add a little more water if you need to, to keep it blending. Medjool Dates will blend creamier than drier dates, like Deglet Noors.) Stop and scrape down the sides as needed. (Food Processor actually works better if you have one. But, add the water a little at a time, or it may splash out at the beginning.)

• Chop Almonds. (If you have a food processor, you can add them to your Date mix, after processing it, and process again until nuts are small chunks.)

• Blend or mix in Maple Flavoring/Vanilla and Almonds.

• Stir Oats and Coconut together in a large bowl.

• Mix Date mix into Oats and Coconut, with hands is easiest.

• Crumble onto solid sheets for dehydrator (or cookie sheets if you don’t have a dehydrator).

• Dehydrate at 105-110° overnight (or so, until dry) for raw granola. If you don’t have a dehydrator, dry in oven at lowest temperature, 45 min. to a couple hours, until dry. (This will depend on what your oven’s lowest temp is.) Stirring every 10-15 minutes.

• Cool and break into clumps.

• Store in air tight container.

• Serve with Raw Almond or Goatʼs Milk

 This is just one of the over 60 Recipes in Good for You-Naturally! Weekly Menu & Recipes ~ Level 1, a family-friendly menu plan and recipes to help you gently transition to a lifestyle of eating for your health. It also includes and shopping guide for real foods and so much more!

 

 

Friday Food – Maple Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

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These super yummy cookies are considered “raw”. They are dehydrated at low temp, rather than baked, to retain all their nutrition goodness.

If you follow a high raw lifestyle of eating, or if you just want to increase your intake of yummy Good for You-Naturally! foods for better health, give them a try.

Lisa’s (Raw) Maple Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

2 cups whole oat groats (organic)
3/4 cup pure maple syrup (organic)
2 Tbl. raw EV Coconut Oil (organic) (melted or not)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, optional
1/4 tsp. ground allspice, optional
1 cap/tsp. vanilla
1 cup organic raisins
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts, optional (organic)

 

  • Soak oat groats in more than double the amount of pure water (4+ cups), overnight.
  • Drain well.
  • Process oat groats and maple syrup in food processor (or Blend in blender) until semi-smooth.
  • Mix in coconut oil, spices, vanilla and raisins (and nuts.)
  • Drop by spoonful on dehydrator solid tray and flatten.
  • Dehydrate overnight at 105°.
  • Turn over onto mesh screen and dry a few more hours until desired chewiness.

These are awesome cookies that taste like “regular” oatmeal raisin cookies (and look like them too, just not “browned”.)

You can use raw honey or pitted soft dates (or raw agave nectar), if you prefer, but the maple syrup gives a GREAT taste to these.

I usually add just cinnamon to my oatmeal cookies, but these other spices added a bit different flavor that is good too.

If you don’t have a dehydrator yet, click here to see what to look for when buying a dehydrator and the ones we recommend.

from my Good for You-Naturally! for Life online course

 

 

Green Smoothie Know-how

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When making Green Smoothies, I rarely use a Recipe. I grab whatever we have on hand that sounds good. I aim to include a combination of more greens than fruits. Some recommend 40% fruit 60% greens, and for beginners to start with a reversal of this percentage, 60% fruit 40% greens, then work up to the other way around. If even “40% greens” is too much for you to begin with, start with less and gradually work your way up. In real life, this is not a “science”, we’re talking close to equal amounts, a little more, a little less.  I say, just put in 2-3 fruits and a couple large handfuls of greens, to fill your blender up, starting with just 1 large handful if you need to.

The other “rule” is to have a variety. It is important to “rotate” your greens (and fruits), and not have the same one every day. However, I acknowledge that 1) when beginning to eat more Greens, people usually prefer the more mild tasting ones. 2) when shopping in local grocery stores, it may be next to impossible to find much variety that is organic (and remember lettuce is one of the “Dirty Dozen”.) Baby Spinach is very mild and easy to find organic, so it is most often included by “newbies”. However, we encourage you to branch out. Romaine is also usually available organic. (It’s not one of my faves in Smoothies though, but maybe it will be yours.) Baby Spring mix is the other kind of lettuces that is easier to find organic. Kale is also commonly used in Green Smoothies, but may not be easy to find organic.

In addition to your fruits and greens, you can also include other add-ins. Fresh almond milk, almond butter, other nuts, flax, chia or other seeds, raw coconut oil, raw nut or goat milk yogurt, carob powder, or “superfoods”.

Learn more about Green Smoothies in Green Goodness ~ A Freedom & Simplicity™ Guide to Green Smoothies.

Have fun creating your favorite Green Smoothie today!

 

Friday Food – Granola

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Nuts. Flakes. And Fruits. Granola is known as the “health food”. But beyond that granola can be a great Good for You-Naturally!™ food for our health. It is super simple to make, and has endless variations – according to your tastes or what you have on hand.

Granola begins with grains – traditionally flakes, that is rolled oats, but more healthy is soaked/sprouted and dried oat groats or buckwheat. Soaking releases enzymes inhibitors that are in the grain to keep it dormant, (from sprouting,) to preserve it. Soaking will once again awaken it to life, and our health, providing better digestibility. If you prefer, you can leave the grains out and use nuts and seeds only.

Nuts and seeds are the next key ingredient. We stick to raw ones, for their health and life giving factors. Ideally, these should be soaked and dried too, to release the enzyme inhibitors. If you have tree nut allergies, leave those out and just include seeds that you are able to tolerate.

