Here’s why coconut rocks
If you find yourself stranded on a deserted island, coconuts will be your best friend. You’ll hardly need anything else. You can eat the thin inner layer of ‘spoon meat’, drink the water, make oil from it for your skin and carve out a pretty cool bikini from the shell for your boobies.
But it’s not only useful on a deserted island, we’re being showered with this fruit on the main land too. No breakfast pictures on Instagram without shredded coconut flakes, powder, oil, paste or whatever. All of New York carries a bottle of coconut water under their arms and almost every single person uses it instead of butter or olive oil.
It is good for your skin, your hair, health and promotes a killer-body. It is rich in fibers, brings your sugar levels down (less cravings for sweet things) so you retain that satisfied feeling and it stimulates fat burning. Seems clear to me. We can’t live without it.
How to open one of them is a whole other story. I tried once on vacation and it took me two hours until it finally cracked. With a screwdriver on a stone floor. Bashing it hard. But hey, it was worth it. Dewy fresh pieces of coconut and super healthy coconut water. Fortunately there are plenty of ready-to-eat varieties in the eco store. Check out the packaging though. Sometimes they add sugar, which I’m not a fan of. The purer, the better.
Here are some coconut (super healthy) recipes. Most of the ingredients can be bought at organic or natural supermarkets.
Start the day well
Super healthy green coconut smoothie
I often use coconut water to replace tap water in my smoothies.
These are the benefits:
– It gives you an energy boost
– Cleanses and detoxes your body
– Contains loads of antioxidants
What you need and how to make it:
– A handful of kale
– Half an avocado
– Half a banana
– A bit of lime juice
– Lots of coconut water
Put it all in a blender, mix and it’s ready. The more coconut water you add the more liquid it will be. I like mine a little thicker because it fills me up more.
Lunch time
Thai Pumpkin soup
What you need and how to make it:
– 1 pumpkin
– 1 block of broth
– 2 red onions
– Coriander
– Lime
– A spoon of red curry paste (available in any supermarket)
– A large splash of coconut milk
– Coconut oil
Peel the pumpkin and cut it into blocks. Do the same with the red onion. Pour a little coconut oil into the pan and add the onions. When the onions start looking a little glassy, add the pumpkin. Shake around and add a bit of salt and pepper. Then add 1 litre of boiled water and the block of broth. Lid on, heat down and simmer (around 15 minutes). When the pumpkin is soft you can give it a whizz with a hand mixer. Once it is mixed to a smooth consistency add a splash of coconut milk and a big spoon of curry paste. Mix again and taste. Add more coconut milk to taste or curry paste if you like it spicy. Pour into a bowl, snip a few pieces of coriander and squeeze a bit of lime juice over it.
Sweet tooth
Coconut macaroons
You can honestly wake me up in the middle of the night for these. They are divine, but not so good when you want a killer-body. Unless you go jogging a few times around the park afterwards. Not that we always have the time or motivation. Hereby a recipe for a healthier version. You can happily help yourself to one or two extra.
What you need and how to make it:
– 50 grams coconut
– ½ tbsp coconut flour
– 2 tbsp maple syrup
– pinch of salt
– 1 tbsp of (bio) lemon zest
– 60 ml coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You can do this by hand, with a mixer or in a food processor. Whatever is easiest. Then heap small amounts of the batter on a baking sheet. Bake them golden brown in around 15 to 20 minutes. Check in-between. I love them fresh from the oven. If you can resist the temptation not to eat them all up, store in a cake tin that seals well.
