About a month ago I had a conversation with Susy over at Chiot’s Run regarding cooking spray, olive oil, and other additives that give flavor without burning…..no, wait. That was a different conversation. Susy and I talked about how I could make banana chips in the oven since we don’t yet have a food dehydrator and my first attempts were making the chips soggy and bland. She recommended I brush the parchment paper with coconut oil or just brush coconut oil directly on the chips before putting them in the oven.
We had never before used coconut oil although Crystal had often voiced her desire to try it. She had used it overseas before and had fond memories of the flavor. Well, despite Crystal’s desire and Susy’s recommendation we didn’t have coconut oil. I quickly asked where we could get some and was pointed in the direction of Tropical Traditions. After requesting a sample to try I began reading more into the health benefits of coconut oil and how it stacked up against other oils we had used or were currently using. I have to admit that even some light research I felt like coconut oil was this holy grail I had yet to discover; a real superfood, if you will! In just a short time I have become a convert to the ways of coconut oil and its ability to boost the immune system and ward off even the common cold.
Although we have not really gotten deep into our use of coconut oil yet (mostly because we just moved and we are still setting up “home”) we intend to use coconut oil as one of our main cooking fats, along with local pastured butter (we have a wonderful Mennonite store close to us) and organic olive oil. Coconut oil has a higher smoking point than olive oil and butter, so it’s very useful in high heat cooking. And while I haven’t yet used it for popcorn or any other frying I am still trying to perfect my fruit chips now using coconut oil! I must admit I haven’t tried any other brand of coconut oil and I don’t feel like I need to. Tropical Traditions came highly recommended and we are even looking forward to adding a few more of their products to our gourmet tiny house kitchen, including Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil, Coconut Cream, and Coconut Chips (for some delicious candy making!)
And beyond the kitchen coconut oil can be used as a skin lotion.
Since the FDA does not want me or anyone to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.
Coconut oil truly is a “tiny house” type of product being adaptable to so many uses. What other product can you use for hand cream, popcorn, shampoo and conditioner, cutting board seasoning, and cooking? Not to mention it’s non-toxic!
So all of that to offer all of this…….
Tropical Traditions is giving away one 32 oz jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to one lucky reader. Just comment below (based on the question in bold) and join their Sales Newsletter for your chance to win! Contest is 1-Day ONLY 1-WEEK ONLY so enter now! (winner will be chosen at random by random.org has been chosen!)
I also subscribed to their newsletter which posts great sales on what seems like a weekly basis. I encourage you to also follow them on Twitter and circle them on Google+!
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. I am not reviewing it. I don’t feel the need to. I love it that much and am anxious for Crystal to find even more ways for us to infuse Tropical Traditions into our home.
Do you currently use Coconut Oil in your kitchen or home? If so, what for? Do you have any favorite recipes to share?
Win 1 quart of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!
Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?
You can also watch the video they produced about Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil:
Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Meredith of Dare You To… She is our winner chosen at random and will receive the Coconut Oil prize from Tropical Traditions. Thank you ALL for entering the contest and please…stay informed. Stay healthy!
I’ve heard good things about coconut oil – count me in for the competition! 🙂
I LOVE coconut oil, the flavor, ability to cook with high heat, the health benefits. One of my favorite recipes is Natural Coconut Balls (or bars)
1c. shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/4c. maple syrup or honey
2 T. coconut oil
1/2 – 3/4 t. vanilla (who am I kidding, I use at least 3 times that much)
1/8t. salt
chocolate (chunks to mix in or melted to dip balls in)
Combine all ingredients (except chocolate if using) in food processor and blend til mixture sticks together. Add chocolate and blend til it is the size you want. Form balls or press into pan. Chill at least one hour (if you can stand to wait to eat it til then)
And I am assuming the kids LOVE this recipe. It sounds delicious and will be made in our home very soon! Thank you for sharing Jen.
Love coconut oil! I use it in personal care recipes and cooking – i.e. pancakes, chocolate, muffins etc.
We use coconut oil for everything! Scrambled eggs, skillet veggies, frying, tea, coffee, homemade fudge, in our hair, on our skin, medicinally, etc. YUM!
Yay for coconut oil as a tiny house necessity! My doctor asked me to switch to coconut oil in our cooking and we love it. I also use it in my homemade salt scrub for to keep my skin clear, soft and healthy.
Salt scrub = 2-3 T coconut oil (melted), 1/4 cup natural sugar, 1-1.25 cups of sea salt, essential oils as desired. Just mix it all together and put in a tub safe container.
