This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
(This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. I also received a copy of this cookbook for review and was under no obligation to publish a positive review. The thoughts below are my true opinion.)
Cooking with Coconut Oil by Elizabeth Nyland is an exciting new cookbook that I was able to review before it hit the newsstands on January 6th. I was very interested in this cookbook because we use so much coconut oil around our house. (I just ordered a 5 gallon pail of it if that tells you anything.)
The subtitle is Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Recipes for Good Living. If you have any kinds of food issues at all you should be able to eat from this cookbook. I know my daughter on the GAPS diet can have most of these recipes. And my gluten free family members can have any of them. Nice to have a cookbook that I don’t have to modify.
The first recipe we tried were the coconut pancakes. I have another coconut pancake recipe I really like but it has starch in it and my GAPs daughter cannot have any of it. This recipe she could have with a tiny adjustment for the baking powder (I used soda instead and less of it). It was not hard to make and it tasted great. Plus it has flax and coconut flour and hemp seeds and nut butter it in so it is a high protein and very satisfying breakfast.
I intended to try the herbed crackers but with the busyness of the holidays I did not get to that. This recipe uses nutritional yeast and fresh herbs for a good flavor and I am pretty sure we will like it when I get to making it.
(Update: I have since made the crackers. They tasted really good but I found them to be very crumbly. I don’t know if that is just me. The next time I make them I will try and put a bit more liquid with the recipe and see if it comes out any better. But I did like them enough to try again on the crackers.)
There is a picture for every recipe which is something I really like in a cookbook. I find that it helps me want to try out the recipe if the picture looks appealing. These pictures do the job on that level.
The recipes are easy to follow and use ingredients that I have on hand although that would not be true for everyone, We do have some more unusual ingredients in our house like almond flour and coconut flour and flax seeds and hemp hearts. But if you are already grain free you will probably have many of the same things around. And if you are considering going grain free, then you will need those ingredients anyway.
My only frustration with the book has to do with the binding. It is a very tight binding that does not flex so it makes it hard to set the book out and cook out of it. I do have a book stand and pretty much could work it in that but still I like the flexible binding better that allows the book to open more easily.
if you would like to try a recipe from the book this is a tasty one that is also fairly simple to make.
- Apple Compote
- 1 small sweet onion, or 1/2 large onion, peeled and diced very finely
- 2 small tart apples (such as Pink Lady), peeled, cored, and diced very finely
- 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- Pork Chop
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste
- 4 thick-cut pastured pork chops (loin or rib end)
- 1. Make the compote: In a small saucepan, combine all compote ingredients and set over medium heat.
- 2. Cook, stirring occasionally, 35 to 45 minutes, or until a sauce-like consistency is reached and apples and onions are soft.
- 3. Meanwhile, make the pork chops: Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a heavy baking tray in the middle rack. In a heavy, cast-iron pan, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
- 4. Season the chops on all sides with salt and pep- per. Place in hot pan and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to oven and allow to cook for approximately 10 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chop reads 145°F.
- 5. Serve compote over pork chops.
Shared at Wellness Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Healing with Food Friday
[…] Cooking With Coconut Oil […]