BeautyHack editor Yulia Kozoliy talks about her relationship with the popular healthy lifestyle product and shares five options for its use in the kitchen.
Products like coconut oil have always seemed to me insanely complex: it is not immediately clear how to use them, what dishes to add, and whether they can even be baked, fried or frozen. But it's definitely worth a try, because coconut oil contains lauric acid, which has an antibacterial effect on the body. And saturated fat (in this case, medium chain triglycerides) lowers cholesterol. Coconut oil can be cooked safely at high temperatures - it does not form carcinogens. The main thing is to look for unrefined coconut oil on store shelves (it retains all the beneficial properties) and store it in the refrigerator.
I followed the simple path: I got a can of coconut oil and began to add it to oatmeal, combined with honey, it gives a sweetish taste and dense texture. And over time, she mastered more complex recipes.
Flaxseed Gingerbread Cookies
I made these cookies for my dad. He has high blood sugar and eats flaxseed instead of wheat flour. A big plus: you don't have to add sugar at all to this variation of gingerbread.
You will need:
50 g oatmeal
50 g linseed flour
4 tbsp. l. coconut oil
2 tsp ground ginger a
pinch of vanilla
ground cloves to taste (I added half a teaspoon)
100 ml fat-free kefir a
pinch of salt
Let's get started
Mix all ingredients until a soft dough is obtained. Roll small balls out of it, turning them into cookies 1 cm thick. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 180 ° C. Leave the finished dessert in the oven for another 20 minutes.
Coconut popcorn
With a clear conscience, popcorn can be classified as healthy desserts and snacks. And if you experiment with its preparation, you will be able to get a super-useful product at all.
You will need:
300 g grains for popcorn
1 tbsp. l. coconut oil
1 tbsp. l. melted coconut oil
2 tbsp l. agave syrup
1/3 cup toasted coconut
cup toasted sesame seeds a
pinch of sea salt a
pinch of Aleppo pepper (optional)
Let's get started
Heat one tablespoon of coconut oil in a medium skillet. Add 250 grams of popcorn kernels to it; once they open, add another ¼ cup of popcorn. Cover the skillet with a lid and shake it until all the kernels are open. Do not open the lid while cooking, otherwise the kernels may fall right into the eye.
Pour the finished popcorn with 1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil and agave syrup. Add coconut, sesame seeds and sea salt to it.
Pumpkin bread
In winter, frozen pumpkin more than replaces fresh one. For example, when you need a spicy pumpkin puree soup or want to experiment with homemade baked goods.
You will need:
350 g of premium wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped pumpkin
100 g brown sugar
½ cup lightly chilled coconut oil
2 tbsp. l. pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. l. unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar
Let's get started
Preheat oven to 175 ° C. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. Chop the pumpkin and beat with eggs, brown sugar and coconut oil until smooth. Combine the mixtures and place them on the parchment in a baking dish. Sprinkle the future bread with pumpkin seeds, coconut and sugar. Bake the bread until golden brown for about 60 minutes. Remove the finished dish from the oven and let it cool down. The good thing about bread is that it can be stored for three days at room temperature, tightly wrapped in paper.
Vanilla soy ice cream
Preparing is much easier than you think. The main goal is to get hold of tofu.
You will need:
450 g tofu
2 tbsp l. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 vanilla pod
¾ cup refined coconut oil, melted and chilled
Let's get started
Combine salt, sugar and tofu in a blender. Remove the seeds from the vanilla pod. Add these to the mixture and continue grinding until smooth, pouring in the coconut oil slowly. You should have a delicate, creamy texture. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and freeze for about 4 hours.
Pea Curry Soup
The perfect combination of aromatic coconut oil and spices.
You will need:
2 tbsp. l. coconut oil
1 red onion
4 large grated carrots
Salt
1 tsp. fennel
2 tsp curry
1 tsp mustard seeds
340 g yellow peas
6 cups chicken stock
For the sauce
½ tsp. coriander
½ tsp dill
½ tsp. mustard
2 tsp coconut oil
¼ cup unsweetened coconut
salt
Let's get started
Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan. Add onions, carrots, a pinch of salt to it and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season vegetables with fennel, curry, mustard and simmer for about a minute. Add peas to the mixture, mix with spices and cover with broth and 4 glasses of water. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the peas are soft, the soup is ready. Lovers of pureed soups can grind the mixture in a blender.
While the soup is cooking, combine the coriander, fennel and mustard. Heat oil in a skillet and simmer the spices and coconut flakes on it until golden brown. Serve the soup along with the cooled spice mixture.
Photo: www.bonappetit.com
