Coconut Oil: Your New Best Friend

www.huffingtonpost.com - April 9th, 2013

Although coconut oil has gained controversy over the years, it is actually one of the healthiest fats in the world for you. Coconut oil is made from pressing the mature fruits of coconut palm trees. It's very popular in tropical parts of the world, like the Philippines, where there is incidentally less cases of heart disease and cancers than compared to the western world.

Coconut oil provides a great source of fuel, energy, and the highly-beneficial fatty acid, lauric acid. Coconut oil proves that not all saturated fats are "bad for you." Coconut oil is primarily made up of medium chain fatty acids (MCTs), which make it easy for your body to digest. Coconut oil is metabolized efficiently and converted into energy immediately, rather than getting stored as fat (the way butter or unhealthy oils can). Medium-chain fatty acids do not have a negative effect on blood cholesterol and help protect against heart disease. A new BFF (best friend forever) for sure.

Whether you are an athlete, dieter, or have trouble digesting dairy or fats, coconut oil might just become your new best friend -- it can be readily digested more than other oils.

Coconut oil is a significant plant source of lauric acid, a fatty acid recognized for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. It has been known to help speed up metabolism, clear acne, and is great for hair and nails. Doctors, like the esteemed fat and lipid scientist Dr. Mary Enig state that coconut oil improves the immune system's anti-inflammatory response, which helps us fight off disease.

Although a saturated fat, coconut oil contains no trans-fatty acids. Because it is naturally saturated, it can handle the heat of higher temperature cooking -- such as frying -- and won't burn or go rancid as easily. In effect, because coconut oil is saturated, it makes it very shelf-stable, which makes it a very healthy oil. Who knew saturated could mean good?

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Parmesan Fried Chicken with Pesto Bechamel

1 whole chicken 

1 cup plain greek yogurt 

1 cup parmesan cheese 

1 cup unbleached all purpose white flour 

3 cups coconut oil 

Salt and black pepper

Clean and cut chicken into 8 pieces. Marinade in yogurt, season with salt and pepper (to liking), cover and refrigerate overnight. Take chicken out 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.

Combine flour and parmesan cheese. Dredge chicken fully in the flour mixture and shake of access. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper (to liking) and set aside.

Using a cast iron skillet or similar (enough to hold 8 pieces), melt coconut oil on low heat. When it melts, bring temperature of the oil to approximately 325 degrees. Maintain this temperature and not allow it to go over (make sure not to let it boil).

Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side (about 10 minutes). Drain chicken on a wire rack over a sheet pan for about 10 minutes before serving hot with the bechamel and vegetables of choice.

Pesto Bechamel:

2 1/2 cups milk 

3 tablespoons butter 

2 tablespoons unbleached white flour 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

2 tablespoons Pesto 

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 

Sea salt and black pepper

In a medium pan, heat the butter over medium to high until it melts. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Keep over medium heat until it turns slightly darker in color (about 6 minutes). Meanwhile heat milk in a medium saucepan until just about to boil. Add to the flour mixture one cup at a time whisking constantly until all the milk is used up and sauce is smooth. Bring sauce to a boil and cook a further 10 minutes, whisking constantly. Mix in pesto, parmesan, and nutmeg. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle desired amount over the chicken or serve along side for dipping.

Baking Option:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden, crispy, and cooked through (turn chicken over halfway during cooking).

Remove from oven and enjoy hot with vegetables of your choice.