Coconut craze

I bought this little expensive jar of virgin coconut oil at Uwajima, the Asian grocery store.  Might as well have the best, although Costco sells it in great big tubs.  It looks like a cosmetic and indeed, people also smear it on their hair and skin.

Once a villain fat, coconut oil is now considered the healthiest saturated fat on earth. It has many proven benefits, such as increasing good cholesterol and lowering abdominal obesity.  It also contains an immune boosting fat called lauric acid (found in breast milk) and is supposedly good for the thyroid.  Of course it's high in calories like all fat, but 2 or 3 tablespoons a day is enough to do the trick.

It tastes amazing, that is, if you don't mind your food tasting like coconut.  I thought I'd give it a try with a shrimp and vegetable stir-fry.

I always cook shrimp first, then set them aside.  They leave a nice flavor in the pan, and don't get all soggy while everything else is cooking.

The coconut oil smelled great and foamed a bit, just like butter.  And like butter or olive oil, coconut oil burns with searing hot temperatures-- the only disadvantage.  

A dab more oil, and the vegetables go in to stir-fry quickly.

The last step is adding the sauce, a handful of raw cashews, and the cooked shrimp.  In about a minute, the sauce thickens and it's ready to serve with brown rice.  There were no leftovers last night.