Recipes
Nature's Approved® is a big fan of using organic whenever possible.
Recipe Contest Winners
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$100 Prize: Moist Apple Cinnamon Cake
1/2 cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 oz softened cream cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups chopped apples
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, cream cheese and eggs with a mixer in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and mix til well blended. Stir in the chopped apples. Pour batter into a greased 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle top with a little cinnamon and sugar. Bake on 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack and then remove from springform pan. - Krissie T.
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$50 Prize: Healthy Zucchini Bread
1 1/4 cup softened Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 3/4 cup milk
5 eggs
3 1/2 cup zucchini, grated with large holes on grater, or chopped
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1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup spelt flour
2 1/2 cup oat flour
2 1/4 cup raw, unrefined sugar
2/3 cup ground flax
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Oven 350
Yield: 2 loaves - 9 X 5
Whole wheat or all purpose flour can be used instead of the flours listed.
Do not pack flour when measuring.
Regular sugar or brown sugar can be used instead of raw sugar.
If you don't have ground flax, add an extra 1/4 cup of coconut oil.
Line 2 loaf pans with waxed paper that covers bottom and 2 sides.
If coconut oil is hard, warm until it softens, or melts, be sure it isn't hot enough to cook egg, when egg is added.
Mix wet ingredients in one bowl.
Mix dry ingredients in another bowl.
Combine bowls and stir until well mixed.
Pour into 2 waxed paper lined 9X5 loaf pans.
There should be at least 1/2" space above batter or it could overflow.
Bake at 350 for 80 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 or 10 minutes before removing from pan, if you want to be sure it doesn't break. Loosen ends with spatula. - Karen G.
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Enough Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
to make a thick paste
1 cup Brown Sugar
3/4 cup salt
$25 Prize: Facial Scrub
Mix well and place in a sealed container.
I leave it in my shower so I can use it when ever I want. And the great extra is that if you get it in your mouth, not only is it good for you... but it tastes great too. Enjoy. - Tana H.
Breakfast
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Breakfast Oatmeal Cake: Extra Oatmeal for the Week
4 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
4 cups organic oatmeal
2 cooking apples (thinly sliced)
1 cup raisins
2 bananas
1 cup blueberries (frozen are ok as they retain their antioxidants) or 1 cup mixed berries
4-5 cups apple juice (or other juice for variety)
Melt 4 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil into nonstick frying pan with lid. While melting, slice apples very thinly as they take the longest to cook. Add 4 cups oarmeal and stir on low to medium heat. Add all fresh and dried fruits, then apple juice. Simmer about 20-30 minutes or unteil cooked. Adjust the amount of juice so that the mixture has a texture to your taste. If you add enough fruit it tastes more like a cake than a cereal. Add as many fruits as possible to receive the highest amount of antioxidants. NOTE: The apple juice tends to make it stick so you need to separate the mix from the bottom of the pan two of three times while cooking and stir it. Cook a batch then store in refrigerator in glass or recyclable container for a gre cereal throughout the week. Serve hot or store for later in the week. Add any milke (cow, almond, soy, rice) or juice of your choice and enjoy!
Oatmeal has a reputation for lowing cholesterol but more importantly the soluble fibers are believed to remove plaque from the arteries. One customer reported a very large drop in cholesterol after adding coconut oil to their usual oatmeal.
Blueberry Smoothie
2 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 cups blueberries (frozen is best for an ice cream texture, fresh is OK for a more liquid smoothie)
2 scoops (about 1 oz) whey protein
2-8 Tb water
In blender, process blueberries and 2-4 Tb water until smooth but not liquid. Add 2 cups whey protein or your protein mix of choice. If not already liquid, put a jar of coconut oil into warm water, until liquid. Add 2Tb coconut oil to mixture. Add more water if needed to get the right consistency. Result should be smooth and firm so that you can eat it with a spoon! It is like ice cream and requires no sugar or additional flavoring... If you want a looser, drinkable smoothie, add water or juice until desired consistency is achieved.
Blueberries are full of antioxidants particularly anthrocyanadins, which are great for scavenging free radicals in the eyes and brain, helping better sight and thinking.
Cereal with Coconut Oil
2 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Cereal- muesli, oatmeal, or any healthy grain cereal
Soy milk
Mix and enjoy.
Starts the day off with a stomach calming, satiating mixture and decreases your need and desire for fats.
