Chocolate 'bark' with coconut oil (Kevin posted several variations on this thread)

[Tecnokitty]

LOL, Oh, I see, embed the crackers and THEN do your second pour! If your crackers are too big you could always cut them down. I haven;t used the type of crackers you are talking about but I have put all SORTS of things in my bark! mmmm, DROOL! TOM is in town so bark sounds really darn good right now! Can you send some over? I've no time to make any right now

[PinkLady57]

What's the difference? I bought some at the local grocery store. It's just plain CO.

Can someone convince me that something that is so high in saturated fat is still healthy? Or am I just being paranoid?

[Cats for Texas]

I decided t experiment and try for milk chocolate Almond Joys.

1 Jar (less 4 Tbs) Coconut Oil, melted
1/2 Cup coco powder
2 Tbs butter
About 2 cups slivered, roasted, sea-salted almonds

The above stirred into the Coconut mixture:

8 oz. medium coconut
1 cup cream
1/2 tsp Sweetfree

I let the coconut mixture sit in the fridge for about 2 hours to try to get it more like sweetened coconut. However, I must have used too much cream because not all absorbed. So, trying to figure out how to make it less watery, I added 2 egg yokes, stirred and put in microwave for 9 min. at 50% power; stirring every few minutes. This came out a bit like pudding, but I decided what the heck and added the chocolate mixture to it.

The mixture went into silicone muffin cups and into fridge overnight.

The result? a little soft but very tasty. IF ANYONE knows how to make the coconut mixture more like the sticky coconut in an almond joy.... I'm listening!

[mac24312]

Subbing to try adding coconut Oil to my diet so maybe I will start losing again!

HUGS and Happy Easter!
Christina

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Tecnokitty

LOL, Oh, I see, embed the crackers and THEN do your second pour! If your crackers are too big you could always cut them down. I haven;t used the type of crackers you are talking about but I have put all SORTS of things in my bark! mmmm, DROOL! TOM is in town so bark sounds really darn good right now! Can you send some over? I've no time to make any right now

I'd send you my whole batch of nutty cocoa bark, I'm banned from eating any chocolate for the next few days

Originally Posted by PinkLady57

What's the difference? I bought some at the local grocery store. It's just plain CO.

Can someone convince me that something that is so high in saturated fat is still healthy? Or am I just being paranoid?

I don't know, here is some details:
~MCTs do not require bile salts for digestion, Good if you have your gall bladder out;

~MCT contains caproic , caprylic , capric and lauric acid, lauric acid releases enzymes in the intestinal tract which activate the thyroid. This could account for the metabolism-raising properties of coconut oil.

~[COLOR="Magenta"]A study in the 2004 edition of Clinical Biochemistry found that coconut oil, especially virgin coconut oil, lowered cholesterol, in particular LDL cholesterol, while raising HDL.[/COLOR]

~It is the most stable of all oils, slow to oxidize and thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content.

~Coconut oil is excellent as a skin moisturiser and softener. A study shows that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective and safe as mineral oil when used as a moisturiser, with absence of adverse reactions

All of this, mercilessly ripped from Wikipedia and other sources, but you get the idea. . . .

[Tecnokitty]

Metga,

Do you happen to have more info on this?

"MCTs do not require bile salts for digestion, Good if you have your gall bladder out"

and LOL, the only choc I am NOT banned from eating is BARK!

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Tecnokitty

Metga,

Do you happen to have more info on this?

"MCTs do not require bile salts for digestion, Good if you have your gall bladder out"

and LOL, the only choc I am NOT banned from eating is BARK!

Ha ha, I've declared a veto on the ban Mwa Ha Ha Actually I've just been instructed to increase my C.O. consumption, tee hee! Sorry!

This is from Sport Nutrition for Health By Melinda Manore & Janice Thompson. . .(pardon my poor typing)

“

Because LCT’s slow gastric emptying, they stay in the gastrointestinal tract long and enter the blood more slowly than other sources of energy typically used during exercise. Not also, that since they are insoluble in water, LCFA’s must enter the general cirulation via chylomicrons – a much slower process than carbohydrate digestion. Carbohydrate is much more readily digested and available for energy during exercise than LCTs. Chylomicrons are not major contributors of energy to the body during exercise but are thought to contribute to replenishment of muscle intramuscular fat after exercise is over (jeukendrup and Saris 1996)”

stuff, stuff, more stuff, advice, yadda yadda . . Oh, here we go . . .

