Coco meet Cocoa

If you are like and decided to move to an ice cube of a state. Or country. There is one thing that can change anyone’s mood around, making someone warm up and cheer up. Hot chocolate.

Now this is a blog about coconut oil right? Well I came across a very good recipe that I tried and had to say I really loved it. There is nothing like salted chocolate, and coconut. Who doesn’t love an Almond Joy?
“So tell us, this marvelous, magical, delicious recipe,” you might say. Well I don’t suppose I have to repeat to you the health benefits of Coconut oil but how about something new?
The health benefits of chocolate!
Fact 1:
A Swedish study that took 9 years (!), researched more that 31,000 woman, and the ones that at 1-2 servings of dark chocolate each week managed to cut their risk of heart failure by 1/3!
Fact 2:
University of Copenhagen researched chocolate and how it makes someone feel more satiated, creating less cravings and helping to not need sweet, salty, or fatty foods. Meaning that it is a great aid in losing weight!
Fact 3:
Finnish study found that when women ate chocolate daily WHILE pregnant, helped them to feel less stressed and the babies born were much happier and smiling more!
Fact 4:
Claudio Ferri M.D. a professor at the University of L’Aquila in Italy studied dark chocolate and the affects on diabetes statin, “Flavonoids increase nitric oxide production, and that helps control insulin sensitivity.” Meaning that it does help insulin levels and diabetes! (Talk to your doctor first!)
Fact 5:
Swiss scientist found that with 1.5 oz of dark chocolate every day for 2 weeks helps to lower stress hormones! Helping you to not want to curl up in a ball and cry about life!
Fact 6:
London researchers tested chocolate and the flavonols and how, and after 3 months eating chocolate with high levels of flavonols, the study showed skin too TWICE as long to redden and burn! Eat chocolate and go tanning!
Fact 7:
University of Nottingham found that when you drink cocoa rich with flavanols, your blood boosts in flow to key parts of the brain for 2-3 hours, improving performance, alertness, and short term! Maybe a stash in the office drawer wouldn’t hurt.
Fact 8:
Have a cough? Chocolate has been said to quiet coughs. The feel-good effect chocolate gives may help suppress part of the brain call the vagus nerve. Maria Belvisi (a professor of respiratory pharmacology at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London) says, “It had none of the negative side effects (codeine has on most people.”
Fact 9:
The children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, realized those Flavonoids bind to a protein in the body that helps to regulate fluid secretion in the small intestines. Chocolate helps with everything!

Now that we have spoken about these curious and somewhat gross things, here is that amazing recipe I promised you all!

1 tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Cocoa Powder (rich in flavonoid)
Pinch of Himalayan Salt
¼ tspn Organic Whole Sugar

Boil water and pour into bug. Stir in the coconut oil, then the cocoa powder, follow with the salt. Then the sugar, more or less to taste!
Enjoy!

Coco on the go

How many of us like to get as much sleep as we can in the mornings? I know I do? The more I can get away with hitting snooze the better off I can be. However as everything says, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Many of us like to start early with a shake, protein or other, but there is nothing like a fresh smoothie in the morning to get you going. So here is a short and sweet quick pick me up for you all!

2 1/2 cups kefir, yogurt or buttermilk
1 whole mango, fresh or frozen
2 handfuls strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 or 2 frozen bananas
1-3 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoons freshly ground flax seed (optional)
Raw egg yolks (optional)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (more/less as desired)
Coconut flakes

Pour your dair in the blender.
Add in mango, strawberries, bananas and honey (add flax seed and/or egg yolks if desired).
Blend that sucker up until smooth and while it is blending… add coconut oil and let it run for a minute more.
Pour into a tall, large glass and top with coconut flakes and extra ground flax seeds if desired.

Coco Fried Creations

Sometimes the best thing to do is sit down with a bowl of good cheesy rice and watch something on tv. When you aren’t crazy potatoes or bread or pasta, why not go with rice? Well again here is a great recipe (on the healthier side) with coconut oil to help you make cheesy fried rice. This recipe calls for brown rice, eggs, cheese and of course coconut oil! So you have a protein filled, ric-y meal away you, simple, quick and definitely delicious!

2 eggs
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 cups cooked brown rice (leftover works great!)
4 oz shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
salt

1. Whisk eggs together in small bowl. Set aside.

2. Melt coconut oil in medium saute pan.

3. When oil is hot, add rice and stir-fry the rice.

4. Move all rice to edges of pan and pour beaten eggs in the middle. Scramble eggs and when they are almost done re-incorporate rice.