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4-Egg Spinach French Omelet for Two
3 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil* (see note re: Apricot Oil substitute)
4 eggs, brown or white (free-range, organic)
2 Tb water
2-3 cups fresh organic spinach
½ tsp black pepper, ground
½ tsp cayenne pepper, ground
Salt, to taste
(Makes 2 servings)
Beat eggs, water, (salt), black pepper and cayenne pepper. (Adding water makes the omelet light and fluffy, hence the ‘french’ part). In a large frying pan, cook 2-3 Cups Spinach until wilted (or more, if you are a real ‘Popeye’) with 2 Tb of Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. Then add into the beaten eggs. In the same large frying pan, add a dab of coconut oil or butter (to prevent the omelet from sticking) and heat pan. Pour whole mixture into pan and cook over medium heat for few minutes with lid off, then for a few minutes with lid on to ensure the top of eggs are cooked. Remove from pan when lighted cooked. Check with spatula for doneness.
This omelet is a great, healthy way to start your day with protein and solid energy! Get your greens and coconut oil in first thing!
*Option: Substitute 5-6 Tb Nature's Approved® Apricot Kernel Oil instead of Coconut Oil, for a fresh taste! Don't let it get too hot thought as it has a low smoke point (unlike Coconut Oil) Nature's Approved® Apricot Kernel Oil is cold expeller pressed from the apricot tree fruit Prunus Armeniaca. This pale, yellow oil has an appealingly smooth, nutty aroma and flavor.
_______________________________________________________ Coconut Oil Smoothie
1 cup organic plain yogurt (cow, goat or soy)
1 cup your favorite organic fruit juice (apple, o
2 cups organic fresh or frozen fruit (bananas, blueberries, etc.)
2 Tb melted or liquid Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 tsp organic vanilla extract, if desired
(Make 2 Servings)
Chill all ingredients except for the Coconut Oil and Vanilla. Fruit can be frozen. Blend Yogurt, Juice, & Fruit in a blender. Slow down blender and pour in coconut oil then small dash vanilla to taste.
Main Dishes
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Greens with Apricot Kernel Oil
2 Tb Nature's Approved® Apricot Kernel Oil
2 cups Any organic greens of your choice (great with asparagus, kale and spinach)
Place Oil on heated pan, gently fry the greens and enjoy! Try brussel sprouts with Apricot Kernel Oil and it will be the best brussel sprouts you have ever tasted!
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Sweet Potato Curry Soup
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and coarse chopped
1 TBSP Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup good quality curry powder
1/4 cup honey
2-4 cups almond milk
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add the salt. Stir thoroughly and return to a gentle boil until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt the coconut oil in a 1 quart saucepan. Whisk in the curry. Then add the honey and 2 cups of milk. Stir to blend. Place the sweet potatoes and the coconut oil mixture in a food processor. This may need to be done in 2 batches. Pulse until creamy. Add more milk as needed. Serve hot with a dallop of sour cream or cashew cream for vegans.
Beverly G (
Desserts
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Coconut Pumpkin Bread
1 cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 Tb (for greasing pans)
3 eggs, brown or white (free-range, organic)
3 cups organic sugar (or substitute 2 cups maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey)
2 cups organic pumpkin purée
2 tsp organic vanilla extract (aluminum-free preferred)
3 cups, all-purpose organic flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt, fine
1 tsp nutmeg, ground
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp cloves, ground
1 tsp allspice, ground
Optional: 1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (best to get raw pecans, roast them and then chop & add)
(Makes 8+ Servings)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bread loaf or other baking pans with 1 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, and flour lightly, to prevent sticking when removing the bread. (If you want to roast whole Walnuts or Pecans, roast for 10 minutes now). In a large bowl, mix together Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin and vanilla. Combine and stir together flour, baking soda, and spices in a separate bowl with a fork or spoon. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture until fully incorporated. Fold in chopped nuts, if desired. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes checking for doneness with toothpick or knife.
This bread smells magnificent baking in the oven- try it for Thanksgiving, holiday celebrations, family get-togethers, after-school snacks, or as a basic dessert (with ice cream).
