If thoughts of coconut oil have you daydreaming about grass skirts, sandy beaches and swaying palm trees, then perhaps you should try a few healthy coconut-inspired recipes. Coconut is an ingredient that is no longer reserved for just company or your grandmother’s special coconut cake. Today, coconut can be found in just about everything imaginable.
Coconut has a multitude of health benefits. It has no scent or taste, thanks to the refining process. It has anti-fungal, antibiotic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant attributes, as well. Whether you are looking for a better way to care for your skin and hair, an all-natural weight loss and digestion aid, to decrease your cholesterol levels or a way to increase your immunity, coconut and coconut oil are the solutions you’ve been looking for.
One of the best attributes of coconut oil is that it is easy to incorporate into your daily diet, and fairly inexpensive. Once you try it, you are sure to find many uses for this versatile ingredient.
Start Your Day Off Right with a Good Breakfast
Nothing says “Good Morning” better than a scrumptious omelet. Enjoy this Orange Coconut Omelet as your taste buds thank you for this flavorful dish.
Ingredients Needed:
3 Large Eggs
¼ cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
½ tsp. Orange Zest
A Pinch of Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 TBSP Refined Coconut Oil
Cooking Instructions:
Heat Coconut Oil in a non-stick frying pan, over medium-high heat.
While the oil is heating, take a small mixing bowl and add the eggs, orange zest, salt, pepper, and coconut milk. Whisk these ingredients until they are well mixed.
Pour the egg mixture evenly into the pre-heated frying pan and let it set for a few minutes. Make sure the egg mixture is spread over the entire surface of the frying pan. Using a rubber spatula, go around the outside edge of the omelet, gently lifting the edges to allow some of the uncooked egg mixture to run up underneath the cooked portion. Continue doing this until the top of the egg mixture is no longer quite as liquid and runny and it really starts to firm up.
Remove the omelet from the heat once the top is almost done, and cover with a lid. This helps to trap the heated air within the pan and finish the cooking process, without having to go through the hassle of attempting to flip the omelet.*
As you remove the omelet from the frying pan, you can flip one side over the other, creating the classic half-moon shape associated with omelets.
Garnish with curls of shaved coconut, toasted almond slivers, and twists of thinly sliced orange, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!
If breakfast isn’t your favorite meal of the day, or you just don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning, there are plenty of other recipes with coconut for other times of the day. This recipe for 30-minute Coconut Curry is a healthy time-saver, packed with lots of delicious vegetables, mouth-watering curry, and coconut quinoa. It is a satisfying meal for vegetarian and non-vegetarians alike.
Ingredients:
Curry Sauce
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 Small Onion, diced
4 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 TBSP fresh grated Ginger
½ C. diced Broccoli Florets
½ C. diced Carrots
¼ C. diced Tomato
1/3 C. Snow Peas
1 TBSP Curry Powder
A Pinch of Cayenne Pepper, to taste, (for spiciness)
2 14-ounce cans of Light Coconut Milk
1 C. Vegetable Stock
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Coconut Quinoa Ingredients:
1 14-ounce can of Light Coconut Milk
1 C. White Quinoa, rinsed and strained, in a fine mesh strainer
Cooking Instructions:
Rinse and drain quinoa. Place in a medium saucepan and toast for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add 1 can of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Set aside.
For the curry sauce, cook the onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, and broccoli in 1 TBSP of coconut oil, with salt and pepper, for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add curry powder, cayenne, vegetable stock, coconut milk, and a pinch of salt. Simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add snow peas and tomatoes in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve over warm coconut quinoa.
An Elegant Dessert
For a simple and elegant dessert, try sliced bananas with cinnamon coconut cream.
Ingredients:
1 Banana, sliced
1/4 C. Coconut Cream
A Dash of Ground Cinnamon
Slivered Toasted Almonds
Place banana slices in a bowl. Drizzle with coconut cream. Top with ground cinnamon and slivered toasted almonds and coconut flakes. Yummy!