The Benefits of Coconut Oil: mushroom, shrimp and spinach pasta with coconut bechamel sauce

Articles toting the benefits of coconut oil are everywhere these days and often include the reasons against using other (seemingly) heart healthy oils like canola.  Generally written or sponsored by the industry or product the article is promoting, the potential conflict of interest leaves the average person to wonder what can and should be believed!

Enter basic reasoning from Charles Mattocks via the Dr. Oz website:
Coconut Oil: A Good Saturated Fat?
You may ask, isn't coconut oil a saturated fat? And aren't saturated fats harmful? Yes, coconut oil consists of 90% saturated fats. But whether or not saturated fats are harmful depends on who you ask. Among mainstream nutritionists, the idea that saturated fats cause heart disease is an “absolute truth” that is never questioned. Those who question this belief, however, point out that mankind has been consuming mainly saturated fats – in the form of butter, lard, coconut oil, etc – for thousands of years, yet heart disease was rare before the 1920s. If anything, the rise of heart disease in recent decades may correspond to the increasing use of polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, safflower and canola, as well as margarine. 

In order for canola oil to make it to our grocery store shelf it is highly processed using high heat methods sometimes including the chemical Hexane. The history of canola oil itself describes how much modifying it has been through since the 1950's. It was originally derived from rapeseed however it is a completely different plant.

Expeller pressed coconut oil is as basic and whole as it gets. It still smells and even looks like a coconut (white in its solid form below 76 degrees). Coconut oil's high smoke point makes it perfect for sauteing and the flavor is great for baking. Uses for coconut oil extend to personal care as it can be used as a conditioner and lotion especially during these cold winter months.

In my own kitchen I use canola oil, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. Coconut oil tastes great but I would rather not all of our food taste like coconuts! Until I have found a near flavorless version of it I will still use canola oil for high temperature cooking. (I would love to hear responses on flavor light coconut oil brands!) In the mean time I continue to experiment with coconut oil where the flavor profile fits. Here's a recipe that we enjoyed last week.

Mushroom, Shrimp and Spinach Pasta with Coconut Bechamel Sauce

• 3/4 lb whole wheat pasta
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3/4 lb peeled and cleaned shrimp
• 1lb mushrooms (any variety will do)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 package fresh baby spinach
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to box directions.  Drain and do not rinse.
2. Add the coconut oil to a large saute pan preheating on meduim/high heat.
3. Add shrimp and saute until pink, approximately 2 minutes on each side.  Remove the cooked shrimp from the saute pan and set aside.
4. Add mushrooms to the saute pan and cook stirring often until soft.  Add garlic and stir to combine. 
5. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and stir.  Add milk and heat to a low boil to thicken the sauce. 
6. Add baby spinach and toss.  As spinach wilts add the parmesan cheese, cooked shrimp and pasta.
7. Warm through, adjust seasoning and serve with an extra sprinkling of cheese.   

 

Mushrooms simmering in bechamel sauce.



The finished product featuring misc. pasta from cleaning out the cabinets!

Orange Almond Bread - Nigella Style

This simple bread, based on a Nigella Lawson cake recipe, features the most unique citrus technique I've ever seen.  Simmer oranges in water for 2 hours and process the fruit whole (peel, seeds, etc.) in a food processor until smooth.  The liquified oranges create a wonderfully moist bread that has no need for added oils.  The flavor is incredible and your home will smell like an orange grove.

The ratio of ground almonds to flour is certainly up for interpretation.  (Nigella's original recipe calls for all ground almonds and no flour.)  Higher ground almond ratios will yield a more dense bread.  Be sure that the total amount of ground almonds and/or flour is 2 1/4 cups.

For an added fiber and omega 3 twist, the Orange Almond bread came out beautifully when substituting a ground flaxseed/water combination for two of the eggs. See below the recipe for the details on the substitution.