“Medium Chain Triglycerides

Since fat digestion is generally slower than that of carbohydrates, fat stays in the gastrointestinal tract longer before It enters circulation-thus decreasing the immediate availability of exogenous fat as an energy source during exercise. Medium-chain Triglycerols (MCTs) are an exception to this rule since they are digested differently from typical dietary fats. MCTs comprise three medium-chain fatty acids(MCFAs) and glycerol backbone; however, because MCFAs are only 6-12 carbons long, their smaller size alters the way they are digested, transported, and utilized for energy within the body (linscheer and Vergroesen 1994). MCTs rapidly exit the stomach into the small intestine. They are digested into MCFAs, which are absorbed across the mucucosal membrane almost as rapidly as glucose. Compared with LCFAs, MCFAs are more soluble in water, require less pancreatic lipase and bile salts for digestion, and diffuse rapidly throughout the unstirred water layer of the gut. Once inside the gut mucosal cells, they do not require re-sysnthesis into triglyerols and incorporation into chylmicrons for transport into the blood, as LCFAs do. MCFAs enter the portal vein bound to albumin and are transported to the liver as rapidly as glucose. They enter systemic circulation and are available for metabolism 250 times more quickly than LCFAs( linscheer and Vergroesen 1994).
MCFAs are not stored in adipose tissue but are oxidized rapidly for energy by the cells, especially in the liver. Within muscle cells MCFAs are not dependent on carnitine for transport into the mitochondria. Finally, MCFAs are metabolized within the muscle about as rapidly as glucose, and preferentially over LCFAs.

There is more about experiments comparing MCTs and CHO energy use, most of it saying it is not worth it to use MCT's even if glycogen is low, but I don't think any of the experiments were done on ketogenic metabolism, or at least from what I read it doesn't seem that way. TADA-!

[Tecnokitty]

Thanks Metga! I've had my gall bladder out and had never heard eating CO was good if you had so I was very curious to know what added health benefits I have been getting from eating my bark!

[lisabinil]

Coconut Oil

[Tecnokitty]

Thank you very much Lisa.

[metqa]

Thanks Lisa, That's a great article.

[mamalaurie]

Hello Everyone
I'm curious here. And these questions are for everyone

Since you began taking VCO for weight loss, how many lbs can you attribute to the addition of VCO ?

In what period of time ?
Did everyone take 6TB per day ?
Does this dosage work best for lbs lost ?
Did you take the total dosage in one shot or spread out throughout the day?

Someone here lost 6lbs in 1 wk using VCO (sorry I don't recall the name). Was this a one time loss ....or did the VCO continue to help you lose larger amounts of weight ?

I'm very curious because I just bought a bunch of it .... dang that's expensive stuff, If it really works ...great.
But if not so great for loss, I can't really afford to purchase it (I'll make the effort IF its worth it though)

Is there something you might judge as being better for lbs lost ?

Thank You

[Tecnokitty]

Hi Laurie,

As for me, CO does not help me lose weight at all. It is good for me and I love bark so that's good I def never get 6 tbs in a day is for sure. Maybe 2 Tbs per day.

[mamalaurie]

Originally Posted by Tecnokitty

Hi Laurie,

As for me, CO does not help me lose weight at all. It is good for me and I love bark so that's good I def never get 6 tbs in a day is for sure. Maybe 2 Tbs per day.

Hi kitty
Firstly Thank you for such a quick response.
Have you found any health benefits from VCO ?

[Tecnokitty]

There is an article a couple posts up that gives some info on benefits. Including some I was unaware of. I not only eat CO but use it on my skin and in my hair too. For me, I already get alot of healthy fats in my diet so I probably do not see asmany benefits as folks who are not getting enough healthy oils and then add in CO do. My BFF and her sister started amking bark and they both do not get enough healthy oils. So they started to lose faster and felt healthier in general after adding bark to their diets. Hope that helps!

[mamalaurie]

Yes kitty that does help
I used VCO a couple of yrs ago & since on my skin. Fantastic for skin.
I might try the bark, if I have enough ingredients
Thanks

[Tweaker Geek]

For those of you who get CO in by putting in your coffee or tea -- do you use just the CO in black coffee/tea or do you add sweeteners and/or half and half or cream? I tried it once in black coffee and just made it taste greasy to me.

