This is How I Make Coconut Oil at Home

The process to make coconut in your kitchen doesn't need to be overly complicated. Over a year ago I first started adding coconut oil in my diet...and totally enjoyed it...but found the price to be somewhat unsavory.

I love the taste of coconut...and was blown away by how much more energetic I felt by adding it into my diet...and how much easier it seems to allow me to drop a few pounds, when needed. 

Now, the typical cost for coconut oil is around $20. That's just for a full on cup of the stuff. If you can afford this on a monthly basis then all's fine. But if not, I have a simple solution: make it at home.

Here's How to Make Coconut Oil at Home

The ingredient list is actually pretty simple. All you need is a bag of organic, unsweetened coconut flakes. Besides that all you'll need is a food processor or a strong blender.

I opt for the food processor because I've found the consistency seems to come out better than what I've gotten with the blender.

Here's a video showing how to start making your own coconut oil at home:

The Directions for Homemade Coconut Oil

1. Place approximately half of the coconut flakes into the food processor container.
2. Let this run for around one-to-two minutes on low until the flakes are broken down into a granulated state, and when you can start to see the oil being extracted. 
3. Pour in the rest of the flakes and run the food processor for another one-to-two minutes.
4. Take a spoon and scrape any flakes that have worked their way up the container wall back down towards the blades.
5. You can either choose to still process the granulated flakes on low, or increase the speed to high.
6. Continue to scrape any of the newly-oily flakes back down towards the blade.
7. Process until all the bits of coconut are liquified.
8. Pour your coconut oil into the container of your choice and store in the refrigerator.

This method is hands down the easiest way I've come across to make your own coconut oil at home without needing to gather a bunch of coconut and take a machete to the shells and the meat. 

The whole process literally takes less than 10 minutes, and you end up with some pretty tasty coconut oil that won't bust your healthy food budget.

Adventures in Green Juicing

The glass was sitting on the counter full to the top with my green concoction. I eyed it cautiously. Even though I know the recipe was solid, and I was going to love the taste, whenever I drink a green juice I always wonder why it has to look so ugly.

I know. I know. Calling a beautiful glass of green veggies ugly is a bit harsh...but why does it need to look like it belongs in the Incredible Hulk's kitchen instead of mine. (Side note: I wonder if the Hulk is a connoisseur of juicing, too.)

So, I grab my glass and I headed over to the computer and I started my day, sipping the drink ever so slowly between spurts of writing and editing my thoughts.

One of the things I really like about juicing is I really don't have to rely so much on taking a whole list of pills to make sure I'm staying on top of my nutrition needs. For the most part, I really prefer getting my proteins fats and carbs from real food, and getting my daily source of vitamins and minerals from actual vegetables.

Juicing is just one method I feel is great at proving you with all you need to feel energized throughout the day when you're struggling to eat your vegetables.

To help you out I complied a list of the ten best leafy greens to use when juicing.

The list ranges from Kale (which is a superb ingredient to start with) all the way to something a little less common, like Turnip Greens.

And interesting I've noticed is that most people tend to shy away from green juicing because they simply haven't been exposed to anyone other type of leafy green that isn't lettuce, and most of the time it's iceberg lettuce, which isn't all the nutritious when compared the other varieties.

So, if you're looking to start getting your daily veggies without piling them all on your plate, juicing is a great option. And even if you're simply basing your drinks on a specific green, you can definitely through in a whole slew of other ingredients into your drinks, like berries, fruits, and other vegetables. A Green Juice doesn't necessarily need to be "green". It certainly can wind up any color, which is pretty darn exciting if you've got a few hangups drinking something that's green.