5 Festive Food Hacks using Vita Coco Coconut Oil

You’ve heard of coconut water, right? What about coconut oil?

I was introduced to the stuff last year, when I went through a health kick and started drinking a thing called Bulletproof Coffee, which basically consists of organic coffee with grass-fed unsalted butter and coconut oil mixed in. Sounds awful I know, but it actually tastes kinda good when you blend it up into a frothy latte-like drink.

Anyway, I digress, coconut oil is a highly versatile organic, 100% raw ingredient that is a great alternative for other unhealthy oils and fats that you might use on a daily basis. Not only that, but it’s great for use in all sorts of beauty tricks from healing scars and removing make-up to moisturising your skin and lips. Click here for some beauty tips.

As Christmas is coming up, Vita Coco NI sent me some of their coconut oil to try, and along with it, some recipes for festive delights that use this healthier oil. In the Christmas spirit, I though I’d share these festive food hacks to try and help you stave off that post-holiday guilt.

1. Roast Potatoes

Swap the usual cooking oils when making your roast potatoes this Christmas. Roast your spuds using coconut oil, and add to the subtle flavour with salt, pepper and garlic gloves for a slight twist on the traditional – and still enjoy lovely golden roasties! Because of the high smoke point on coconut oil, you can rest assured that your guests won’t be smoked out of the kitchen when the roasties go in.

2. Coconut Honey Glaze

Give your Christmas turkey a tropical twist by basting with Vita Coco Coconut Oil. Combine the oil with honey, dijon mustard, crushed rosemary, salt and pepper to create a unique and tasty glaze. Using this oil alternative will also give your gut a helping hand as it’s packed full of ‘skinny fats,’ MCTs, which are more likely to be burned as energy than stored.

3. Festive Chutney

For lazy lunches and post-Christmas dinners, turn your leftover spreads into nourishing dishes with the help of coconut oil. Bring your cold cuts and vegetables back to life by adding a simple, festive chutney on the side. Prepare fruit or veg and cut into small, even chunks. Cook down in a pan of Vita Coco Coconut Oil, sugar and vinegar until dissolved, stirring until it becomes a syrup consistency. Place in a clean, hot jar and seal. Ready for the festivities!

4. Christmas Cakes and Puddings

Switch up your Christmas cakes and puddings this year and exchange butter for coconut oil to create a lighter bake. In a typical recipe using 4 eggs, 150g of Vita Coco Coconut Oil should do the trick. Plus, the oil performs dual purpose and can be used to grease your bases and trays before they go into the oven.

5. Salad Dressing

For Boxing Day lunch, keep it pure and simple with a drizzle of Vita Coco Coconut Oil on your side salad or create a fresh dressing by adding a dash of white wine vinegar and lemon for a sharp yet sweet kick to your sensible salad.

Vita Coco Coconut Oil is available at Amazon, Tesco, Boots and Dunnes Stores across Northern Ireland and is available in 250ml (RRP £5.99), and 500ml (RRP £9.99) glass jars and a 750ml (RRP £14.50) PET jar. And, if like me you do ALL of your festive shopping online, you can also buy it on Amazon!