Chocolate Bark
4 Tb (¼ cup) Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1-1½ Tb cocoa powder
1/8 tsp low-carb sweetener, such as stevia or ¼ tsp xylitol (Start small amount of sweetener and add more according to your taste)
Optional ingredients:
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tb almonds, finely chopped
Cinnamon to taste (I usually use ¼ tsp)
Melt the coconut oil to a liquid, add in cocoa powder and sweetener. Stir to combine and blend well. If adding any optional ingredients, blend in. Pour mixture into something like a “Ziploc Snap ‘n Seal Container”. Pop it in refrigerator or freezer on a level shelf and let it sit 20 minutes or so. It will harden quickly. Just pop the bar out and break into pieces and ENJOY!
This recipe is great for diabetics or people on low-carb diets.... or just people in general!
(Submitted by Jackie, from
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Rice Flour Cookies (Gluten Free)
1 cup brown rice flour (gluten free)
2 Tb Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
¼ cup honey or maple syrup
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup nuts (ground and an option)
Blend all ingredients thououghly. Chill for several hours or overnight. Roll into one inch balls and arrange on oiled baking sheet. Press flat with bottom of a glass. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. (I make a roll, sort of like when making cinnamon rolls, slice and do not chill- so I don't have to wait for my cookie)
- Alice C. Long Pine, NE (April 24, 2009)
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Rice Flour Brownies (Gluten Free)
⅓ cup unsweetend cocoa powder
⅓ cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
2 large eggs
1½ tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar or ¾ cup xylitol
½ tsp baking powder (gluten free)
¼ salt
½ cup rice flour (gluten free)
¼ cup brown rice flour (gluten free) or white flour
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Combine cocoa and Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil together in a small bowl until blended. Whisk eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk in sugar, baking powder and salt. Stire in cocoa mixture, rice flour, brown rice flour and nuts. Pour mixture into lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Bake in 350º oven 10-25 minutes or until inserted wooden pick comes out clean.
- Alice C. Long Pine, NE (April 24, 2009)
_______________________________________________________ Chocolate Covered Coconut Eggs
4oz. Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
4 cups organic powdered sugar
Pinch cinnamon
1 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1Tbl. soy or almond milk
Green & Blacks Chocolate
Beat first six ingredients together. Slowly add soy/almond milk. Beat. Pop into fridge for 10 min. to firm up. Using two small spoons and/or your hands, mold into small egg shapes. Pop back into fridge. Melt chocolate, cool/temper and coat coconut eggs. Pop back into fridge until set. Enjoy!
- Lisa A. D'Angelo
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Hololo's Granola
Temp: 300° Cooking Time 1 Hour
1 cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 cup Raw Honey
9 cups Oatmeal (other pressed grains can be used also)
3/4 cup Chopped almonds
3/4 cup Chopped walnuts
1/2 cup Chopped pecans
1 cup Sunflower seeds
1 cup Pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup Dried blueberries
1/2 cup Chopped dried plums
1/2 cup Chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup Chopped dried peaches
1/2 cup Chopped dried apples
1/2 cup Cranraisins
Melt Nature's Coconut Oil and honey and pour over Oatmeal and mix well in large baking pan. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes then remove from oven and stir well. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. If necessary this mix can be divided into 2 separate pans to enable it bake evenly. Set timer at 15 minutes and then mix granola again. Continue 15 minute timer and repeat 2 more times. When cool, your granola can be placed in an airtight container. Everyone loves this granola, it is sweet, nutty and everything is natural.
Tana H. (Amboy, WA)_______________________________________________________
Raw Superfood Treats
These are delicious and so healthy for you!
Melt these ingredients over low heat:
1 cup Nature's Approved® Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup raw organic agave syrup
several drops of liquid stevia
1 TB organic almond extract
Place these ingredients in a large bowl and stir well until mixed:
2 cups raw cacao
1/2 cup yacon flour
1/2 cup mesquite flour
1/2 cup maca
1/2 cup organic shredded coconut
1 TB cinnamon
1 TB ginger
1 TB cardamom
1/4 tsp sea salt
Put 1 cup dried gojiberries in food processor with 1/4 hot water and blend. Add this to the melted mixture and let berries plump a bit. Then add melted mixture to dry flours in bowl and stir well. Place in greased or lined pan and let mixture set. When firm, cut into bite size pieces.
Nancy G. (
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1 cup your favorite organic juice
SUPER-BLEND, TRUE HEART and OCEAN PURE are salty and somewhat unpalatable when taken straight and must at least be taken with water. However, added to a vegetable juice they greatly enhance the juice flavor. Some prefer it added to a sweet juice such as a smoothie, pear or apple juice. We found it very good with pineapple juice (and excellent with vegetable juice).
