Benefits of Coconut Oil, Recipes & GIVEAWAY!

Benefits of Coconut Oil, Recipes & GIVEAWAY! 

*UPDATE* – There are 2 days left to enter the MightyNest giveaway! And there is a NEW prize! Every pledge will also give you an entry to win a $500 gift card to www.mightynest.com! Entry is EASY!

Benefits of Coconut Oil, Recipes & GIVEAWAY!

Have you heard that saturated fat is bad for your health and that you should avoid coconut oil?

I know that many of you that read my blog are big proponents of healthy fats like coconut oil, but in real life (i.e. coaching clients, friends, family), this is a comment I hear often.

Saturated fat has gotten a bad rap for many years and has been to blame for the rising heart disease rates. At the turn of the century when we consumed more saturated fats, heart disease was actually rare in America. Saturated fat is important to our health as it provides the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones. It is also a great source of energy.

Saturated fats slow down absorption, helping us feel full longer and keeping our energy levels stable. In addition, they help us absorb the important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat and it is loaded with nutrients. It is one of the few sources of lauric acid, which gives it it’s anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

Benefits of Coconut Oil, Recipes & GIVEAWAY!

Daily consumption of coconut oil is thought to protect against bacteria and viruses, as well as increase metabolism and improve hair and skin.

As you can tell by now, I am a BIG fan of healthy fats and coconut oil in particular. I am so excited to team up with one of my favorite companies, Mighty Nest to bring you these coconut oil recipes and giveaway some of my favorite products! Mighty Nest specializes in healthy, environmentally friendly, toxin-free goods. They also have a great program that helps you give back to local schools when you shop! Many of the items that you’ll find on their site, are what we use in our home.

To help you start including more coconut oil in your diet, Mighty Nest is giving away:

• 2 jars of Organic Unrefined Fresh-Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil – Great for cooking and skincare!
• Chope Unie Glass Tumblers (Set of 6, 19 ounce) – Perfect size for smoothies!
• Endurance Stainless Steel Straws, Set of 4 – These are the best! Easy to clean, healthy and non-toxic!
• 16oz Maison Jar Mug with Stainless Steel Drink Top – Perfect for smoothies on the go! The stainless steel straw fits in the top too!
• 79ml canning jars – Great for homemade moisturizers!

Make sure to scroll down and enter to win below!

Paleo Tropical Green Smoothie {with coconut oil}

My husband isn’t a big fan of cooking with coconut oil, but he does love smoothies. One way I encourage him to include more coconut oil in his diet, is by adding it to his morning smoothie. There is a trick to adding coconut oil to cold things like smoothies, so make sure you read the directions below to learn how to do this.

We love to pack our smoothies with healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado to get more nutrients in and to help us stay full longer. I also like to add gelatin from grass-fed cows for even more nutrients, including protein and amino acids. Make sure to use the gelatin in the green bottle, so it doesn’t turn your smoothie into jello, as this one doesn’t gel.

Paleo Tropical Green Smoothie {with coconut oil}
serves 2

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 large avocado or 1 small avocado
1 cup torn up chard (can substitute kale or spinach)
1 cup coconut water, divided
2 tablespoons grassfed gelatin (I use this one)
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey or more to taste (optional)

1. I re-purposed my daughter’s baby food warmer for melting coconut oil. It works like a charm. If you don’t have one of these laying around, you can warm it in the microwave or you can put it in a small glass jar and then put the glass jar in some hot water (like a makeshift double boiler).
2. Add the melted coconut oil, avocado, chard, 1/2 cup coconut water and gelatin to a high powered blender and blend until smooth. If you try to add all the ingredients together, the coconut oil will end up in tons of frozen chunks that are not appetizing.
3. Once this is all blended, add the mango, pineapple, lime juice, the rest of the coconut water and honey, if using. Blend until smooth.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Coconut Oil Body Butter

I use coconut oil topically for just about everything, from moisturizer to toothpaste to deodorant! Once you start DIY-ing, the options are endless with coconut oil. I think for beginners, body butter is a great, easy way to start including coconut oil in your skincare routine.

I always recommend using therapeutic grade essential oils. They are much more potent. If you are using store bought oils, you will need to double the amount of essential oils in the recipe to get similar results, as far as scent.

Lavender + Lemon Coconut Body Butter

Ingredients
1 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon jojoba oil (find some at Mighty Nest)
10 drops lavender essential oil (20 drops if not using therapeutic grade)
5 drops lemon essential oil (10 drops if not using therapeutic grade)

1. Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl of a stand up mixer or you can use a handheld electric mixer. Don’t melt the coconut oil first. It will only whip up if it’s solid.
2. Use the wire whisk and mix on high for 5 to 7 minutes or until the coconut oil is light and airy.
3. Spoon the body butter into glass jars and cover tightly. In the warm months, I like to put mine in the fridge for about 20 minutes, to help it set and solidify.
4. Store at room temperature or store in the fridge, if your house is warm.

Want to win all the amazing kitchen goodies that you see in these photos?

Spring is the perfect time for a fresh new point of view. Pledge to try something new with me, like adding coconut oil to your body, inside and out! It’s a small but mighty step in a healthier direction, and you’ll be automatically be entered into the giveaway to win $90 worth of coconut oil, smoothie glasses and Weck jars from MightyNest. You’ll also earn points for your local school to help them win $1000 this month in the MightyNest for Schools “Get Fresh” Challenge. Just click the button that says “I Pledge” to enter!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Pledge to add a little bit of coconut oil to your life daily, either through food or skincare!
2. Support your local school by choosing them to win up to $1000 in the MightyNest for Schools Get Fresh Challenge. All you have to do is select a school (based on zip code) when you pledge. MightyNest will accept pledges until May 31st. The school with the most points on May 31st will win $1000! The other top ten schools will share another $3000!

Sources:

• Why Butter is Better
• Top 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
• 7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat

This giveaway is sponsored by Mighty Nest, a company committed to helping families make simple changes for a healthier life. All opinions are my own. I only share products and brands with you, that I wholeheartedly believe in.