Orange Almond Bread

• 3-4 clementine or mandarin oranges (approximately 14oz.)
• 1 1/4 cup ground almonds (or 1 cup of whole almonds that you will grind in a food processor)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Place oranges in a medium sauce pan and cover them with cold water.  Cover and heat the water and oranges to boiling.  Turn down the heat and allow to simmer with the lid tilted for approximately 2 hours.  More water may be required as the oranges simmer.  Drain the remaining water and allow the oranges to cool slightly.
2. If you are starting with whole almonds pour them into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse them until ground into a relatively fine cornmeal like consistency. 
3. Pour the ground almonds into a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the whole oranges to the food processor bowl and process until smooth - approximately 2 minutes.  Add the pureed oranges to the ground almonds.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. 
6. Butter or spray a 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes.  The bread may need to be covered with foil if it begins to brown too much. 
7. Test the bread for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf.  Remove when the toothpick comes out clean of crumbs.
8. Cool in the pan an enjoy.

The simmering oranges needing more water!

The pureed oranges.

Ground Flax Seed and Egg Substitution

For every egg in a recipe substitute:

• 3 Tablespoons of water
• 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed

Allow it to sit for two minutes and add to the recipe in lieu of one egg.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust Experiment

One of our go-to meals on busy weeknight is pizza.  Stretch store bought pizza dough, add toppings and make a salad while the pizza is baking.  Perfect. 

My grocery store carries a couple of varieties of wheat pizza crust.  The first ingredient of these items is typically enriched wheat flour.  From a whole food/whole grain perspective whole wheat flour wins every time.  Consider the following equations:

Enriched Wheat Flour = Iceberg Lettuce

100% Whole Wheat Flour = Spinach  

 

As often is the case, I get over my annoyance by finding my own recipe.  To get around the time factor I make additional quantities to freeze.  The perfect version will take some trial and error but here is the one I made tonight.

Wyatt modeling the honey and beer

Whole Wheat Beer Pizza Crust

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warmed beer (approximately 110 degrees)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In mixer, dissolve yeast in beer. Let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix with the dough hook attachment on the mixer until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Adjust flour as needed. 
4. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 10 minutes.
5. Flatten dough with floured fingers on a floured pizza stone and poke holes in it with a fork.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.               
7. Add sauce, cheese and toppings and continue baking for another 10 minutes.
8. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

I doubled the recipe and wrapped half in plastic wrap and foil and tossed it in the freezer. Overall it came out well. Next time I will get the dough thinner under the toppings but this one wasn't bad. It was surprisingly filling and the beer flavor was awesome with the sausage and peppers.

A general note on the blog: I've updated the settings to allow anyone to make comments.  I'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions!

"Gello" Gelatine - sans Bill Cosby endorsement

The boys love Jello but the ingredients make me jiggle (pun intended) in my boots.  My boys may have a crunchy mom but hopefully we can discover homemade alternatives that don't leave them out of the party.

This recipe was discovered on the back of the Knox Gelatine box.  I modified it to remove the  tablespoon of sugar/honey as even that seemed unnecessary and changed the hot/cold juice ratios. 

"Gello"

2 packages unflavored gelatine
1 cup cold juice
1 cup juice, heated to boiling

1. Sprinkle gelatine over cold juice in a large bowl and let it stand 1 minute. 
2. Add hot juice and stir to dissolve gelatine completely, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour into a 9x9 inch pan and refrigerate until firm, approximately 3 hours.  Cut into 1 inch squares.

Wyatt and Patrick accompanied me to Target today and all they wanted were canned peaches. Two cans of peaches seemed like a good trade off for 45 minutes of well behaved kids! Watch out as they are adding Splenda to the fruit now and marketing it as "No Sugar Added!" UGH! The remaining juice was leftover Martinelli's Sparkling Apple-Grape cider from New Year's Eve. My mom used seltzer in our Jello when we were kids so this works! The boys helped stir and are looking forward to enjoying their juice dessert tonight after dinner. Best news yet, I know exactly what's in it.