5. Add cheese and stir until all is melted.

6. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Coco Fritters

What’s that? It’s small, round, brown oh my! Is that? I believe it is! Coconut Rice Fritters!

Sometimes a bite size of deliciousness to pop into your mouth is the best or worse thing to have. How about bringing it to a part as an appetizer, people will love it and they will ask you to make it more and more. So why not be the hit of the party with these little fritters?
Well how do you do that? How do you become the star? Well you’ll need these ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked long grain rice
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup organic unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Take that rice, place it in warm water and mash it all up.
Now time to toss together baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and honey and mix it all in.
Intermingle them two flours and ad the flour and eggs to the rice until a nice smooth mixture.
Heat the coconut oil in a pan to fry the fritters.
Drop in the mixture byt the tablespoons and cook on each side until golden brown.
Let dry. Add powdered sugar. Become famous!

Coco Gluten Freedom

So we have gone over breakfast shakes, warm drinks, family dinners, and party appetizers. What about those small snacks that make the day go better?

A great pick me up for me is greek yogurt and granola, nothing like that mixture to make you satiated for a few more hours. Unfortunately you are at work and out of Tupperware, so the next best thing, granola bars! All of them!  So here is a great GLUTEN FREE granola bar recipe! Mmmm snack up!

2 cups gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup organic fresh ground flax seed meal
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar or whole sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped, dried apricot
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Go ahead, preheat that oven to 350, get that baby going.
Grease an 8×12 baking dish and put parchment in it and get started already!
Toss those oats with almonds and coconut, put them onto a baking sheet and put in oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Then take that mixture, toss it into a bowl, not too roughly now, and stir in the flax seed meal.

Reduce that puppy from 350 to 300.
Combine all that coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into a small saucepan and bring it all to a boil. Cook and stir for a whole 60 seconds, then pour it all over that ready and waiting oatmeal mixture.
Add those tasty tasty dates, apricots and cranberries and stir it all up.
Then put it all in the waiting and ready 8×12, press it it in to pan, and back it all!
25-30 minutes.
Then it has to cool 2-3 hours, after feel free to it all up.

Coco Chicken Bake

Chicken is the best thing to create for a family dinner, but sometimes you have to try something new other then just smothering it in barbecue sauce and hoping it works out. How about a coconut-baked chicken to serve to the family for something different? Or yourself, you might not even want to share after all, make the people you live with make their own food and keep it to yourself!

So what you will need!
1 cut up chicken!
Virgin coconut Oil – melted (this is the money maker!)
1 egg
sal and pepper to taste
1 cup whole grain flour
½ cup finely grated unsweetened dried coconut (also the money maker?)

So preheat that oven to 350 and get that sucker going!

Coat watched and dried off chicken with melted coconut oil! Slather it up real good.
Beat the leg and add salt pepper.
Take that whisked up egg and add to the coconut oil coating the chicken.
Mix that flour and dried coconut (the other money maker) and coat it over the chicken as well.
Oil a glass casserole pan with coconut oil and place that bird in the pan.
Bake for 45 minutes
Let cool and share, or don’t, whatever you fancy!

Make those bugs go coco

Do you camp? I can’t blame you I like having a bed and bathroom myself, but you can’t deny that when it comes to those gorgeous summer months, you don’t mind spending as much time as you can on your porch, drinking mimosa and shooting back laughs with your friends. Some friend are probably unwanted, like those pesky bugs that like to present themselves and cause all kinds of bites and itches. So how about a bug balm! Get those suckers before they get you! This means war damnit!

Here is a natural coconut based bug balm hopefully you’ll all enjoy! I know I can’t wait to test it out this summer!
What you’ll need!
¼ cup coconut oil
1/8 cup shea butter
4 tsp beeswax granules
12 drops citronella essential oil
8 drops rosemary essential oil
8 drops cedarwood essential oil
8 drops lemongrass essential oil
8 drops eucalyptus or tea tree essential oil

Double broiler
Metal Whisk
Metal Spoon

Jars

So here’s what you do!
Boil that water in the double boiler, then lower to medium-low, after you will put that coconut oil and shea butter on top to melt it up. Whisking it with that fancy metal whisk, then add the beeswax until it is all completely melted.

