Hi folks! Here's my take on coconut, and coconut "manna".
This stuff comes in either a small jar or a larger bag. Either way, it will probably have melted and solidified many times, and the coconut oil will have separated from the dried coconut meat. If you buy a bag, it has to be split up and stirred and then put back away into smaller containers.
Before you eat it, you need to stir it, and in order for that to work, it has to be warm enough for the oil part to be liquid. It works sort of like almond butter. You stir a bit, and realize it is not mixing well, and so dig a spoon all the way down to the bottom and then the slippery stuff on top goes sailing right on the counter (or worse, your computer screen!) so you have to lick it up or get a dog to do that for you.
Here's what I do. First, get it warm, then stir the top portion carefully. The bottom will be dry, almost flaky. To get to it, put a dull knife straight down and cut across. Lift the knife up, move it, and cut again. It is just like making cheese, when you want to preserve the curd, only for the coconut, you just don't want to try lots of stirring from top to bottom at first or there will be a mess.
When all the dry chunks at the bottom are small, then take a strong spoon and mix the chunks with the more oily part at the top.
I waited until summer to stir up one container. I stir it every few days just to keep it mixed well. When I am away for a few days, I just stick it in the fridge so it doesn't separate out again.
I don't know how much of this stuff people eat. When I first got it, I was limited by how hard it is. Now in the summer, I can eat quite alot of it if I want to. But, really, I don't care that much for the texture and prefer grated or shredded real coconut. Real coconut is cheaper and waaaaaay easier to eat. I didn't care for it in coffee either, preferring either coconut milk or real heavy cream.
What I looooove about coconut manna is that it is one of the few products these days that comes in a wide-mouth glass jar. These are keepers! I use them for small batches of sauerkraut or pickles.
LOL moments -- so refreshing after some of the heavier stuff we read! :-) "... and then the slippery stuff on top goes sailing right on the counter (or worse, your computer screen!) so you have to lick it up or get a dog to do that for you." EXACTLY! when i spill on the kitchen counter, i quickly do a mental exercise -- dare i lick it, or might there be something under it i shouldn't ingest?
ReplyDeleteugh...this is such a mess I shall wait until I hit FLORIDA and let the sun have at it. Almond butter is easy compared to this block of *%@#. Funny you should mention dogs licking it up, some did hit the floor and yes the dog ran over and lapped it right up wanting more, I was so tempted LOL
ReplyDeleteI have much to learn about low-carb products, I am just starting again on a ketogenic diet after a hiatus of 20 years or so. I think I read someone mentioning this product, but now I am forewarned. I had someone buy me a jar of coconut butter, but was disappointed when I realized it does contain 4g of carbohydrate (total, not net) per tablespoon, unlike coconut oil, which is pure fat.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warning -- I don't own a dog! I would have to do all the licking myself! LOL
hi J! Good luck on your new plan.
ReplyDeleteYou are paying a LOT of money for that wide-mouthed jar! "Let's Do Organic" sells boxes of pure creamed coconut (exactly the same thing as coconut cream or coconut manna) for about $3 for 7 ounces!
ReplyDeleteThe coconut comes sealed in a plastic bag (not ideal, but for the price . . . )which I soften in warm water until I can knead in all the coconut oil, then cut the bag and pour the coconut cream into my own wide mouthed canning jar which costs about $0.75.
You can also make your own--just put dried coconut in your food processor. I have a 30 year underpowered old mini food processor, but it goes quickly with the addition of about 1 - 3 tsp of coconut oil. That's about $1.50 for 7 or 8 ounces.
I go through jags where I really want coconut butter, other times I'm not interested. I sometimes melt my 90% chocolate into a tablespoon of coconut butter--that's divine!
Hi JanK! Thanks for the tip. I know the bulk packaged stuff is much more economical. I bought a few jars because I wasn't sure if I would like it. Turns out it is not worth buying a whole bag. I would rather store and munch on real shredded coconut. Too bad I can't grow coconut in my yard, now that would be cool.
ReplyDelete3 Studies SHOW How Coconut Oil Kills Fat.
ReplyDeleteThe meaning of this is that you actually burn fat by consuming coconut fats (including coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil).
These 3 studies from big medicinal journals are sure to turn the traditional nutrition world upside down!