At Home with Carol Vorderman 2013 - (Page 99)

| COOKERY| Focus on: OLIVE, SUNFLOWER, SESAME… THERE ARE DOZENS OF OILS FOR YOU TO COOK AND BAKE WITH, BUT HERE’S ONE OF THE NEWEST AND TASTIEST T hink coconuts and what comes to mind? Palm trees swaying in a gentle breeze on a tropical beach, smashing the shell open to reveal the pristine white ﬂesh, even playing at a coconut shy at a funfair? But your ﬁrst thought is unlikely to be that of coconut oil. However, it’s a versatile, healthy and delicious oil for cooking with… WORDS: Garry Stiven, Jo Willacy|PHOTOGRAPH: Shutterstock TRADITIONAL Coconut oil is used in cooking in the coastal areas of Asia, Africa and the Caribbean because of the abundance of coconuts and the centuries of knowledge about their many health beneﬁts. The recent discovery in the West of these has resulted in a rapid growth in popularity throughout the UK, US and Europe. The oil comes in two major forms, one not so good and one extremely good for your health. Coconut oil extracted for copra, the dried ‘meat’ of the coconut, is processed in large industrial batches, has to be reﬁned, bleached and deodorised for human consumption. It is often hydrogenated, coconut oil therefore unhealthy. On the other hand, Virgin Coconut Oil is extracted from the inside by cold pressing within hours of picking and is very good for you. As well as being a wonderful cooking oil, it can also be used topically for the hair and the skin. ‘You should never put anything on your body that you wouldn’t put inside it,’ says Garry Stiven, founder of Coconoil (www.coconoil.co.uk). Virgin Coconut Oil is a saturated fat but it is one of the good saturated COCONUTOIL RECIPE IDEAS Use your flavoursome new oil in everyday cookery or for special occasions, from starters to sweets ● Coconut lime prawns Coat raw prawns first in flour, then beaten egg, then a mix of desiccated coconut and seasoned breadcrumbs. Deep-fry in coconut oil. Serve with lime wedges and chutney. ● Blackcurrant coconut smoothie: Blend ½ banana, 3tbsp blackcurrants, ¼ pint coconut milk, 2tbsp plain yogurt and 1tbsp coconut oil in a blender. Whizz; serve. ● Chicken curry Fry garlic, chopped onion and 1tbsp sultanas in 3tbsp coconut oil. Season and add .5kg chopped chicken breast. After 5 minutes, stir in 2tbsp flour, 1tbsp curry powder and 1pint water. Cook for 20 minutes. Serve. fats known as medium chain fatty acids or medium chain triglycerides. For a balanced, healthy diet, everyone needs saturated fats. Virgin Coconut Oil contains no cholesterol and is also very heart healthy as it does not oxidise. ‘It is now being realised that very low fat diets containing no saturated fats are one of the major causes of many of the current “lifestyle” diseases including diabetes, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s,’ says Garry. A TASTE FOR IT When cooking with Virgin Coconut Oil you can add use as little or as much as desired. Used sparingly, this natural oil lifts the ﬂavour of the food without tasting of coconut. ‘Taking Virgin Coconut Oil on a daily basis is an easy step towards a healthier future for all.’ 5 TOP WAYS TO COOK WITH COCONUT OIL 1 Sautéing vegetables and fruit 2 Pan-searing fish 3 Substitute for oil and butter in baking 4 Deep frying chips 5 Coconut rice ■ www.athomemagazine.co.uk JUNE 2013 | 099 http://www.coconoil.co.uk http://www.athomemagazine.co.uk

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of At Home with Carol Vorderman 2013

Editor's letter
Carol's hello
News
Summer days
Rear of the year
Shades of citrus
Maxi moment
Good for the sole
Razzle dazzle
Swing by the sixties
All shapes and sizes
Steal her look
The swimwear round
A moment with Carol
Beaming with pride
Loose women
Forever friends
What men want
The D word
Fear not
Keep your flirt on
Sex on fire
Culinary classics
Food glorious food
At a pinch
Oiling the meals
Flaming hot
Under the grill
Raise a glass
Water works
Weight-dropping wonders
Tuck in
Home improvements
Holiday hazards
Proceed with caution
Warning signs
Down to the bare bones
Back on track
A sorry sight
20 under £20
How do they do it?
Rewind time
Lacklustre locks?
Pearly brights
Good job hunting
Old timers
The golden years
Cash in a flash
Money guru
Foster the love
Child's play
Easy as 1, 2, 3?
Summertime accessories
Those in glass houses
On the tiles
Home safe home
Savvy traveller
Holiday honcho
Port of call
Here come the girls
It's a numbers game
Book it in
Up, up and away!
Last word

At Home with Carol Vorderman 2013