Favourite creations. first up, Lucy Bee and her coconut oil concoctions.

Recipes taken from Coconut Oil by Lucy Bee (Quadrille £16.99) Photography: Ria Osborne

Overnight chia and coconut  with sautéed banana

serves 2 generously, or 4 small servings  gf wf lf veg

“Think outside the cereal box! So many people fall back on cereals for breakfast, but they’re usually laden with sugar and won’t keep you full or happy until lunchtime. This is a great option to have at breakfast and will pack your body with healthy fuel for the day ahead.”

Ingredients:

50g chia seeds, 30g coconut yoghurt, 200ml almond milk, 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional), 1 tsp manuka honey, 1 banana, 1tbsp lucy bee coconut oil, 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Method:

“Put the chia seeds, coconut yoghurt and almond milk into a small bowl. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, desiccated coconut, if using, and honey, then pour into two (or four) glasses and leave to set in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, slice the banana. Sauté in a frying pan with the coconut oil for 1–2 minutes. Spoon some banana slices on top of each chilled pudding and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds before serving. Alternatively, instead of banana, sauté chopped apple in coconut oil that has been infused with cloves. Heat the oil gently in a pan and add four cloves. After a couple of minutes the clove aroma will be released. Remove the cloves from the pan and add the chopped apple to sauté.”

Dark chocolate salted almond butter

Serves 4

“This delicious almond butter is rich, chocolaty and incredibly tasty. It’s very good for dunking strawberries or apples, but I love it so much I’ve even been known to sit with a jar and a spoon. You have been warned…”

Ingredients:

350g roasted almonds, 1 tbsp lucy bee coconut oil, 60g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), chopped, 2 tbsp raw cacao powder,  2–3 tsp honey or maple syrup, 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp himalayan salt

Method:

“Place the almonds in a high-powered blender and blitz to your desired consistency, scraping down the sides as you go. I like it fairly liquid, but you can have it crunchy and chunky if you prefer. Gently melt the coconut oil and chocolate together until smooth. Add to the blender with the remaining ingredients, then blitz until combined. Taste and add more salt or honey, if needed. Pour the almond butter into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week – if it lasts that long!”

Pancakes Anyone?

serves 1  gf wf lf df veg

Ingredients:

1 banana, 1 egg, 40g quinoa flakes, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp lucy bee coconut oil

Method:

“Put the banana, egg, quinoa flakes and cinnamon in a blender and blend together. Melt the coconut oil in a small frying pan, then add the pancake mixture. Fry for three minutes on each side until cooked through. Serve with dark chocolate salted almond butter (see above).”