Coconut - it seems to be a polarizing ingredient - you love it or you hate it. Luckily both Chris and I are coo-coo for coconut and I will add a sprinkling of shredded coconut to just about anything and consider it the better for it. One of our favourite cookies are a coconut, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie that are so delicious that Chris and I could easily eat an entire batch in one sitting. A few month ago I went to make a batch of cookies and we didn't have any coconut. We also didn't have any butter. Not a problem, I made good old fashioned regular chocolate chip cookies, but substituted melted coconut oil for the butter! Let me tell you, it is amazing! I haven't made this recipe with butter since. The cookie dough, made with coconut oil, is potentially the best cookie dough you've ever tasted. Oddly enough, it doesn't really taste like coconut, though maybe if you were sensitive to the flavour you would disagree, it just adds a little somethin' somethin'.
And just because I am going on and on about coconut oil today - did you know that it is a terrific moisturizer? I have a few jars of virgin organic coconut oil on the go: 1 for cooking and 1 for moisturizing. I started using it on my hair one particularly dry winter. Then when I was pregnant I started using it on my ever expanding belly. Now I use it on my face and also on Rowan's precious little bum! I had heard that it was good for baby's sensitive skin if ever a hint of diaper rash starts showing. We've been lucky, and Rowan has never had diaper rash, but if those cheeks start looking a little too pink we grease him up and by morning he's perfectly porcelain again.
The only trick to using coconut oil on your hair or skin is to remember that a little goes a long way! Just rub the tiniest bit between the palms of your hands and run them through the ends of your hair (I would avoid the crown) and over your skin. It doesn't really leave much of a scent, you might smell sweet for a little while but won't be walking around all day like you've sprayed yourself in Hawaiian Tropics.
We are positively coconutty and proud of it!