This is what I buy (the 54 oz.):
Thanks to my dear son, I have Amazon Prime and so pay no shipping. I've tried some comparison shopping and this seems to be the best price. However, there are so many variables I could be wrong, hence my invitation for discussion!
I have been learning to use coconut oil, and for Asian applications it's awesome, adding that little touch that you've been missing but makes you think of Thai food. Using it instead of butter or olive oil when making rice is just heavenly. The rice tastes a tiny bit sweet, but in such a good way!
In my very own baking mix I've started to use 2 sticks of butter and 1/2 cup (subbing for the other stick) of coconut oil, and my pancakes have now become swoon-inducing. The waffles float on top of your plate, while crunching in a most delectable way.
I've substituted a bit in cakes, for part of the butter --it really works well and brings a whiff of the exotic to a chocolate bundt -- but I've realized that you have to melt it first or you get little lumps, even with the fabulous Sideswipe beater.
It really does seem that the oils we've relied on are bleached or don't heat well, and that only butter, lard (or bacon grease!), coconut oil, and olive oil are good for cooking with, so I've been trying to use those.
Lots of bloggers out there know more about coconut oil than I do, and have a lot of information about traditional foods. Maybe some of our dear readers here can recommend your favorites? Any thoughts on this subject are welcome!
24 comments:
Did you put any in the 12th Night Bundt you made? I thought I was tasting some interesting fragrance, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I was thinking rosewater at first, and then almond extract... but never did figure it out.
We just started using coconut oil in the last year or so, and really like it! One of our favorite snacks around here is popcorn--popped on the stove, not in the microwave. My husband made it with coconut oil instead of canola the other night--divine! (We're trying to wean ourselves off of canola, but that's another story for another day). One caveat on olive oil--I've heard that you want to be careful with it in cooking, because it has a relatively low smoke point, and becomes damaged in heating once it reaches that point, and creates free radicals. Don't quote me on the specifics, and honestly, I still use it sometimes to cook, because, well...it's tasty. :)
Do you ever read Katie at Kitchen Stewardship? (www.kitchenstewardship.com) She has a wealth of information on healthy oils, and she is a devout Catholic like yourself. I think you'd really enjoy her and find much in common!
Forgot to mention: One of the great things about coconut oil (and you probably know this) is that it is safer for cooking than, say, olive oil, because it has a much higher smoking point. Score one for coconut oil!
The saturated fats are really good for us (I'm going to run for cover now because most people don't believe that!).
I love coconut oil, but I hardly ever use it for cooking. I just never think of putting it in baked goods because I try to limit those, in general. I made eggs with it once and could not stand the coconut flavor with the eggs. gag. But I put a spoonful in my morning coffee, which I love. (I know, weird)
I use coconut oil in just about all my baking unless I run out. I even put it into the occasional boxed cake mix (shhhhh!) I figure it's marginally better if I use my good pastured eggs from the backyard and coconut oil- lol! When I run out I use olive oil because it's always around.
I seldom use coconut oil in any savory dishes because my family just isn't crazy about it. I like it in Asian dishes but they always wonder what I have done. I have a friend who even fries her egg rolls in it when she makes them but I think that would be too much coconut flavor for us.
I am not familiar with your brand of CO but it looks decent to me. I usually buy the gold label from Tropical Traditions when they have a good sale. They usually have a shipping promotion too. The run a lot of sales.
FWIW we don't even notice the coconut in sweet baked goods. Maybe we've just gotten used to it there.
I just ordered 5 gallons (!!!) from MountainRoseHerbs.com. (Don't worry -- I'll be splitting it with some friends!)
Sara, I believe you! :-)
It's fabulous for cooking the veggies for chicken soup. And the other night I lightly fried some banana slices in it for my 8 month old -- I've never seen her eat anything so fast!
Coconut oil is also great for oiling a baby's bottom, moisturizing your own face, and for making your own deodorant. (There are all sorts of nasty chemicals in the store-bought stuff.)
I hope to try making my own peanut butter with coconut oil soon. Sounds really tasty to me!
I have high-ish bad cholesterol and low-ish good cholesterol-- anyone know how it works with those numbers? I need to bring them DOWN!
i don't cook with it - it's on my face every morning!
We use Spectrum Expeller Pressed Organic Virgin Cocunut Oil. I like the fact that it comes in a glass jar.
