I love starting my mornings with a good smoothie, and for the longest time it was always a green one. Then i'd crack open a coconut at some point and drink the water and use the meat for dessert or bread recipes. However I found I wasn't using the meat as much and often I'd end up feeding it to Caileag or wasting it. So one morning I decided to blend it with the water and I've never looked back... Now every morning I start off with a coconut smoothie, and then I have a green juice instead.
I do think that coconuts are a superfood. They are highly nutritional - rich in minerals, fiber and vitamins, contains healthy fats which improves heart health as well as contains antibacterial and antiviral properties, therefore boosting the immune system. The water is one of the best sources of natural electrolytes, being potassium rich and as a Bikram teacher, that is my number one concern, being hydrated!
The meat contains the fats, however, unlike other saturated fats (which are long chain fatty acids), coconut meats contains medium fatty chain acids which are broken down faster and also helps to reduce cholesterol levels. It also contains high level of manganese, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels as well as synthesize fats and proteins. Then there is the coconut oil, where do I even begin?! It's a stable item in my pantry that I cannot live without.
I find that when the meat and water is blended together, it tastes creamy and sweet and doesn't need much extra. You can always add more to it, be as creative as you want. Sometimes I add a date, or vanilla bean to fix things up. You can add fruits, greens, powders etc, but I do find that since it's quite decadent already, less is better.
The meat contains the fats, however, unlike other saturated fats (which are long chain fatty acids), coconut meats contains medium fatty chain acids which are broken down faster and also helps to reduce cholesterol levels. It also contains high level of manganese, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels as well as synthesize fats and proteins. Then there is the coconut oil, where do I even begin?! It's a stable item in my pantry that I cannot live without.
I find that when the meat and water is blended together, it tastes creamy and sweet and doesn't need much extra. You can always add more to it, be as creative as you want. Sometimes I add a date, or vanilla bean to fix things up. You can add fruits, greens, powders etc, but I do find that since it's quite decadent already, less is better.
I get my weekly supply from the Subiaco Station Market; they often have them on special for 99c, or 3 for $5 and I pick up a weeks supply every time I go. I drink the ones from the bottles as well, but there's nothing like the real fresh juice taste of a real coconut!
You can see in this picture just how frothy and creamy it gets, if you have a blender that is not as powerful, it might be worth it blending it for longer, just so that the meat gets broken down and it takes on the decadent creamy feel.
You can see in this picture just how frothy and creamy it gets, if you have a blender that is not as powerful, it might be worth it blending it for longer, just so that the meat gets broken down and it takes on the decadent creamy feel.
Coconut Smoothie
1 whole coconut (meat and water)
you can add vanilla bean/date
1. Blend on high for 30 secs to a min
