Wednesday 19 December 2012

'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts'....in a jar!

Today I went into a health food shop and came out with this:

I feel like I have moved up the paleo ranks! This stuff is everywhere. It is in practically every paleo recipe I have come across as it is a perfect fat source instead of using butter or vegetable oils. Most recipes say to use this or olive oil, but you can just tell that coconut oil is preferred and me, a budding perfectionist, couldn't resist! Typing in a quick Google search, there are pages and pages of why it is such a good source of fat for not just Paleo nerds but PCOS sufferers too. Take a look: it supports a healthy metabolism, relieves diabetes symptoms, and helps with fat loss, all big ticks in my book! It even can be used like a lotion and rubbed into your skin to keep it healthy and happy! I won't be doing this. This is some expensive fat...I paid nearly £5 for this 200g jar so I think I will save it just for cooking some delicious dishes! That is a downside about living paleo in the UK....we haven't quite caught onto it yet so a lot of ingredients are either really expensive or just not available.

The word 'oil' is a bit misleading. I expected runny, slimy, greasy stuff. I did not expect it to be rock hard! Look at my spoon stuck in it like the sword in the stone.
After digging around and a few grunts of exertion, I managed to get a teaspoon out to drop in my pan. Tonight I decided that what I wanted to munch on was a curry so I browned my beef and some mushrooms and peppers in the coconut oil. I have to admit, I was a bit worried. There was definitely a coconut-y aroma going on. I love coconut but I don't want all my meals to taste like it! Thankfully the curry turned out lovely and there was no coconut taste at all! I have heard through the grapevine that virgin coconut oil will leave a bit of a taste, and that is the one I have but maybe I didn't use enough of it? Or the sauce masked it. Hmmm, I shall have to experiment.
As it is so expensive I think I will use it for special occasions and stick to olive oil most of the time! I am a poor, struggling student after all!

Have you tried coconut oil before?
 

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