Test the mixture for texture by taking the back of a metal spoon, dipping it in the liquid. Let the spoon cool until the mixture sets up. Test a small bit on your skin to see if you are happy with the texture. (If you want it a little firmer, you can add a little more beeswax (add 1/2 tsp. at a time). If you want it softer, you can add a little more shea butter (add 1/2 tsp. at a time).)

Once all that is settled, you perfectionist you, remove the pan from the heat. Let the liquid cool for 3-5 minutes and whisk in the essential oils.

Pour the liquid into your fancy little jars and let it all cool.

Coco Clean

You can’t blame a woman for wanting to look amazing can you? After all, we like to feel confident about ourselves, so we put on make-up. Beautiful, shiny, colorful make-up that is a serious pain in the ass to get off. You find one thing that works but it makes you break out, another isn’t strong enough, a different one has a smell that makes your eyes sting, all things that just aren’t good.
So after all this cooking, and partying, you just want to crawl into bed so lets get rid of this eye make – up.
Now I found an amazing tutorial, all images and I feel that there isn’t as much of a need to describe the instructions.

For those of you a bit confused though, apply, wipe of, and repeat.
It is a natural remedy good for your skin, and healthy plus if anything it smells way better then anything else you could try!

Homemade Coco Care

How many out there like the DIY recipes? Luckily we are getting more into a world where making things yourself is easier and more than a hobby.  If you are more health conscious for outside of your body was well as inside, there are a lot of homemade organic ways to improve your everyday hygiene. After all hygiene is never the enemy.

So here are a few fun and somewhat simple homemade recipes to help with keeping a clean organic hygiene regimen.

Homemade toothpaste –
 Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda.
Sweeten with Stevia and flavor with your favorite essential oil.
Place on toothbrush and get to cleaning.

Homemade Deodorant –

1/3 cup coconut oil
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup arrowroot powder
4 tablespoons cornstarch (Which is antiperspirant effect)
Option: Essential oils – try tea tree, sweet orange, lavender, frankincense etc.
Mix baking soda, cornstarch, and arrowroot powder in a bowl.
Add coconut oil and use a fork to blend into dry ingredients.
Add 5-10 drops of your chosen essential oil.
Add more coconut oil or baking soda to achieve desired consistency

Viola! All-natural deodorant.

Homemade Chapstick –

Makes ¾ ounces
3 tsp sweet almond or apricot kernel oil
4 tsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp grated beeswax
5-10 drops sweet orange oil or other essential oil

Combine almond/apricot kernel oil, coconut oil, and beeswax in pot and melt over low heat until liquid.
Remove from heat and whisk in the essential oil.
Pore in lip palm containers and let sit for 20 minutes. 

Hair Care Coco Ware

Want luscious locks that make the women in Pantene commercials jealous? Yeah I would too, it makes you wonder about all the products for sale to “help” your split end’s, fried hair and little frizzy flyway’s?

Well lets try a natural route, everything has oil in it, this is just less goopy and probably much better for you and for everything around you. So what is this fantastic product, well like every other post before and after, Coconut oil?

Ah yes, the fantastic smelling coconut oil, but BE CAREFUL. This you want to put on very lightly, after all this is oil and you don’t want a cup of it in your hair.

Let’s start with one trick to use coconut oil for. The most frustrating thing for having curly or waving hair is that often little strands will stick out when you put it up. Well take the smallest dollop you can and spread it over the flyways. It is healthier and easier to use then hair spray, and the smell wont make you choke.

Now, moving on from everyday frizzy and static strands sticking out, to making a healthy head of hair. Here is a great tip many websites suggest, a good thing to help revitalize your hair to make it shinier, softer and hopefully help heal or get rid of the split ends.

Taking a small scoop of coconut oil (always remember less is more with this stuff). Start with the ends of your hair; work the oil up your hair (if you have hair that gets greasy easily like mine, you don’ t need to put it in your roots).

Either way 30 minutes or keeps it in all night. (If you take the night route, remember to put down a towel so you don’t stain your pillow and or sheets.)

Afterwards go take a shower, rinse it out and shampoo and condition like you usually would.

Coconut oil as been known to actually penetrate the inner part of your hair, which can not only improve the strength, but the flexibility. So good luck in preventing hair damage, and remember coconut oil can fix mostly anything.