Coconut oil cooking ideas and recipe

May 21, 9:39 PMSeattle Nutrition ExaminerHeidi Nebel

Here are some ideas and a recipe to help you get started using coconut oil in your cooking.

Try using coconut oil for:

• Stir fry or curry
• To saute any veggies
• Smoothies
• Roasting vegetables (i.e. carrots, beets, parsnip, yams)
• Oatmeal or toast
• Baking chicken or fish (mixed with dill and garlic - yum!)
• Make your own mayo
• Mashed or baked potatoes
• Popping pop corn

I recommend purchasing organic virgin coconut oil, which smells like coconut and has a slightly sweet coconut flavor. If you don’t like coconut you can get an expeller pressed coconut oil which still has the great health qualities of coconut oil but has no coconut smell or flavor. Coconut oil is a traditional and healthy oil that everyone can benefit from. For more in depth information check out the article Top ten reasons why you should use organic virgin coconut oil . Here is a recipe to get you started.

Subtly Sweet Stuffed Squash
I invented this meal one day when I thought that my cupboard was bare. Instead, this simple meal has become an all-time favorite in my house. The slight sweetness of the virgin coconut oil is wonderful with the squash. Any variety of winter squash will work well; my personal favorites are Acorn and Delicata. Depending on the size and variety of the squash you may have to vary the baking time.

1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon dry quinoa (white or red)
1 cup water
1/3 cup dried goji berries
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
2 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash with large knife lengthwise then scoop out seeds with a spoon. Spread coconut oil evenly onto inside of squash so that all flesh is covered. Place squash face down in a baking dish and bake 1 hour or more until you can pierce the skin with a fork. For extra flavor, cook until the bottom is caramelized but not burnt.
 

While squash is cooking put quinoa, salt and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Once quinoa is done, stir goji berries into quinoa. They will plump up a little.

Once squash is done remove from oven and flip over in pan. Stuff squash with quinoa and goji berry mixture and top with 1 teaspoon butter each. If there is any extra quinoa mixture spread in dish around the squash. Place stuffed squash back in oven for five minutes to melt butter and reheat quinoa mixture if it has cooled down. Remove from oven and salt to taste.

Preparation time: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Copyright 2006, H. Nebel, Original recipe

For more info: More recipes.

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