Eat more fat

My beef with canola so to speak is that it's high in Omega 6 and has to be highly processed to get to its oil state. It's actually an acronym... CANadian Oil Low Acid, refined from the rapeseed (grain), commonly grown on Canadian plains.

Other oils, olive, walnut, coconut, palm (but NOT the hydrogenated or refined sort!) are produced with far less processing and are not as high in Omega 6. I think for some the jury is out on polyunsaturated oils, but I try to avoid them (usually canola, veggie, corn, sunflower) when possible. They're common in the States as they're cheaply obtained but tend to be highly processed. That's really up to you the consumer, though. One thing to watch out for with any oil is the heat to which you use it and its shelf age. Oil, in unsaturated form (liquid) does go rancid and needs to be used within a span of time. EVOO is good as dressing or unheated topping. As for heating, I go with a more hearty olive oil, palm or coconut oil.

As for coconut oil, it's quite handy. I really like to use it for higher heat applications - sauteeing or browning meats, nuts, vegetables in a skillet or wok. When cooking meat with the skin, it's not necessary to use much oil, maybe only a light coating, if that.

One really awesome use for coconut or palm oil is to stir fry cauliflower and broccoli in it. It gives it a rich, toasty taste. Throw on a tiny smidge of sea salt and mmmm... good side to any dinner. It's very common in southern Indian cooking. They are very fond of the coconut and believe it contributes highly to good skin and hair tone and texture.

I've also cooked with ghee and at times cook my eggs or vegetables in remaining tallow or animal fat in the pan, old-fashioned style. Some have worked with bits of natural lard, but I haven't gotten that daring yet.

As for meat, haha, know your cuts and you'll be able to determine fat content fairly well. Although, I have noticed grass fed / free range sorts of beef tend to be of a leaner cut. If you buy a side of beef from a local farm, I will tell you now it's absolutely worth every penny and can certainly last a couple seasons (depending on your beef intake of course!)

Beef, be it grass or grain fed will have veins of fat and gristle. Ground beef incorporates this into its mix, the higher the lean percentage, the less fat obviously. Chicken and other poultry is the source of a light, chewy skin. As are frogs' legs. Bacon or other pork products are similar to beef in that their fat content highly varies by cut. Wild game such as deer, elk, snake (you better believe it), rabbit tend to be a greater source of leaner meat. You really need to be careful cooking these as they may tend to dry out. They also make awesome jerky. Bison is a great alternative to regular beef as it is typically much leaner and has a darker, richer texture. Lamb and goat tend to have a bit of a pungent taste, with marbles/veins of thin fat stores. It should be eaten RIGHT AFTER cooking or it will lose its good flavor, IMO.

The more I hear about coconut oil, the more I want to get some!

Does it taste 'coconutty'? Does it work well in baking?

I haven't used it in any baking, but it's awesome for sauteeing veggies and meats. I really like to sautee up some cauliflower in it. It has a rich, nutty aroma, IMO.

It's also really good to use if you roast almonds/walnuts or home made trail mix. Coat the mix in a little bit of coconut oil, put it on a cookie sheet on low-ish heat, roast... Mmmm... very good.

Plaintains fried in coconut oil are good.

It works well for any high heat applications and if liquified could probably also be used in baking.

I've been meaning to try some of the recipes on this site for it but haven't yet:

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/recipe-forum-sticky-threads/334903-coconut-oil-recipes-ideas.html