Coconut oil. Amazing stuff!

My Coconut Oil Excitement!

I'm just going to gush about coconut oil for a minute. As a person that is always on a diet, it seems that I would avoid oil at all costs, right? I did until I discovered all the benefits of coconut oil.

I have have a jar in my house for a while now. I used it a few times to attack my winter dandruff, and made some brownies with it once. That was the extent of it until I ventured onto Pinterest.

I read more about the benefits of coconut oil and apparently it's loaded with lauric acid...

"The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia. As a result of these various health benefits of coconut oil, though its exact mechanism of action was unknown, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system. The Coconut Research Center has compiled various references on scientific research done on coconut oil." ~ OrganicFacts.net

The photos over on Pinterest are just so adorable that I couldn't help but do a little thing I like to call "Pin Travelling" that's when I follow the links of the pins I find to the originating sites and read all about the wonderful things people are pinning.

Photo by Crunchy Betty

This super adorable photo from Crunchy Betty really caught my eye. I mean, how could it not?

She lists all kinds of uses for coconut oil from eating it to putting it on your feet!! She seriously combed the web and devised a list that just amazes me.

I posted to my facebook profile about it with this caption on the photo of my jugs of oil:

The small one is expeller pressed and refined. It's got no flavor or smell and is good for plain old frying and baking if you don't want the flavor of coconuts. The big one is just extra virgin and has a very mild coconut smell and flavor also perfect for baking, not so much for frying as it's meant for low to medium heat.

Other uses:
Chapstick
Hair conditioner (put it in, let it set, wash it out)
Mix 2 parts sugar to 1 part oil for a sugar scrub
Spread it on toast or muffins
Body lotion for pre shower
Melt 2 tbls oil with 8 oz chocolate for magic shell on ice cream
Frizz Tamer on dry hair
Dandruff treatment
Cures athlete's foot
Shaving lotion (legs not face)
Mix with baking soda for toothpaste
As antibiotic ointment
As goo gone
Eczema treatment
It kills internal candida

And for WEIGHT LOSS!! just eat it. 3 tablespoons a day on food, in your coffee, where ever. Just eat it up. Yum yum.

oh, and a million other things. google it. really.


It really is a miracle product. So you may be wondering what this has to do with eating dairy free, well I will tell you... Most recipes call for butter. Ask Paula Dean, and she'll tell you how important butter is in baking and cooking. Well, Paula, it's not important if you can't eat it!

I'm going to refer back to my Pinterest food board. There are a bunch of things on there that are made with coconut oil. People have been using it to fry food and using it instead of butter in baked goods. It's a semi-solid oil that is non-hydrogenated and it melts at 74 degrees Fahrenheit (so don't leave the container you store it in in the bathroom lay on it's side if the top is loose. Really, just take my word for it.)

Photo by AnotherLunch.com

So I will be baking and frying with this wonderful oil. I also started putting 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil in a large pot with 3 tablespoons of popcorn kernels, and popping my popcorn like that. It's SOOOO tasty!! Don't forget the to put a lid on it before heating it!

You could even try this granola with coconut oil instead of canola oil. I just bought all the ingredients I need for homemade granola, so I will let you know how it comes out!