I'm a Little Italian: Grammie Teresa's Meatballs

Our next door neighbor's growing up, Aunt Rose and her daughter Lori, likely hosted more of my waking hours than my own family.  Aunt Rose was the best next door Grandmother ever!   There wasn't a single day that we wouldn't draw, sing songs (in Italian too), play cards and enjoy juice and cookies at her kitchen table.

Aunt Rose introduced me to red gravy and all of the pasta dishes that go along with it, pastina with butter, and zeppole's at the Italian carnival.  (The current tradition of fried dough doesn't hold a candle to confectioner sugar covered zeppole in a greasy paper bag!)  She once bought me a t-shirt that said, "I'm a little Italian" that was even more tongue and cheek than the author could have possibly intended. 

Imagine Aunt Rose's joy when I fell in love with and married an Italian!  Having her, Lori and her husband Ron at our wedding almost 10 years ago was such an honor.

The matriarch of my husband's family was Grammie Teresa, my father-in-laws mother.  Sadly, I only met her once before she had a severe stroke.  Imagine all of the food we could have made together! 

The recipe that follows in an homage to Aunt Rose and Grammie Teresa.  Since the best family recipes contain a little of this and a little of that, this is my brother-in-law's delicious adaptation.  It is a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner with homemade garlic bread and a salad followed by Christmas cookies!  Perhaps Santa will have a couple of meatballs in addition to his cookies.  That is, if there are any left.

Grammie Teresa's Meatballs and Sauce (Red Gravy)

Sauce (Red Gravy)

• 2 26oz jars of tomato sauce
• 3 26oz boxes of crushed tomatoes
• 1 t. pepper
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 T. Italian seasoning
• salt to taste
• 1 T sugar

Mix all ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Simmer for several hours with the meatballs to combine flavors. 

Note: I substitute 28oz canned tomatoes with 26oz boxed tomatoes (such as Pomi) to reduce BPA exposure.  The acidic tomatoes causes a high rate of absorption of BPA from the cans.  Yes, there is BPA in jar lids however I believe this is the lesser of two evils.  My brother-in-law's recipe also calls for 1 can of tomato puree.  Since I have yet to find this boxed, I substitute with a third box of crushed tomatoes.

Meatballs:

• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 2lb ground beef
• 1 t. pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 t minced garlic
• 1 T Italian seasoning
• 2 large eggs

Mix the above ingredients and form into 1 inch balls.  Add the meatballs to the cold sauce to simmer.  (This method may require skimming fat from the top of the sauce as the meatballs cook.)

Alternatively, bake the meatballs at 350 for about 20 minutes to render some of the fat from the meat.  Then add the hot meatballs to the simmering sauce.

The Coffeecake that isn't

Exhibit A in The Coffeecake argument - the recipe titled Danish Pastry Wreath.  Case closed.  The Coffeecake is definitely not a coffeecake. 

Despite the name conundrum, my mom tore the recipe from McCall's magazine in 1974 and made it yearly until her death in 2000.  She would choose a December weekend for the recipe ritual - the tell tale sign of which was the yard stick laying across the counter top.  She used it to measure the dough while she rolled and folded the buttery layers into the famous Christmas morning concoction.  The Coffeecake is a braided pastry with flaky layers of sweet dough and almond filling and butter - lots and lots of butter.   If asked why she changed the name all those years ago I suspect she would shrug her shoulders and crack sheepish a smile having no idea herself.   What I do know is that this confection become known not just as a coffeecake but The Coffeecake and the official first breakfast of Christmas morning.

