cranberry coconut smoothie

rarely do i ever feel like making a smoothie, but never do i regret it! i wrote the ingredients down and made this one again, it's so darn good. it's even delicious after adding two teaspoons of spirulina! i think its the balance of sweet, creamy, tart and citrus that makes it go down so smoothly. any variation of these ingredients would taste great, so feel free to play around!

2 frozen bananas
1 cup young thai coconut meat
1 apple, chopped
1 tangerine or orange, seeded
handful of cranberries
handful of baby carrots
juice from half a lemon

blend until smooth and creamy, adding water slowly to reach desired consistency. serves two.

it was a happy day when we discovered young thai coconuts at the local produce outlet. i love that one young coconut packs around one cup each coconut water for drinking and coconut meat for use in smoothies and raw desserts (ice cream, pie, pudding, etc.) fresh coconut water is just about the most refreshing drink i've ever had. full of electrolytes and so hydrating!

if you're new to opening coconuts, you might want to watch a video or look at a tutorial. also, i recommend doing it outside on the cement or on a very sturdy surface. i damaged our counter, so if you think yours can't handle it, don't risk it. (it's retracting from the wall. whoops!) open your coconut over a bowl to collect the water, and strain it to remove the husk chips before drinking.

if i'm not going to use the coconut meat right away, i pack it in a mason jar and freeze it. it's great to have on hand for a quick smoothie or a tropical blissard. i plan to use coconut meat for homemade yogurt and sweet gratitude's coconut cream pie. i'll let you know if i do!

healing

hello there... long time no post!=)

until today, i hadn't been feeling like myself. it's like i'm fighting something. i've been super sleepy and COLD (guess it's just that time of year). on top of that, i've been experiencing uncomfortable heartburn. i battle the best way i know how - with lots of rest and healing foods (and also letting the house go to sh*t.=)

below are some things i've been feeding myself. i've also been taking echinacea, elderberry, raw vitamin d, goldenseal, and drinking warm miso/ginger soup. 

green smoothie

(that's oscar, bubbie and evie's cute cat)

salad with mushrooms, chopped date, almond slivers, balsamic vinegar and oil

coconut chia pudding with raspberries

(blended coconut meat, coconut water, chia seeds, irish moss gel and nut milk)

 raw pizza crust with a black bean spread

(cooked black beans, raw tahini, nutritional yeast, cayenne, cumin and lemon juice)

 vegan split pea soup

so i'm happy to say today i had lots more energy and tackled almost all of the chores. my heartburn symptoms have let up, plus another snowstorm is on its way, which means i get to sleep in tomorrow. hey, it's the little things!=)

my spirits were lifted when i received this lovely postcard from lela in estonia! great timing, i'd say. lela has a pretty blog called touching the sky is easier for birds, where she shares her thoughts, vegan food and postcrossing postcards. lela's photos have inspired me to take a trek in the snow tomorrow with camera in hand.

what's the weather like in your neck of the woods?

cuckoo for coconuts=)

 

mmm...coconut waterrr...=)

 

my eyes are always peeled for coconuts at the local produce places i frequent. young coconuts are going for $2.99 at whole foods - not bad for a large glass of coconut water and meat for a tasty dessert!

"one groovy coconut" was just a dollar at a local produce junction - (not up to organic standards, but close-by, and once in awhile houses rare gems like groovy coconuts, mannn!)

don from the sunny raw kitchen and raw freedom community taught us how to open a coconut in a civilized manner during his stay.

here is john flaunting his coconuts.

"john, this is a family-friendly blog!"

truthfully, i'm the one who told him to do that. i'm like a 13 year-old girl at times...=)

but i'm also as mature as a coconut (?), making my family homemade milks and desserts.=)

 

mmm, coconut milk...

 

mmm, coconut cream parfaittt...=)

 

mmm...coconut creammm...

Coconut Cream

(adapted from Sweet Gratitude's Coconut Meringue)

3/4 C coconut milk*

2/3 C coconut meat from one young coconut

2/3 C cashews, soaked about 2 hours

2 T agave

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

blend all in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy, then add:

1 T lecithin

2 T coconut oil or coconut butter

resume blending until fully incorporated. set in fridge until firm, ideally overnight. 

*coconut milk can be made by mixing one part fresh or dried coconut to three parts water. 

coconut cream tastes amazing with granola and pairs so smoothly with chocolate cream. 

mmm...leftovers...=)

Chocolate Cream

adapted from Heathy's Chocolate Nutless Creme

(serves 1-2)

one ripe large avocado

1/4 C agave

2 T water

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

1 T coconut oil, melted

5 heaping T cacao powder

in a high speed blender, blend first five ingredients well. add remaining ingredients, and continue to blend until smooth. chill for a few hours before serving. 

john describes the above like SAD chocolate pudding with whipped cream, but better!=)

~*~

biggles enjoys raw desserts as much as we do (though her favorite is a simple dab of coconut oil).

 

 city-vegan's blueberry cheezecake ice creammmeow!=)

ZZZzzzZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZZZ...

who could leave the house in this blustery weather with entertainment like this at their fingertips?!

=)

coconutty sweets

ahhh, this picture's got me thinking of summer. john and i have a lot of fun thinking of names for our creations, and we both agreed tropical bliss-ard is fitting for this sweet, frosty beverage we enjoyed on a cold, january night! (i know the umbrella is a bit much, but i couldn't resist! =)

tropical bliss-ard

3 C. tropical fruit, chopped and frozen (i used 2 bananas and one mango)
1/2 C. coconut meat
1/2 C. coconut water

add a handful of ice cubes and blend all ingredients until smooth. yields about two 12 oz. glasses. tastes great topped with granola or shredded coconut!

~*~

these coconut kale chips are my new favorite snack. so sweet and crunchy! 

coconut kale chips

a bunch of kale

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1 Tbsp coconut oil

shredded coconut (optional)

few pinches of salt, to taste

trim off the tough stems and break kale into chip-size pieces. place in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with agave and coconut oil. (you may need more or less than 1 tbsp of each, depending on how much kale you're working with.) massage kale a few minutes, making sure each piece is saturated. if desired, add shredded coconut. allow to marinate (i marinate my kale overnight in the fridge, but a half hour or so should do). spread kale in a single layer on teflex sheet and dehydrate at 115° until dry and crispy.

~*~

have a sweet weekend!!!

=)