Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Coconut Lovin'

I love coconut.

I think it has a wonderful, fresh taste and it reminds me of summer.
Since the weather has been uncharacteristically cold here, I've been trying to find ways to retreat back into my summer mindset. I will gladly admit that I am a warm weather lover. So, although I try to embrace cold weather and think of all of its benefits, (good hair days is all I'm coming up with right now...)I needed some kind of reminder of my beloved summertime weather.

Enter coconut.

I am a creature of habit, plainly said. When I find something I like, I put it on repeat until it gets old. This is true with a lot of aspects of my life: songs, food, clothing, etc., etc. When I went grocery shopping last week I picked up a can of Coconut milk and a bag of Coconut flakes and I have been using them ever since.

My favorite thing to do with Coconut milk is throw it into my daily smoothies. Although it doesn't boast too much flavor on its own, it offers a delightful coconut hint in ANY smoothie I've thrown it in so far.
My favorite concoction so far is:
- Frozen Raspberries
- Frozen Blueberries
- Cranberry-Pomegranate juice
- Coconut Milk
And that's it. Throw the ingredients into your blender, hit blend and you will be transported to the summer oasis of your choice. I tend to use more raspberries than blueberries because I love their tart flavor. And as far as Coconut milk goes, you really don't need that much. Its thickness it ideal for the right smoothie texture, but you really only need a dash. I use enough to just barely graze the tip of my blender blade. In other words, the sharp little pieces still poke out of the milk. The Cranberry-Pomegranate Juice just sweetens it up a bit, so you should really taste the smoothie and then adjust accordingly.

The coconut flakes have also been put to good use!
You will need:
- Two slices bread (I prefer this specific sandwich with Pumpernickel)
- A generous serving of peanut butter (I use PB&Co's White Chocolate Wonderful. Their products are made with honesty and integrity. Check them out here.)
- 1/2 banana (or an entire one if you're me!)
- A generous sprinkling of coconut flakes
Personally, I spread the peanut butter, cut the bananas into thin slices and put those on top, and then sprinkle my coconut flakes. I usually add a dash of cinnamon for good measure! I tend to eat this sandwich open faced, but I believe smooshed together would be incredibly yummy as well.
This is a truly lovely sandwich. And if you're anything like me, you can drink the smoothie and eat the sandwich together.
In the dead of winter, it's a tasty summertime treat.

xo

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This might just have to be my birthday lunch...sounds yummy!

Anonymous said...

Love coconut-it's like one of my favorite things and I can't wait to try out these delectable recipes. :) You are too cute. And I'm exactly the same about using good things over and over again. (And, I'm pretty excited about good hair days and this weather too.):) Great post girl!