LOVE the salt scrub too. I am going to try it as an alternative to Epsom Salt. Thank you Stone.
We use coconut oil as a carrier oil for essential oil blends, to reduce stretch marks during pregnancy, cooking/baking, hair care, lotion, you name it! I would love to try Tropical Traditions! i love that it comes in a glass jar to avoid BPA etc.!
I have been using the Tropical Traditions coconut oil for years and love it. I cook with it when I am in the States, but being in Afghanistan that isn’t possible now. However, I did tote a big bottle ( like the giveaway one) over here and use it daily when I wash my face and also for a deep conditioning treatment once a month on my hair. It really is an all-purpose product that has so many uses. I highly recommend it to anyone and this company has great customer service. When i go home I will cook with it again.. 🙂
Coconut oil is used around here for oil pulling, OCM for face wash and moisturizer, my daughter uses it for hair conditioner, its used in bases for lotion, recipes for toothpaste and deodorant…. as well as cooking with it. its an all purpose around here
I was just about to order some for the first time, then I saw your contest! I want to use it on my and my baby’s skin and for popping corn!
I have currently not tried coconut oil but its on my grocery list! my mother has used it for quite awhile and I have recently just read about all the different things you can use it for. I definitely need some for my home!
I use coconut oil, but I don’t quite have the budget to upgrade to TT’s Gold Label VCO yet. I would LOVE to try this. I use coconut oil to make lotion for my daughter’s eczema, diaper rash cream, cooking, frying, and many more things.
I use coconut oil for EVERYTHING. On my body, face, and in my hair- to make stir fry, in smoothies, for baking. I also use it to make toothpaste…roughly 3 tbsp coconut oil, 3 tbsp baking soda, 2 tbsp vegetable glycerin, ~30 drops of peppermint essential oil. (I go back and forth in between using that and regular toothpaste- like them both). In the near future, I plan to use it to massage my baby! I usually order the 52oz jars off of Vitacost for around $20. Yay coconut oil!
I love coconut oil and use it for cooking but my favorite way to use it is as a lotion. It has done wonders for my skin.
I have been slowly using coconut oil for more & more things in our house! From cooking to cleanser for my face! I can’t get enough!
I use coconut oil for oil pulling, I eat it and I give it to my dog… he loves it! I also use it in cooking, and on my skin.
I use coconut oil for lots of things: cooking, oil pulling, skin care. my favorite new recipe is the bulletproof coffee that’s going around: for my cup of coffee I put a spoonful of butter, a spoonful of coconut oil, some whole milk or cream, and some coconut sugar (usually about a teaspoon). I also add a dash of saigon cinnamon and a dash of salt, then blend it up. It’s frothy and super filling, and delicious, like the best. latte. ever. I just ordered some great lakes gelatin and plan to add that in as soon as I get it. 🙂
Would like to try coconut oil.
I use it as nipple butter and diaper rash cream!
I use it in place of shortening for pie crusts, and for a hand moisturizer
I love coconut oil when I can afford it. I use it in nearly all my cooking, for my skin and hair, and am trying to get used to oil pulling. I will be 50 this summer, and many of my friends comment on my skin and how come I am not aging? LOL coconut oil of course! I would love to win as I can’t always afford to buy it.
I’m still living with my parents, and they cook with mostly cheap vegetable and canola oils. I did buy a 32 oz jar of EVCO awhile back for using in lotions, etc. and last week I tried oil pulling.
I like using coconut oil in our cookies, we also use it in our homemade deodorant.
I use it as a wonderfully effective skin moisturizer.
My Dad’s doctor introduced coconut oil to us. He has early signs of Alzhiemers and coconut oil really helps him and his memory. I think we should all be using it. I would love to try this brand!
My dad’s doctor introduced coconut oil to us. My dad has early signs of Alzhiemers and coconut oil really helps him and his memory. I think we should all be using it. I would love to try this brand!
I haven’t tried coconut oil but would very much like to. Have been reading about all the good it can do for the body. So it would be a win/win to win a quart of it.
I have TT coconut oil in my pantry. I use it for a lot of things! My favorite use is for homemade granola.
I use coconut oil to make stovetop popcorn, soooo yummy! I subscribed to their newsletter. Thanks for the giveaway!
You are absolutely welcome Leah. Best of luck!
I’m signed up for their newsletter and following them on Twitter.
We use coconut oil for everything: cooking, baking, skin care, hair care and oral care.
