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Archive for September, 2009

25 Sep Two Coconut "Truffle" Recipes

Speaking of fat…. Give me a dessert without any fat and, well, I’ll probably go somewhere else for a second dessert. Fat is flavor, which is largely why we eat so much of it. Coconut oil is a great fat for desserts as you get flavor and some really important essential fatty acids.

Here are two easy dessert/sweet snack recipes that use coconut oil (and other coconut products). One extra benefit: by making a nibbling dessert, people have more control over portions without causing a ruckus or being tempted to eat the whole slice they’re served.

Carob Treasures (by Marina Li)

1 1/2 – 2 c chopped nuts

1 c high grade, organic coconut oil

1/2 c carob powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/4 – 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

Line bottom of clean ice cube trays with a pinch of shredded coconut. If you wan to see the coconut, fill at least 1/4 of the cube with coconut. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil until just melted. Turn off heat and add spices. Add carob oil and gently whisk to incorporate, then you can be more vigorous (otherwise the powder goes everywhere). Add nuts.

Gently spoon mixture into ice cube tray. Freeze until firm. Remove treasures from tray just as you would ice. Keep in freezer for refrigerator because they do melt!

Coconut Date Truffles (pictured above)

1 1/2 c pitted dates

1/2 c coconut butter*

zest of one lemon

1 tbs coconut oil

1/4 c shredded coconut, plus extra for rolling

In a food processor, blend dates, coconut butter, lemon zest and coconut oil into a chunky paste. Add shredded coconut and pulse to incorporate.

Using the palms of your hands, roll a half spoonful of mixture into a ball (~ 1 inch) and roll in shredded coconut to coat. Set aside. Should make approximately 20-30 balls. If it’s a hot day, or you roll the mixture a lot, the coconut oil may melt, leaving the truffles really soft. Just put them in the refrigerator to firm up a little. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Note: Last time I made these, I didn’t have quite enough coconut butter, so I started with a handful of raw almonds (processing to small chunks) and then added the regular ingredients and proceeded as usual. The nuts gave the “truffles” a little more texture and you may like them as a regular addition. I like the recipe both ways.

*Coconut butter isn’t as readily available as coconut oil (I only found one brand at Whole Foods and other health food stores), but it’s out there.

03 Sep Cuckoo for Coconut Oil

Coconut oil earned a bad reputation in the 50s as a contributor to cardiovascular disease and higher cholesterol. The study this was based on used hydrogenated coconut oil and, as most of us know now, hydrogenated anything is bad news (= transfats). Subsequent studies have shown that non-hydrogenated coconut oil, in fact, may be good for us and has been linked to increased levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, protection against heart disease, increased metabolic rate and weight loss. However, doctors and nutritionists still argue coconut oil’s pros and cons and thus, unsurprisingly, the general population has been slow to reintegrate it into everyday cooking.

Much of the lingering fear comes down to two things: (1) the abundance of refined, hydrogenated coconut oil in heavily processed foods that are bad, bad, bad for us (hydrogenated coconut oil is unequivocably unhealthy and should be avoided), and (2) natural, non-hydrogenated coconut oil’s classification as a saturated fat. According to pro-fat nutrition legend Dr. Mary Enig in “Know Your Fats”, coconut oil is one of the most saturated of natural fats and this is good because a majority of coconut oil’s fat is in the form of lauric acid (~50%) and capric acid (~7%), two medium-chain fatty acids that our bodies convert into antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, health-promoting compounds that destroy or impede a range of pathogenic organisms (including, according to Michael Murray in “Encyclopedia of Healing Foods”, a host of sexually transmitted diseases). Lauric acid is an essential fatty acid, which means, with the exception of human breast milk, humans cannot make it but must ingest it through diet (Enig). Again, coconut oil is a saturated fat, which is why others, including Dr. Andrew Weil (“Natural Health, Natural Medicine”), stay away from it. So, like all saturated fats, we want to use coconut oil in moderation. The point is not to be afraid of it and to recognize that using condiment sized portions of natural fats can have enormous health benefits.

From a more practical point of view, coconut oil is an incredibly stable fat (smoke point is around 350 degrees) which makes it a dream to cook and bake with, especially for vegans who eschew real butter for butter-like substitutes, which usually have some partially hydrogenated oils. It’s important to remember when cooking with coconut oil that it is best used in lower heat stove-top cooking (olive oil and grapeseed oil have much higher smoke points and are safer for high-heat cooking, such as stir frying).

One final note: the antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of unrefined coconut oil are good for your outsides too: you can use it (straight out of the jar in your kitchen) to moisturize your skin. I started using it instead of soap and water when shaving my legs and underarms. Now no razor burn, no dry scaly after shock, just smooth and silky.

03 Sep Not Another Zucchini Bread Recipe!

I love, love, LOVE zucchini bread … until I remember what’s in it. Usually the tasty treat includes a ton of refined sugar and fat. Thanks to the delightful folks at the Mayo Clinic, I found a promising option that, after a few weeks of experimenting, I’ve adapted into my own recipe.

Seriously Healthy Zucchini Bread

(adapted from the Mayo Clinic recipe)

3 egg whites*

1 c unsweetened apple sauce**

1/4 c coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

2 c white whole wheat flour***

2 c shredded zucchini, packed

optional:

1/2 c chocolate chips, 1/2 c nuts, 1 c pineapple, and/or 1/2 c dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan (baking spray or coconut oil and flour). Combine egg whites, apple sauce, coconut oil, and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Combine baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and flour in another bowl. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet. (Batter should be thick and not runny; add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to adjust consistency, if needed.) When combined, add zucchini (and any option, such as chocolate chips). Spread into loaf pan. Bake for 50 minute or until toothpick comes out clean. Let rest for 10 minutes before turning out of pan.

*Save the yolks to add to frittatas, quiches or scrambled eggs. They’re easy to freeze, just be sure to thaw out gradually in refrigerator before using.

**It’s easy to make your own apple sauce, incase you won’t make it through a whole store-bought jar. Take a couple of organic apples (I like Fuji), core and slice. Place into sauce pan and just barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until soft (~20 mins). Drain liquid (I save it to use in smoothies) and place apple slices in food processor. Process until completely broken down to apple sauce. Freeze excess sauce.

***I’ve also used whole wheat flour. However, it gives the bread an extra graininess that I don’t prefer and white whole wheat flour is becoming more available (I found some at Trader Joe’s recently).