My Favorite Links from this Week #1

I didn't have time to write a blog post this week, so I decided to post my favorite articles from other blogs. This is very random, but I will try to post the links in some sort of order. 

My new FAVORITE website is HealthImpactNews.com. Needless to say, I'm linking to several of their articles. Here they are: 

1.  Enjoy Saturated Fats, They're Good for You!

2.  Cholesterol is Crucial for Healthy Cell Functioning

3.  Is it Safe to Eat Bacon? (Hint: It depends on how it's raised.)

4.  Studies Find Flu Shots Can Harm Your Heart, Infant and Fetus   

5.  Elderberries  (A natural flu-fighting remedy!)

I hope you find these links helpful and informative. Thanks for reading! 

Green Tea and Coconut Oil: A simple remedy for energy, weight loss, glowing skin, & preventing cancer.

Jasmine Green Tea and Organic Coconut Oil

I’ve been re-inspired to blog about the benefits of coconut oil. While I was babysitting the other day, I grabbed my coconut oil book and started reading. My original plan was to skim the book to refresh my memory. As the kids played outside, I ended up filling several papers with notes. Unfortunately, I only got through the first 2 chapters. I hardly scratched the surface.

I’ve realized that I’m going to need to be more selective with my note taking. In order to produce a decent blog post, I only need to highlight the most important things…. But there is just so much information!! It’s all important. --You see, I’m not a good blogger. I start writing books instead of articles. When I realize I don’t have enough time to complete my book-articles, I become overwhelmed. My notes are then saved in my large collection of drafts –never to be seen by the blog world.

However, I’m learning that I don’t need to wait for perfection before I can share my notes. While my exhaustive coconut oil notes sit in drafts (with all the others), I’m writing this simple post about a remedy I love. I’m also linking to other articles which contain the information I want to share. This is my new motto: “a simple blog post is better than no blog post.” So, don’t expect to be impressed! ;-)

 Green Tea and Coconut Oil: A simple remedy for energy, weight loss, glowing skin, & preventing cancer. 

In recent months, I’ve gotten away from the habit of adding coconut oil to my daily diet. Re-reading the benefits caused me to remember that I need to start taking it again. My favorite way to take coconut oil is in green tea.

  

I have multiple reasons for doing this, besides that fact that it’s just plain healthy.

1. Coconut oil helps with weight loss. I’m trying to become nice and slim for my sister’s wedding in May (I'm a bride's maid). Coconut oil helps to control/balance appetite, if taken before a meal or as a snack. I have fewer cravings, because my body is satisfied and nourished by the coconut oil. Articles: Coconut Oil and Weight Loss --Fact vs. Fiction: what you need to know about coconut oil and losing weight!, and Stomp the Weight Loss Accelerator Using Coconut Oil.  

2. Coconut oil is a super energy booster! Try it. It’s not like caffeine. The energy I’m talking about is longer lasting and stable. Coconut oil helps me focus.

3.   Coconut oil makes my skin glow and my hair shiny. Especially if you struggle with acne, try taking coconut oil everyday. I even put coconut oil topically on my skin. Just remember that a little goes a long way. Article: Coconut Oil for Skin Health. 

Some people have a hard time eating coconut oil, but I find it quite enjoyable with a cup of green tea. I stir a heaping teaspoon of coconut oil into a warm cup of tea (so that it melts). I also add a little raw honey to sweeten it. I like to think of my coconut green tea as my special, healthy, beauty drink... :-)

Green tea is an excellent source of antioxidants and cancer-preventing properties. Please take the time to read the Bulk Herb Store’s article about the benefits of green tea. My favorite flavors are Jasmine Green Tea and Pomegranate. Here is the most recent article I found from the American Botanical Council about Green Tea.   

I hope you try this tasty coconut tea blend! Even if you don’t find it tasty at first, you’ll learn to love it. You’ll feel great after drinking it everyday. However, I have one precaution to give. If you’re not used to eating coconut oil, do not eat more than a teaspoon a day. Coconut oil is very detoxing. Gradually introduce coconut oil into your diet until your body adjusts to it.

Coconut oil sources: Tropical Traditions and Mountain Rose Herbs.  

Thanks for reading. 

This post is linked to Natural Living Link-Up!

Simple Country Fried Chicken

So delicious.

I made fried chicken the other night. It was very delicious! So, I’m sharing here. :-)

 My mom and I kind of made up this recipe. The measurements may not be exact, but here’s the general idea. 

Ingredients:

The best quality chicken you can afford (quartered –I used drumsticks and thighs).

Coconut oil for frying! (I used organic expeller-pressed coconut oil. It doesn't have a strong coconut flavor).

Flour, sea salt, eggs, and milk.

Chicken, eggs, flour, coconut oil.

Mix 2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a dish. Next, whisk together 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt. (You may have to double this amount if frying 2 sets of large chicken pieces... like I did.)

Roll the chicken in the flour/salt mixture until coated. Dip the floured chicken into the egg/milk mixture. Roll coated chicken in flour a second time. The chicken should be thoroughly covered in batter.

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan (I prefer an iron skillet). There should be enough oil in the pan to measure about 1/2 inch. Heat oil until it starts bubbling when the chicken in placed in. Gently lay the chicken pieces skin down in the hot oil. Be careful not to let the oil get so hot that it starts splattering. The chicken will probably need to cook for about 10 minutes on each side. Turn the chicken over with tongs. I would use a knife to check the chicken after about 5 minutes. The cooking time really does vary. (My chicken pieces were very large, and they took forever to cook through. I had to turn the temperature down so that the outside didn't get too dark while the inside was cooking.) The chicken is done once it looks like the inside is cooked through, and the outside is brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to a rack or paper towels, so that the extra oil drips off. The fried chicken can be served hot or cold.

That’s it! Enjoy.

A note about coconut oil:

Coconut oil is a much better choice for frying than rancid genetically modified vegetable oil. I've heard that shortening makes crispy fried chicken, but so does coconut oil! Coconut oil is a natural and heat-stable fat. It also will not make you fat, but will satisfy and nourish your body. If I ever have some spare time, I’ll write a blog post about my research on the health benefits of coconut oil. But for now, you’ll have to take my word for it. Or, better yet, Google the health benefits of coconut oil yourself! You’ll be a coconut lover like me.

Edit: Shared with Homemaking Link-Up! and Whole Foods Wednesday