Some of the ways we use it in the kitchen are:
for cooking Kale, making eggs (scrambled or sunny-side up), on our belgian waffle maker, occasionally in rice (the children don't like this), sauteeing onions and garlic, and on popcorn (the children like coconut oil and cinnamon popcorn).
We also use it as hand cream and for diaper rashes. It is the best thing that I have found to soothe a baby's bottom. One of my sisters use it to treat her daughter's eczema.
I've been interested in starting to use coconut oil; but have been deterred by the price. And then when I did buy some, I couldn't convince my husband to use it and I keep forgetting it's there in the pantry. I'm so used to using olive oil that we keep in a canister by the stove that I forget about the coconut oil. Thanks for the good ideas.
oh great. something to make waffles and pancakes (made with Better Baking mix) better? I didn't think it possible!
We like adding a spoonful to our smoothies for a 'whiff of the exotic' as you call it. I love your idea of putting it in chocolate cake - sounds fabulous!
I bought a gallon of Wilderness Family Naturals Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil through Azure Standard back in October. I was surprised to read all the comments about the coconut flavor because ours is flavorless, which is something I love about it! According to the website, the expeller pressing process of getting the oil removes the coconut flavor, which explains why I don't taste it.
We have LOVED the switch! I still keep olive oil around because I do like the flavor and use it for salad dressings and pizza making, but other than that, I use the coconut oil. I haven't had any issues substituting it for butter, either, and used it in your baking mix, too! I have noticed that crispier and lighter everything I make using it!
I'm pleased that I'm about half-way through my gallon in just over 2 months, which means a gallon should last me 4 months (maybe longer). I do find I tend to use less oil just because it is pricey, but I think that's probably a good thing!
I'm a newbie to the coconut oil thing - what's the basic benefit? I've heard of not using olive oil to fry things. I often use canola oil or ghee. Is canola bad?
I think my family might like coconut oil in their rice!
So is my expeller pressed safflower oil BAD? Where could I find out? I'm confused, but if I could get coconut oil that is tasteless, I might switch to that.
I luuuurve coconut oil on my waffle iron when I'm frying waffles. They come out crispy and wonderful.
That said, I use canola oil in applications where it doesn't really matter--baked goods, say. I can't get enough coconut oil cheaply enough for me to justify baking with it.
Honestly we use it mostly as a cosmetic. (!) Hand cream. It's great.
BTW, I can't wait for the Keeping House theme this year!
Breanna
I'm going to stick by cooking with butter and olive oil for the most part.
These are traditional oils for cooking from both my "sides" -- Egyptian and Irish. They aren't meant to be deep fried in, and I don't. But to saute veggies, brown chicken, bake, etc, they are just grand.
The basic benefit of coconut oil and lard is that you can heat at high temps with them and they don't change their structure, which is better for you.
You know, I remember McDonald's fries when they used to cook them in beef tallow. You young'uns just have no idea how good they were!! I never thought I'd say young'uns, but it was a long time ago...
And no, Deirdre, for the Epiphany bundt I used only butter -- and yes, it was almond oil that you tasted!
Thank you so much for this! I bought my first jar of coconut oil a month or so ago, but had not yet taken the time (holidays, traveling!) to incorporate it into our diets. NOW I have some great ideas.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!
I have heard that coconut oil is very good for dry skin. I've never personally tried it, though, because my doctor decided to have me skip trying a hundredth OTC cure for my skin and wrote me a prescription instead.
My only experience with coconut oil comes from when Tristan's roommate (a whole-foods oriented fellow if there ever was one) used it in pie crust for his vegan pumpkin pie and (because pie crust is baked at a high temperature, and coconut oil melts easily) set the oven on fire therewith.
This is the same roommate who bought a hand-held butter churn, didn't fasten the lid on properly, and coated their kitchen in cream.
I also get it from mountain rose herbs in the gallon size. It is cheapest I have been able to find. We've been cooking with cooking oil for a little over a year. I had it to the whole grain sliced bread I regularly make for the family and everyone LOVES it. I think it also lets me decrease the honey a little bit.
I buy the Nutiva straight from their website & it's a bit cheaper than Amazon (don't you love Prime?!) just today I ordered a gal and it was only $44; orders over $30 ship free.
I've tried a few other brands and this one is, in my opinion, the best!
Thank you for the ideas!
Susan
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