changes

I have been busy these last several months, first with moving clear across the country, and now with starting my new business.  Soon I will be adding college to the mix.  I am now settled in here in Maine and looking forward to playing in the snow.   It will be a welcome change from all the rain and overcast of western Washington.   I have recently started selling coconut oil as well as a wonderful lip balm I make.  The lip balm is a very simple moisturizing balm, yet feels like a luxurious treat for the lips.   I’m working on a website to sell them and more, which will hopefully, be up very soon.  I’m also planning on finishing my degree to become a dietician, along with learning alternative medicine.   Finding and keeping  balance in one’s life is so important, and I hope to help others find that balance in their lives, as well as my own.

Coconut Oil Uses

So many people have asked me for ideas on how to use coconut oil.    Coconut oil really isn’t very intimidating to use.  I use it in place of butter or other cooking oils, when I bake, saute, etc…  The coconut oil can tollerate higher temperatures that most other oils can not.  If you like the taste of butter, like for spreading on bread, mix half butter and half coconut oil, softened to make a nice spread.  The most challenging aspect of using coconut oil is getting started.

Coconut oil shouldn’t be limited to just cooking.  I feed a teaspoon of coconut oil daily to my little lhasapoo, and cats.  It helps give them a shiny, healthy coat and they love eating it.

Coconut oil has health and beauty aspects as well.  It can be used for massages; giving the skin a soft, luxurious pampering.  I use it for doing hot oil treatments for my hair, as well as adding a tablespoon to my bath water which is a nice relaxing pampering, I enjoy.  I have used coconut oil, on my hands when they felt dry and it seems a wart I have had on my hand for years, finally went away.  I also use coconut oil massaged into the skin where scar tissue plagues me, and it seems my scars are shrinking.   Now these are just a few ways I, personally, use coconut oil.

*disclaimer-the FDA has not evaluated this statement.  The views are of the writer only and should not be taken in place of a health professional.   These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.   Any health concerns should be checked by a health professional.

Baked Salmon

A whole medium salmon gutted and cleaned

1 whole small lemon sliced into thin circles

1 whole head of garlic (about 8 cloves) peeled and seperated

approx 1/4 cup of fresh dill

2 tablespoons coconut oil-softened

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Pre-lubricate the cooking pan with coconut oil. stuff salmon with lemon slices, dill, garlic and coconut oil. Cover and bake for 20 minutes or until light pink in center. Slice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

french toast

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup milk

coconut oil for frying

2 or 3 pieces of bread

While the pan is warming up with coconut oil, mix in a bowl the eggs and milk. Dip bread slices into egg mix, sprinkle cinnamon on each side then place into pan to cook. Let brown on each side, plate up and serve. Great with a little maple syrup, jam, or just a little butter, yet has enough sweetness to eat alone as well.

losing weight

Over the last few years, I have lost about a hundred pounds, but I can’t acount for it all being to switching to coconut oil.  I wish it were as simple as that… a magic oil, a magic pill, a magic anything really.  The truth is that it does take work and persaverance but the main thing I have learned is having a positive attitude.  Once I stopped focusing on losing the weight and instead focused on making myself healthier and being happy with being healthy, the weight started coming off.  I do admit that there have been many times I have had to remind myself, and had others remind me to stay positive.  I truly am a “work in progress”, physically as well as emotionally and spiritually.  Shifting to a different frame of mind has made all the difference.

Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s a cold and wet outside today, perfect weather for a little chicken noodle soup.

4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1/2 cup celery  chopped

64 ozs of chicken broth

1/2 cup carrots chopped

1 can diced stewed tomatoes

1 small zucchini chopped

1/4 head of cabbage chopped or shredded

3 ozs fresh spinach shredded

1 bag egg noodles

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 head fresh garlic crushed

In a big pot, add coconut oil and saute the oinions, garlic, carrots and celery for a couple minutes, until they start to soften.  Add the broth, cabbage, and tomatoes and let it stew on medium temp until the vegetables are about tender, approx 20 minutes.  Add the cooked chicken and noodles and cook for about 5 more minutes or until the noodles are not crunchy anymore.   Remove from heat, add the spinach, stir and serve.

Meat Loaf Burgers

I love meat loaf but hate having to use THAT much meat so this is my own little spin off.

Meat Loaf Burgers

1  pound ground buffalo and/or beef

1/4 onion, chopped

1 large egg

1 slice bread

1 tea spoon of worcestershire sauce

a tablespoon or two of coconut oil for frying

beef gravy, ketsup, or whatever to top it

combine all the ingredients together mixing well, while warming the pan on the stove.   Shape meat mix into patties, put a little coconut oil in the pan and cook the patties thoroughly.  Top with gravy, ketsup or whatever sounds good.

makes approx 4  patties.

Cooking with coconut oil

A common misconception that most people have about cooking with coconut oil is thinking it is only good in dessert dishes.  Coconut oil is more flexible in the kitchen than being limited to sweet dishes.   I saute chopped vegetables with coconut oil instead of olive oil or butter.  I add a spoonful to canned soups and stews during the warming process.  If I want a bit of buttery flavor in my dish, then I add a little butter at the end.   It’s fun to add it different dishes and I might just find my new favorite food.

Pumpkin Bread

Outside, the cool, crisp air reminds me that autumn has finally arrived.  What better way to celebrate than to make some pumpkin bread?

Pumpkin Bread

1 big can of pumpkin

1 cup of coconut oil, softened

3/4 cup water

4 eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

3 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup toasted sunflower seeds (de-shelled)

mix wet ingredients together in one bowl, mix dry ingredients in another bowl.  add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until everything is incorporated together.  place batter in greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or until golden brown on top.    Makes 2 small loaves or 1 large loaf.

Invoke the senses!

All too often, I catch myself, like so many others, eating my food without actually taking my time to enjoy it.  Why slow down?  First, the body takes a little bit to relay the message when it is full, so when a person eats quickly, it makes it really easy for the person to over-eat.  One way for me to slow down a bit is to use my senses.  I smell my food before i put it in my mouth.   I look at the colors, textures, and shapes.   I close my eyes and feel the textures-is it smooth, grainy, hot or cool?    Whether it is a simple sandwhich, a bowl of soup, or a slice of cake, slowing down and taking the time to enjoy the food that I spent time preparing, helps me to not be as likely to over-eat.