Cottage Cupboards, Essential Oils

The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil – Comparing Refined & Unrefined Coconut Oil – Recipes

Posted by jackikellum on

Both Refined & Unrefined Coconut Oil Have a Multitude of Health Benefits

Use Unrefined Coconut Oil to Treat Excema

“When choosing coconut oil for eczema, unrefined or cold-pressed coconut oil is generally preferred over refined oil. Cold-pressed and unrefined oils don’t use chemicals or heat in the extraction process, so they retain more nutrients and are less likely to irritate skin. Some say that virgin or extra-virgin cold-pressed coconut oil is ideal.

Recipes

Granola Bars from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter
  • ¼ cup (85 g) honey
  • ¼ cup (53 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups (200 g) quick cooking oats
  • 1 cup rice krispies cereal
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (43 g) mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Lightly coat a 9X11-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. If you don’t have a pan that size, use a similar sized pan, like a 8X12-inch. This recipe is a bit small for a 9X13-inch pan but if that’s all you have, just pack the granola bar mixture into a smaller portion of the pan – the mixture doesn’t spread so that should work fine.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the oats and rice krispies. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes together, stirring frequently. Cook at a simmer (so the mixture is lightly bubbling) for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Pour the wet mixture over the oats/rice krispies and mix with a wooden spoon until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down very firmly. If the mixture isn’t pressed down well enough, the bars will be crumbly once


Granola Balls from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (200 g) quick oats
  • 1 cup crispy rice cereal, like Rice Krispies
  • 1 cup (255 g) creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup (96 g) ground flaxseed
  • 1 cup (170 g) mini chocolate chips
  • ⅔ cup (227 g) honey or agave nectar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing gently so the crispy rice cereal doesn’t get crushed. Mix until well-combined.
  • Using a cookie scoop (or roll small amounts in your hands), drop rounded tablespoonful-sized portions onto a parchment or wax paper lined cooking sheeet. I used my cookie scoop and then rolled the scooped portion out between my palms.
  • Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. At this point you can serve them or combine the chilled granola bites in a large tupperware-type container or ziploc bags to freeze or refrigerate. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week or for a few months in the freezer.

Cashew Almond Granola
From Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (300 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup cashews
  • ¾ cup (64 g) shredded sweetened coconut
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon sale
  •  1 cup raisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar.
  • In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine maple syrup, oil and salt.
  • Combine both mixtures by slowly pouring the liquid over the oatmeal mixture and stirring well. Divide in half and pour onto two 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheets, spreading out into an even layer on each sheet.
  • Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer into a large bowl, slightly breaking up the clumps. Add the raisins and gently mix until even distributed.

Image  Credit: Paleo Running Momma

Ingredients

Chocolate Layer

  • 1 and 1/2 cups Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels or preferred dairy free brand
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp thick creamy coconut milk*

  • Coconut Layer

    Top Chocolate Drizzle

    Instructions

      1. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan or dish with parchment paper with some overlapping on the sides
      2. Make the chocolate layer first: In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt dark morsels and coconut oil while stirring continuously. Stir in coconut milk and remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla.
      3. Spread the chocolate mixture in the parchment lined dish using a spatula to scrape out every drop. Chill in the freezer while you make the coconut layer.
      4. To make the coconut layer, mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until fully combined, then prepare the top chocolate drizzle by melting the chocolate chips and coconut oil over very low heat while stirring.
      5. Sprinkle the coconut layer evenly over the thickened chocolate layer (shouldn’t be completely set or the two layers will separate as they cool) and then drizzle the melted chocolate/coconut oil over the top. Put in the freezer for 10 mins to set and then cut into squares to serve!
    1. Store leftovers in either the freezer or refrigerator. The freezer will give it more of a candy bar consistency while the fridge will make it more like fudge.

    Recipe Notes

    *I refrigerated my can of coconut milk so the water and cream separate, then discarded half the water and blended the rest together for a thick, creamy coconut milk.

    Recipe from Paleo Running Momma
    Ingredients

     

     

     

Instructions

1. Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse several times to “chop” them into a crumbly texture – a few larger pieces are a good thing – don’t overmix!
2. Transfer the nuts to a large mixing bowl* and stir in coconut flakes, cinnamon, salt, and raisins to evenly combine.
3. Place melted coconut oil in a small saice pan and whisk in the almond butter and honey. Set heat to low and whisk while honey and almond butter melt. Once mixture is smooth and well combined, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to fully combine – I used a silicone spatula for this step. Thoroughly mix to make sure all the dry mixture is coated. Once coated, gently stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Line an 8 x 8” or 9 x 9” square pan with parchment paper along the bottom and sides, with extra up the sides for easy removal. Transfer mixture in and press down, using your hands, or another piece of parchment paper to get it packed tightly into the pan.
6. Cover the top with parchment or plastic wrap, then set in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm, or longer if you have time.

7. Remove pan from freezer and grab two ends of the parchment paper to remove the bars, set on a cutting board.
8. Using a long very sharp knife, cut into 20 bars.  You can wrap them in parchment individually storing in the fridge (for up to two weeks) or freezer for longer.
9. Bars will start to melt around room temp due to the coconut oil, so they’ll need to be kept chilled to stay firm. Enjoy! Paleo Running Momma

 

Sauteed Apples and Pears with Coconut Oil

Recipe from Paleo Running Momma

Ingredients

  1. 1 large apple I used Pink Lady or 2 small*, peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch segments
  2. 1 large pear or 2 small (not too ripe), peeled and sliced as above
  3. 2 tbsp coconut oil or possibly more if you need extra towards the end
  4. 2 tsp ground cinnamon a full 2 if you love cinnamon!
  5. 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt 
  6. 3 T. melted coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Heat a medium, well seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet over med heat and add 1 Tbsp of the coconut oil***
  2. Once heated, add the apples and cook/stir one minute, then add the pears and combine
  3. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the top and stir, continue to cook until softened, about 3 minutes, adding any extra coconut oil and adjusting heat to lower if you need to.
  4. Lower the heat to low and sprinkle the cinnamon over apples and pears, stir. If mixture is very sticky you can add a drop of water to thin it out. Once fruit is coated with cinnamon, soft and lightly browned, remove from heat.
  5. Microwave coconut butter in a glass dish in increments of 5 sec until drippy but not too hot** Drizzle over apples and pears to serve. Enjoy

     

    “Tips for using unrefined coconut oil to treat eczema:

    Apply coconut oil to damp skin at least twice a day, or more often if needed. You can apply it during the day and at night.

    When to apply
  • How to apply

    “You can use coconut oil like a lotion or moisturizer. For eczema on the eyelids, use a Q-tip to apply it sparingly so it doesn’t get into your eyes. For eczema on the scalp, apply it directly to the hair and massage it in, then leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Flavor and smell:
“Refined coconut oil has no coconut taste or aroma, while unrefined coconut oil has a strong coconut flavor and scent.
Smoke point:
“Refined coconut oil has a higher smoke point, making it better for high-heat cooking like frying, sautéing, and roasting. Unrefined coconut oil has a lower smoke point and is best used unheated in dressings or for low-heat cooking.
  • Uses:

    Refined coconut oil is better for high-heat cooking, while unrefined coconut oil is better for skin and hair care. 

  • Nutrition:

    Both types of coconut oil have similar nutritional benefits 

  • Storage life:
    Unrefined oils are more nutritious but have a shorter storage life than refined oils

Discover more from Jacki Kellum

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.