I am already a Tropical Traditions newsletter subscriber. I use coconut oil as a replacement for butter. It’s great on toast, popcorn, and baked potatoes.
LOVE coconut oil
I’m subscribed to Tropical Traditions Newsletter. We use coconut oil for cooking, baking (we just substitute it for any marg/butter/oil in all recipes), we use it on our skin, hair and scalp! We also pop popcorn in a brown paper bag with salt and coconut oil in the microwave; delicious!
Thanks!
I suscribed to the newsletter – I do not use coconut oil but would love to try it!! thank so much -truckredford(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m subscribed to Tropical Traditions Newsletter. We currently use coconut oil for nearly all our cooking fat needs. I also use it on my hair and hands to keep them soft and silky. In addition, my husband and I consume 1T daily for its internal health benefits.
It tastes great in any muffin recipe! I subscribe to their newsletter.
I subscribe to their newsletter. I do use coconut oil for many things: cooking, in smoothies, making raw chocolate, making deodorant and other topical uses.
My family just started eating paleo so we’ve just discovered coconut oil in the kitchen, but I’m fascinated by all the other uses it seems to have! I subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter and am looking forward to learning more!
I have wanted to try coconut oil for a while now but just haven’t gotten around to buying any.
I use coconut oil for everything! Baking, frying, skin care, hair care. I haven’t tried the gold label yet, but I really want to! I hope I win!!
I love coconut oil and am discovering a new use for it every day. Would love to have such a high-quality oil like Tropical Traditions Gold Label!
I use coconut oil when I make scrambled eggs. We also use it when we make popcorn. Need to learn the other uses for it. I would love to win this as well!
I use coconut oil for my regular cooking and baking and for making granola and deodorant. I also add it to my oatmeal. I receive their newsletter.
slrdowney at hotmail dot com
I use a lot of coconut oil in my home. Baking, frying, smoothies, oil pulling, skin care.
I’ve never used coconut oil before but I heard so much about its benefits. Would love to experience it for myself…subscribed at tariqsaleemrana at yahoo dot com. Thanks for the generous giveaway!
I am a coconut oil fiend! I am convinced it is from the heavens lol however I am on disability and often can’t afford this fancy stuff! fingers crossed!
I’m starting to get more into coconut oil – using it to cook and as eyemakeup remover. I’m subscribed to their newsletter as fiorella128 at gmail dot com
I use a hair oil in my ends in which the main ingredient is coconut oil, but I have never tried it myself. I have been hearing so many recipes lately for cooking, bath & body, diapering, etc. that use coconut oil that I’m super-curious now. Thanks for the great giveaway, and also I’m a subscriber to the TT newsletter to the below email. hstorm799{at}gmail{dot}com
love to win this Rod Jackson
mrsrodjac at hotmail dot com
I love to use coconut oil! I use it in all of my baking. My very favorite recipe is chocolate chip pancakes: http://www.annemariecain.com/chocolate-chip-pancakes/
No I currently don’t use but my sister does thansk
aunteegem@yahoo.com
Our family loves Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil and we use it everyday! Great for frying, cooking, skin moisturizing! I love eggs fried in coconut oil! And fish and chicken are delicious fried in C.O. I make coconut flour pancakes and fry them in coconut oil. I make yummy chocolately treats by mixing cocoa powder and/or baking chocolate with coconut oil and stirring in other ingredients such as shredded coconut, cinnamon, butter, almond butter,, etc
I subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter via email. I follow TT on twitter, facebook, google+, pinterest.
Thank you for hosting the giveaway!
I’ve been reading a lot lately about how coconut oil may help improve my health. I have yet to buy any – I’m on disability and much of my income goes to medical expenses. I’ve switched to coconut milk from cows milk and my chronic congestion has lessened greatly.
I don’t currently use it. I’ve never liked the flavor of coconut and I can absolutely taste it when I cook with it. I wish I liked the flavor. I use it in salves, oils, etc., though.
I have not yet tried coconut oil, but I want to try baking with it. I have a dairy-free friend, and I’d like to share my baked goods with her. (I subscribe to Tropical Traditions: anne at hakkinen dot com.)
Love Tropical Traditions coconut butter but have never tried the coconut oil. Thanks for the giveaway!
I don’t currently use coconut oil, but I’ve heard so much about it lately that I’d really like to try it for cooking as well as for diaper rash for my little one!
I don’t currently use coconut oil.
I Subscribe to TT sales newsletter and use coconut oil when making stir fry.
I subscribe to TT newsletter, I haven’t used it before, but after reading all the reviews I can’t wait.