Coconut oil use in appalachia on the rise

I’ve mentioned Chatter’s interest in natural remedies to you more than a few times-even going so far as to call her my little granny woman. Chatter’s desire to take care of our medical and personal hygiene needs in a healthier manner has led her to take a look at our diet as well.

Seems like everywhere you go someone is talking about the benefits of coconut oil. I’ve been using coconut oil to take my make up off for years-Miss Cindy taught me that trick.

Back before Christmas a lady in a home health store in Hiwassee GA told Chatter and me about a new study that showed coconut oil improved memory. One of Pap’s doctors at the VA suggested he put a teaspoon of coconut in his morning coffee for a variety of reasons. She said she couldn’t order him to use coconut oil from a medical standpoint, but personally she thought it was a miracle cure for lots of things.

Chatter jumped on the coconut bandwagon with both feet months ago. She uses it in the soap, lotion, and deodorant she makes for us. She also uses it in some of her medicinal items-like a pain bar she made (think Bengay). Of course you can cook with coconut oil too, just as you do other oils.

When I came back from staying with Pap in the hospital I noticed Chatter had made some sort of food and stored it in the frig. It didn’t look very appetizing.

I held the glass container up in the air and said “What’s this?” Chatter said “Oh that’s my coconut crack.”

As you might imagine I said “What??”

Chatter went on to explain she had found the recipe on this website while hunting for a healthier sweet to eat. She said it was delicious and wouldn’t hush until I tried a piece.

After tasting the bar I said “Well I can sure see why its called crack I could eat the whole bowl!” Chatter said “See I told you so.”

Coconut crack recipe from the chocolate covered katie blog

Chatter’s Coconut Crack (Original recipe from the Chocolate Covered Katie Blog)

  • 3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup agave or pure maple syrup (we used agave)
  • 6 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Coconut oil is good for you

Throw everything into a food processor and mix until combined.

Pour coconut mixture out into a small pan or dish and set in refrigerator until firm.

The original recipe, on the Chocolate Covered Katie Blog, only makes a very small amount-which is a good thing until you see if you like the recipe. Chatter and I quickly began tripling the recipe because we really love it.

Coconut crack bars adapted from chocolate covered katie

If you love coconut and you love sweets this is the recipe for you. The bars are so so good that I can’t believe they’re good for you. But as long as Chatter says they’re good for me and she keeps making them I’ll keep eating them.

Jump over to the Chocolate Covered Katie Blog if you want to print out her recipe-and remember it’s easily doubled…or tripled.

Tipper

 

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20 Comments

  1. RB-thank you for the great comments! To be honest with you I don’t think Paps adding the coconut oil to his coffee. But he is using it on his arms where the skin is so fragile and it seems to be helping with that : )

  2. Kind of reminds me of what’s in the middle of a Mounds or Almond Joy bar.
    Is the coconut oil in Pap’s coffee helping him?
    God bless.
    RB
    <><

  3. Oh I will make this recipe. I have been using coconut oil after learning all the good things about it. Been just taking a tablespoon full, but will stir it in my coffee!

  4. In answer to Miss Cindy’s question about the arrowroot flour and almond flour. My granddaughter strongly encouraged me to change from my typical Appalachian cooking after I had to keep adding prescription meds to control dx such as Diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides, and GERD. Also, there was a tendency to put on pounds in the winter.
    Not an advocate of fad diets, I was not willing to give up my traditional Appalachian cooking, so we agreed on my trying of the Paleo diet. There is much substitution (for health’s sake) in this diet. Arrowroot (gluten free substitute for flour and cornstarch) can be used to thicken soups, and I use to thicken my country steak and gravy. The almond flour does not seem to thicken as well, but I use it for flour substitute when making fried green tomatoes, salmon cakes, or coating chicken strips to sear in spray olive oil.
    All these substitutions have resulted in getting rid of meds, loss of weight, and lab results normal or even below normal. Yet it still permits enjoyment of most Appalachian dishes.

  5. These look amazing! I went to the Chocolate Covered Katie blog and then her Pinterest page. I pinned LOTS!!! I started Weight Watchers a week ago and have lost 4 pounds. I can use these recipes on Weight Watchers. Thanks!
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

  6. Tipper,
    Chatter really got you when she said “that’s just my coconut crack!” Both your girls know what’s healthy. I’m like Don, I don’t know much about coconut, but I do like Almond Joy bars and my dog Whisky waits patiently for the almonds…Ken

  7. Seems like Chatter may have found one of her life interests. We change over time but a few things remain consistent. She may need her own still to distill natural extracts. I’ve wanted to try that for years but have never taken the plunge.
    I’ll pass on your post and see if my wife wants to try these. I think she has a large container of coconut oil. Our daughter is like Chatter in that she likes the healthy, fresh and organic foods. I think I sort of caused it in some measure by having a garden all of her growing up years. Then she spent some time where unprocessed foods were bought every day or too in a local market. And maybe going to farm markets was part of it.
    On another note, do you all have the little white-flowering cress blooming yet ? It tastes like watercress, kind of peppery. It will disappear before summer. It is good in salads. It is small, a big clump is about 4 inches in diameter.

  8. You have just satiated my taste buds. I love coconut and plan to try this real soon. I need to go to the store to get the coconut. Reminds me of a Mounds bar without the chocolate. Thanks, Chatter!

  9. I too have a great interest in natural healing, so much so that I have taken herbal studies. I love the coconut ‘crack’ revipe. I think I have everything to make it with on hand.

  10. I too have a great interest in natural healing, so much so that I have taken herbal studies. I love the coconut ‘crack’ revipe. I think I have everything to make it with on hand.

  11. I too have a great interest in natural healing, so much so that I have taken herbal studies. I love the coconut ‘crack’ revipe. I think I have everything to make it with on hand.

  12. I too have a great interest in natural healing, so much so that I have taken herbal studies. I love the coconut ‘crack’ revipe. I think I have everything to make it with on hand.

  13. I’ve always liked coconut in anything sweet, especially including Beulah Sudderth’s black walnut cake. What would I give for a slice of her cake – not to mention the smile on her face.
    http://www.diagsol.com/Pictures/Beulah1.jpg
    I can’t speak to the health benefits of coconut, but I can say without equivocation that the smile on the face of Miss Chatter, like the smile on the face of Beulah, are good for any soul blessed to look upon them.

  14. I’m curious, PinnacleCreek, what do you do with the arrowroot and almond flour? For Christmas I was given a spice/flavoring package to use cooking chicken. I knew all the spices but it also had almond flour and I wondered if it had thickening properties.
    I do some substituting also, for health reasons.
    Those coconut bars sound wonderful. I’d like to try them sometime.

  15. Yay for Chatter. I have to fess up. Due to health concerns I have had to steer away from the traditional Appalachian cuisine. Coconut and olive oil along with arrowroot and almond flour are used as substitutes in many dishes. Regular lab work has greatly improved, and overall more energy. This was not easy, especially when county food is so good.
    This sounds like a great recipe to keep one out of the Little Debbie’s.

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