Niall P. (Yonkers, NY) recommends Tropicana's Paradise Blend or Pineapple Juice. "The Sea Minerals improve the taste of the juice!"
Beauty Care
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100% Coconut Oil Liquid Soap Recipe
40 oz. Nature's Approved® Soaper's Delight Coconut Oil
10.7 oz. potassium hydroxide
32.2 oz. distilled water to make lye-water solution
3 oz. fragrance or essential oil - per 8 oz. of soap paste - more or less to preference
4 tbs, of a 5% borax solution - per 8 oz. of soap paste - to neutralize
4-5 oz. distilled water - per 8 oz. of soap paste for dilution
Measure out and melt your oils
Make your lye solution
Mix the oils and lye together
Bring the mix to trace
Cook the paste using either the traditional crock pot method, or the oven process method - I cooked this recipe about 4 hours
Test for done-ness
Neutralize the soap
Add your fragrance and/or color
Let the soap rest/sequester
For this recipe, I neutralized it a bit differently than in the traditional liquid soap making process. I used a 5% borax solution made of: .5 oz. borax and 9.5 oz. almost boiling water. To neutralize this soap, I used 4 tbs. of the 5% borax solution per 8 oz. of soap paste.
The coconut oil makes a very soluble soap, so you can get a nice thick soap with just 4-5 oz. of water per 8 oz. of soap paste. If it is still coagulating at the top of the soap, reheat the soap and add in a few tablespoons of water at a time. You shouldn't have to go more than about 6 oz. of water per 8 oz. of paste with this soap.
For a great super-cleansing, high lather liquid soap, you can't beat 100% coconut oil. It's a great kitchen and/or hand-washing liquid soap, and performs well even in hard and salt water!
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Coconut Oil Cold Process Soap
16oz canola oil
16oz Nature's Approved® Soaper's Delight Coconut Oil
16oz palm oil
6.9oz lye (superfatted)
15.8oz water
(option- add fragrance oils of your choosing and coloring)
(Makes 4½ pounds of soap)
To begin the soap-making process you will need a special work area that is well ventilated. Make sure you have safety goggles, gloves, and that you are wearing long sleeves.
First Step: You will need to put on safety goggles, gloves and long sleeves.
Second Step: Add the lye to the water. Stir very well, making sure you don't breathe in the fumes. Put the mixture to the side and let cool until each reaches a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If your work area is not well ventilated, it is recommended to put the lye mixture outside to cool.
Third Step: Mix the oils together, and melt. Cool the oil mixture to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or to within five degrees of the lye mixture.
Fourth Step: Add the lye mixture to the oils you have melted. Stir together until the mixture looks like a thin pudding. This is called the trace stage. You may want to use a stick mixer to speed up the process. It may take up to an hour to reach the trace stage if you are stirring by hand.
Fifth Step: Pour the soap mixture into soap molds. You may pop out the soap after about three to five days. After popping out the soap, it will have to sit for an additional four to six weeks to cure completely, and complete the saponification process. After the soap is completely cured, you may cut into bars, and begin using.
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- 8 oz wt Nature's Approved® Soaper's Delight Grapeseed Oil
20 oz wt Palm Oil
16 oz wt Palm Kernel Oil
20 oz wt Sunflower Oil
24 oz water
8.65 oz wt sodium hydroxide (lye)
3 bags Stash Moroccan Mint Green_Tea
1 fl oz Green Tea Fragrance Oil
0.25 cc Mint Green Color
- Heat water to a boil and steep the tea bags in the water until the tea solution has cooled to room temperature. Remove and discard the tea bags.
- Add sodium hydroxide to tea solutions.
- Melt oils and add Mint Green Color to the oil mixture.
- Combine oils and lye solution and mix until a light trace has been reached.
- Add 1 fl oz Green Tea Fragrance and mix well.
- Pour into molds.
-Majestic Mountain Sage
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Soy Massage Candle
In a microwave, melt all ingredients on low, stirring often. Make sure the wax/oils don't get too hot! When melted, add 1/4-1/2 tsp of essential oils. Pour into containers and insert wicks in the middle. Set 24 hours then it's ready to burn. -Lisa from Halifax from thriftyfun.com
Nature's Approved
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Tel: 914-428-6800
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