One thing to note about my mom's recipe box is that the most famous family recipes often contain brand name products.  Some examples include:

• The Coffeecake (Zweiback Toasts)
• Hungry Jack Casserole (Campbell's Pork n Beans, Hungry Jack biscuits)
• Cherry Jello Salad (Coke, Jello)
• BBQ Hot Dogs (Kraft BBQ sauce)
• Roadside Potatoes - (Ore Ida Hash Browns)

While my own grocery list avoids brand name products in favor of homemade alternatives, seeing these recipes and tasting their flavors brings me back to her kitchen and our table (and my grandmother's and great grandmother's and Auntie Lowell's).  They are some of the best and most vivid memories I have of growing up.  Hopefully my boys will look back fondly at memories of my kitchen and our table - which happens to be the one my mom set her meals on too.  

Being a grown up now I make slight modifications to The Coffeecake recipe.  I never felt like she added enough of the sugary glaze.  Let me tell you - I add plenty now!  Zweiback Toasts are not easily found so I substitute with Melba Toast.  I'm sure you could use plain bread crumbs among other things but it feels sacrilegious not to use one brand name product for another.  I also substitute whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour in lieu of all purpose. 

As kids The Coffeecake made Christmas rounds with us and was shared with relatives along the way.  The volume of people it fed dictated the serving size - I always recall it being a sliver as so many enjoyed it during our travels. 

On this Christmas (and everyone since she died) I break out my yard stick and spend a weekend making The Coffeecake.  On Christmas morning we cut everyone a big, warm piece and have a toast to Naunie.

The original recipe

The dough after resting for 30 minutes.

The dough with butter layer rolled in.

Before

After
Yes, that is the butter soaking through the brown paper bag.
Frosting will be poured on once it's cooled.

Christmas 2011: Homemade and made in the USA - with a Wii

Inspired by the World News series of Made in America, I set out to make our holiday as made in America as possible.  What I quickly realized was that it is very much possible but requires a lot more time and effort.  And forget running out to Target or Walmart as made in the USA does not live on their shelves.

A good amount of shopping for the boys came from www.fatbraintoys.com.  The site allows you to search by gender, age and even country of origin which was a huge help. 

In addition to the bought toys I found a great blog tutorial on making a super hero cape out of a large men's t-shirt.  It looked pretty easy so I gave it a try!  I made a couple of modifications including using heat n' bond to adhere a second layer of fabric to help it stand up more.  I also found super hero t-shirts which allowed me to use the emblem from the front of the shirt as a decal on the back of the cape.  Score!

Wyatt's is Batman and Patrick's is Superman.

A close up of the Velcro closure neck.

Another blogger idea was homemade play doh.  I saved peanut butter jars for the last couple of months and made red, green and "white" play doh.  I embellished a bit by scenting it with peppermint essential oil and dressed up the uncolored doh by folding in glitter after it had cooled.  Add a couple of cookie cutters and voila!  Instant Christmas gift that the boys will love.  Here is a picture and the recipe:

Homemade Play Doh

2 T oil

Food coloring
1 Cup Flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
Essential oil (optional)

Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Cook over low heat until mixture is firm, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set clay mixture on wax paper to cool.
Store in an airtight container.

A couple of surprises - pleasant and otherwise:

• PEZ is made in Connecticut.
• Hershey's giant solid kiss is made in MEXICO.  Hershey, PA?  Anyone?
• Shrinky Dinks are made in the USA and purchased at a Concord, NH small business toy store. 
• Piece Time Puzzles in Nottingham, NH makes their puzzles and will also make a custom photo puzzle with a little notice.  We uploaded a picture from our Cape vacation. 
• Wilson brags about their football line being made in OHIO.  From my research it appears that only the official NFL football is made in Ohio.  The Wilson football line in Walmart were all stamped as made in China.  (I've emailed the company directly as their website indicates that their products are all made in the USA.  I beg to differ.)
• Etsy.com is a wonderful resource!  The boys' 2011 Christmas ornaments are handmade by a woman in Oregon.
• Crayola paint is made in the USA.

And yes, the Wii is NOT made in the USA.  But that's OK... just about everything else I found is.  :-)