Sweetener and fat are the next ingredients. These can also help hold the granola together, and are both somewhat optional. Dates are a great natural sweetener that also help bind the other ingredients together for a crunchier/chunkier granola. Raw honey and pure maple syrup are other good options, if you use them. Raw coconut oil is our good fat of choice. Of course, the nuts and seeds also provide good fats. Flax seed is a great seed to include that also provides good fat and acts as a binder. While adding these liquid ingredients, you may add a bit of water too.

Seasonings are our next ingredients. Any of your baking spices may be appropriate, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, even ginger if you really like it. I also like to add real vanilla and/or maple flavors.

Finally we get to that third category, fruits. I’m listing them last, because all the other ingredients are mixed together and dried or baked before adding dried fruits. Dried coconut shreds are a staple in our granola. Raisins, dried apples, apricots, or most kinds of dried cherries or berries – strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. –  can be added. You could also add fresh apple bits, or even a bit of applesauce as a binder, before dehydrating/baking.

OK, I’ve said it twice, dehydrating or baking. We recommend dehydrating, at low temperatures, for retention of nutrients. If we’re going to make a good healthy food, we want to keep as many of the nutrients as we can intact. Cooking destroys far more nutrients than dehydrating at low temps does.

That’s it. Mix it together and dehydrate it at about 105°-110°, until dry. Store in an air right container. Preferably glass.

What about proportions. Use what you like. there is no right way. But below are some proportions we like – and in parenthesis one of our fave mixtures. All amounts are approximate. This one is more traditional and uses the more common rolled grains, which are steamed, not completely raw, but still a good whole grain.

Lisa’s Good for You-Naturally!™ Granola

7 cups flakes (rolled oats 5 c., rolled barley 1 c., rolled rye 1 c.)

1-1.5  cup raw nuts and seeds – any combination you like (1 c. almonds, 1/4 c. sunflower seeds, 1/4 c. sesame seeds)

1/2 – 3/4 cup sweetener/water  (1/3 c. maple syrup, 1/3 c. water)

1/4 c. fat/oil (raw coconut oil)

1/4+ c. ground flax seed (These are full of really good fats that we are all so lacking, always add them.)

1-2 tsp. spice (1.5 tsp. cinnamon)

1-2 tsp. flavoring (1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. pure maple flavoring)

Mix all together and dehydrate. When dry mix in:

1+ c. chopped dried fruits (1/2 c. coconut, 1/2+ c. raisins, dried apples or strawberries.)

Store in air tight container.

Serve with milk, or in/on yogurt, or just by the handful!

 

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Friday Food ~ Caramel Apples

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Good for You-Naturally!™ Caramel Apples

‘Tis the season. Apples and pumpkins are 2 of my favorite fall crops. Raw pumpkin is yet to be tried here, but we love Good for You-Naturally!™ Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Muffins, and of course, Pumpkin Pie.

When it comes to apples, we never run out of ways to serve them – from fresh apple juice to apple crisp, and of course, apple pie. For a very special treat, there’s Caramel Apples. Very special, but still very Good for You-Naturally!™

Good for You-Naturally!™ Caramel Dip
for Apples and other Sweet Treats

  • 10 fat and juicy, organic medjool dates

Soak in distilled/purified water to cover. (At least 1/2 – 1 hour.)
Drain – but save soak water.
Add to dates:

  • 1-2 Tbl. soak water
  • 2 Tbl. raw, organic extra virgin coconut oil
  • 2 Tbl. raw honey [or real maple syrup]
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp. pure real vanilla flavoring

Blend all in a food processor (or high performance blender) until smooth. Add enough soak water to make it nice and creamy.

Serve with crisp organic apple slices.

Yummy!

GOCO Salve

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OK, this is really called GOOT* but in my book/house it is GOCO and it is good for what ails you. It has all the great health benefits of its ingredients – garlic, olive oil and VCO (organic extra virgin coconut oil). It is anti-infective, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-all those bad microbial things. 🙂

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GOCO Salve - good for what ails you

GOCO Salve – good for what ails you

Basically it is equal amounts of the 3 ingredients, blended together in your blender/food processor. Rub it on chests, feet, sinuses, in noses, in ears. Great for colds, flu, athlete’s feet,  – “whatever ails you”!

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The recipe is 3 Tbl. of each. Melt your VCO. Blend your garlic with the oils – blend it up good. Put it in a jar.

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Here’s how I did it:

GOCO Salve

Measure 3 Tbl. VCO into a small glass jar with a wide mouth. (Thanks Angie for the baby food jars! They are coming in handy.)

Pour very hot water into a small bowl. Set jar of VCO in the bowl of hot water to melt the VCO. NEVER microwave VCO.

Mince fresh garlic with garlic mincer/press. It’ll take approx. 3-4 heads to get 3 Tbl. I got about 1 Tbl. per head of garlic.

Put melted VCO, minced garlic, and 3 Tbl. olive oil into food processor (or blender.) (3 ingredients, 3 Tbl. each – easy to remember recipe!) Process until garlic is very fine, and mixed in.

Pour into small jar. Cap.

Let set out on the counter for a few hours – to really infuse those oils with the garlic. I then refrigerated it (as I think you’re suppose to). But I keep it out of the fridge when actively using it – fridge makes it TOO hard, IMO.

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More info at Jacque’s website, where I got the original recipe. [website no longer available] We’ve used fresh garlic, and garlic/olive oil for years, but are new to the addition of VCO and its great health benefits added to these. I’m glad to have this, but not hoping we get to try it out soon.

*Note: I haven’t figured out why it is called GOOT – Garlic, (Olive) Oil, (VC) Oil, ?? What am I missing here? Thus my name GOCO = Garlic – Olive – Coconut Oil.