Lime in de CoCoNUT

Day 3:

Okay, today I'm going to mix it up a bit. Shake or stir is no matter, but just mix. Following what was consumed today, I have some thoughts and research on Coconut Oil. :)

BUT FIRST, breakfast...on Day 3:

Scrambled eggs (added seasonings), Fruit Smoothie (strawberries, blueberries, banana, a dash of almond milk & orange juice), & a rather large cup of Matte (because it's Tuesday)

Lunch lent another opportunity to enjoy the very filling Sweet Potato Enchiladas & Collards. No visual needed. But for those interested in the recipe, here she is:

• 2 Lg sweet potatoes (rinse& bake in the oven for aprox 2 hrs. at 425 before proceeding)
• 1 TB of olive oil
• 1 Lg garlic clove, minced
• 1 sm, fresh HOT chile, seeded and minced
• 1 LB of ground beef goodness
• 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 TB of chili powder
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups of salsa
• 8 tortillas
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onions

I usually cook the sweet potatoes day before or morning of due to my impulsive kitchen manners. (I'm not a very patient person.) You could also peel and dice the sweet potatoes and stirring them in the oven for about 20 minutes instead of waiting 2 hrs, but I do like the consistency of the 2 hr version.

Preheat Oven to 350f.

Skillet garlic & chile (I chose to add most of the onion here too) until fragrant, then add cooked MEAT, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt & pepper to taste in a large skillet. Stir in sweet potatoes, simmer for 5 minutes, and set aside.

Spread a thin layer of salsa over the bottom of a lightly oiled 9x13 in pan.

Pull out the tortillas and drop a significant amount of Sweet Po mixture. Usually have enough for 5-6 tortillas. Choose your size and stick with it. And for those local folks, Earth Fare has an amazing spinach tortilla...found in the deli section. At the moment, I don't remember the brand, but they are 12 to a pack and HUGE, dense, and flavorful. I didn't really ever enjoy bought tortillas until I had theirs. But beware; they have NO preservatives, so be sure to store it in the fridge ASAP!

Place your rolls of Sweet Po in the pan & line the top with salsa and onions. Cover and bake until bubbly (love that word!), about 20 minutes.

Honestly, folks, I'm not quite sure what it was about the 3rd day, but it was a dogfight not to head for the closet of sugar. OH my! I'm not going to go there quite yet- another day, perhaps, but not today. I was STARVING when I finally got home and jumped to the pre-made meal helps.

Thank you Trader Joes!

So tonight was my first exposure to using COCONUT oil as a replacement of Vegetable, Canola, or even Olive Oil! I've begun to see a viscous pattern in the hard-core Paleo's diet.

Coconut is seemingly everywhere. So, after finding some salmon cakes from Trader Joe's, the pan warmed with a tablespoon of coconut oil, dinner was served!

However, I'm still astonished that after two years of being a vegan, I had never heard of coconut oil as a replacement...rather than soy replacements! Amber, a gal on staff for Robb Wolfe, had some great insight from other Paleo eaters, such as:

Diane Sanfilippo, a Certified Nutrition Educator, C.H.E.K. Holistic Lifestyle Coach, of Balanced Bites explains why coconut oil is superior for cooking in this post:

The chemical structure of unsaturated fats is VERY delicate. When something in their environment isn’t perfect, their structure is changed easily, causing them to oxidize. This is one reason why we say that olive oil shouldn’t be heated or only on very low temperatures- so that it’s chemical structure can remain in tact. Once these structures are changed, the body can’t use them as intended.

Coconut and other saturated fats are far more STABLE and do no chemically change when heat is applied (at least not as easily, it will take much higher heat for longer periods of time), so when they enter our bodies, they’re in-tact and our bodies recognize them as what they are from nature. Oxidized or rancid oils in the body enter and cannot be biochemically understood as food. They enter and are more like a PLASTIC in the body, or a toxin. Our body does not metabolize toxins but rather STORES them – in our fat cells. This leads to inflammation. Inflammation is a key player in many chronic diseases, weight gain, weight loss resistance, general feeling of fatigue, pain and lethargy, joint pain, etc. (end quote)

Also, here are some great ideas of various uses for coconut oil from Amber & Robb Wolfe. Just click on their names and read over all the comments...very interesting. Coconut is the new peanut! :)

Put the Lime in with Coconut with Harry Nilsson. It will make you feel better... ;)

Dessert: Bedtime Blueberries from Everyday Paleo: blueberries, coconut, almonds, & OJ!