[metqa]

I just recently tried CO in hot apple cider, but it floated on the top. I have a battery powered drink mixer and I just spun it and mixed it till the oil and water got cloudy together and drank it. In between sips, I'd whip it up again, and keep sipping till gone. I don't know how I'd manage it without whipping the heck outta it. It seems like it'd be easier with a thick drink like cocoa or something more emulsified like egg nog.

[amsohm]

I just bought some coconut oil because I have been reading soo many great things about it. I really want to try making some plain chocolate bark. Can I just use splenda? I have the powder and the liquid. I don't have any other sweetners on hand right now.
Sorry if this is asked somewhere else, I didnt read all 12 pages, i got about half way through.
If i can't use splenda can someone reccommend what would be best. What stevia is used? I was going to buy some yesterday but there are soo many types I got confused, I've never bought it before because I love splenda and never had to switch.
Thanks for the help guys!

[amsohm]

Nvm. went through the pages and found someone who used splenda Ive got some setting in the freezer now. Thanks

[LucilleMcgill]

I just made a batch of bark using chocolate raspberry flavored stevia. It is really good.

[sweetpoison]

Just marking....so I dont lose this recipe....

[dixichic]

Ok, so I know that somewhere on this thread the idea/recipe must have been posted but I have not found it yet.

Here is my Peanut butter fudge......Coconut oil style

1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar)
1/3 cup of sugar replacement of your choice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt CO and peanut butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in sugar sub and vanilla.
Pour into baking dish lined with foil/wax paper/plastic wrap, whatever you have.
Freeze until solid and then score into serving sizes of your choice.
I got 34 servings at 2 inches per serving. Broke it up, put in plastic container in freezer!
YUMMO!!

If my calculations are right it comes to 71 cals per serving, .5 carbs.
It's smooth as silk in your mouth!

[dazygyrl]

Originally Posted by dixichic

Ok, so I know that somewhere on this thread the idea/recipe must have been posted but I have not found it yet.

Here is my Peanut butter fudge......Coconut oil style

1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar)
1/3 cup of sugar replacement of your choice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt CO and peanut butter in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in sugar sub and vanilla.
Pour into baking dish lined with foil/wax paper/plastic wrap, whatever you have.
Freeze until solid and then score into serving sizes of your choice.
I got 34 servings at 2 inches per serving. Broke it up, put in plastic container in freezer!
YUMMO!!

If my calculations are right it comes to 71 cals per serving, .5 carbs.
It's smooth as silk in your mouth!

hey, edna! i made a similar version of PB fudge yesterday...stick a little cream cheese in that stuff and you'll be in heaven!!

[dazygyrl]

is there a trick to getting splenda to dissolve in CO and cocoa powder? i won't get my other sweeteners till next week from nutrition.

[dixichic]

Hi carrie,
I am trying to keep the carb count way down for co fudge so I am not going to add cream cheese right now. It sure sounds good but I am trying to keep my carbs around 20-25 for now.
I never have problems disolving my sweetner.....I use davinic's!

[dazygyrl]

i am getting some divinci's today!! does it stay incorporated in the CO?

i understand on the CC...i actually only used 1/2 oz...plenty to give the cream cheese flavor. what is made was 2T CO, 1/2oz CC, 1 T PB, 2 pkts splenda. the CC i use only has like 1 carb/2T

[metqa]

I'm getting REALLY PISSED OFF about this Xylitol! . . .

I was heating my coconut oil in the microwave and I put the xylitol in with it, figure the heat would make it melt and dissolve better. The Xylitol hadn't dissolved after a minute so I let it go for the final 30 seconds . . . and my glass measuring cup just split in TWO!

DAM**D XYLITOL WON'T DISSOLVE INTO ANYTHING!!!!!!

I've never had any trouble with Splenda granular, or stevia dissolving into the oil, Now I've wasted 4 T of oil, Xylitol and my measuring cupis broken and there is oil all over my microwave oven, Crap! stupid Xylitol

Davinci syrups tend to collect on the top of the oil when you chill it and so the chocolate is unevenly sweet and bitter, but if it is blended with cream cheese or something else emulsified, then it should be all right.


Crap, What a waste!




Crap!

[Soobee]

I haven't cooked with xylitol, but I find that if I grind erythritol in my coffee grinder before I use it, it works much better.

[greannmhar]

I dissolve the xylitol in a little cream and vanilla extract first - works better than the coconut oil and once it's dissolved, everything mixes up fine.
Babs