Why coconut is awesome
Imagine you are on a deserted island, then the coconut (because they are usually there) is your best friend. For the rest, you actually need nothing else.
You can eat the flesh of the nut, drink the water, make oil for your skin, and from the shell, you can even make a fun bikini for your boobies.
But not just on a deserted island, here on the mainland we are also flooded with this fruit. No breakfast on Instagram without coconut flakes, shreds, powder, oil, paste, or whatever. Everyone in New York walks around with a bottle of coconut water, and almost everyone uses it in the pan instead of butter or olive oil.
It's good for your skin, hair, health, and a killer body. It's very high in fiber, lowers your blood sugar levels (so less chance of candy attacks), which means you feel full longer, and it stimulates fat burning. Seems clear, right? We can't live without it anymore.
Opening one of those things is quite a job. I once spent at least two hours on it while on vacation. With a screwdriver and a stone floor. Hammering hard. But hey, then you have something. Fresh pieces of coconut and super healthy coconut water. Luckily, there are plenty of ready-made options in the health store. Just make sure to check the packaging. There might be a bit of sugar added, which I'm less of a fan of. The purer (or rawer), the better.
Coconut (super healthy) recipes. Most ingredients can be found at Ekoplaza or another health store.
Start the day right
Super healthy green coconut smoothie
I often use coconut water instead of tap water in my smoothie.
These are the benefits of coconut water:
– It gives you an energy boost
– It cleanses and detoxifies your body
– It contains many antioxidants, which is good for your skin.
Here's what you need and how to make it
A handful of kale
Half an avocado
Half a banana
A bit of lime juice
A good amount of coconut water
Everything in the blender, mix it up, and you're done. The more coconut water, the more liquid the smoothie. I always like to keep it a bit thick; that fills you up more.
Lunchtime
Thai Pumpkin Soup
What do you need and how do you make it
– 1 pumpkin
– 1 cube of broth
– 2 red onions
– Coriander
– Lime
– A spoonful of red curry paste (you can buy this in any supermarket)
– Lime
– A generous splash of coconut milk
– Coconut fat
Peel the pumpkin and chop it into pieces. Do the same with the red onions. Put some coconut oil in the pan and sauté the onions. Once they are a bit translucent, you can add the pumpkin. Stir a bit and add some pepper and salt. Then add 1 liter of boiling water with the broth cube. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and let it simmer (about 15 minutes). When the pumpkin pieces are soft, you can use an immersion blender. Once it becomes a smooth mixture, add a splash of coconut milk and a generous spoonful of curry paste. Blend again and then taste. Add more coconut milk to taste or maybe a bit more curry paste if you like it spicy. Pour the soup into bowls, chop a handful of coriander, and squeeze a wedge of lime over it.
Sweet tooth
Coconut macaroons
You can wake me up for those. The regular ones from the supermarket are also super tasty, but your killer body might not be too happy about it. Unless you run a few laps in the park afterward. But we don't always feel like that either. That's why here is a recipe for a healthy version. You can take a few of these with a clear conscience.
What do you need and how do you make it
50 grams of coconut
½ tablespoon of coconut flour
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of zest from a (bio) lemon
60 ml of coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well. You can do this with your hands, a mixer, or in a food processor. Whatever you find convenient. Then make small piles of the batter and place them on the baking sheet. Bake the coconut macaroons for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. I would just check them every now and then. I think they taste best when they come fresh out of the oven. If you can resist eating them all, store them in a cookie jar that seals well.
