Coconut Milk!!

I get told all the time, "That's great that you can eat so healthy...I could never do that." Ok. First of all, that is ludicrous! I tell people all the time: If I can do it, you can do it. And, here's why...

I used to start each morning with coffee, full of pasteurized creamer. Then, I would drink that all. day. long. And, basically I would barely eat. And, when I did, it wasn't good. I snacked, I ate sugar and carbs, and I very rarely ate a veggie. It was bad. Anyone who knows me knows that I had terrible eating habits. We lived out of town for years, and the kids knew that every trip to town started with a trip through the Starbucks drive thru for a sugary latte. They had my order down pat. 

So, what changed? Well, if you've been following my journey you'll know that I was diagnosed with a pretty serious autoimmune disease that really forced me to take a look at my bad habits. And it was really this reality check that forced me to change. I'm not saying it has been easy, but it's absolutely necessary for my healing. I've learned so much over the past year and a half, and I'm excited to learn so much more.

So, if I can do it, trust me, so can you...

So, I've really had to change A LOT. And, because I had such unhealthy eating habits, I really had to find great alternatives to things I did enjoy (since there weren't many things I did) or I knew I would never stick to this new way of life. I'll post more on my wonderful treat alternatives. But for now, I'm going to show you this super simple way to make homemade coconut milk.

So, one of the things I chose to eliminate from our diet was pasteurized dairy. And since we cant legally source raw dairy here, I had to find an alternative. A huge part of our daily routine is smoothies. This stuff is excellent in a nice, creamy smoothie!

Why make your own? Great question! Store bought coconut milk (or any dairy free milk for that matter) is filled with additives like carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, etc. What are these things exactly? Well, that's just the point. If you can't pronounce it and don't have a clue what it is then its probably not safe to consume. These additives used as thickeners and preservatives are not meant for our consumption and are harmful to our gut. And, making it yourself saves you money so it's a win-win, right?! 

Ok, the how to:

You don't need anything fancy to do this; a blender, some coconut, a glass jar, and either some cheese cloth or a nut bag (I HIGHLY recommend investing in a nut bag as it is easier, saves time, and will give you more milk).

You'll want to use 1 cup of shredded coconut to 2 cups of warm water (heat the water in a pot on the stove (you'll want it fairly warm but not boiling). Put the shredded coconut into the blender and cover with the water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to hydrate the coconut.

 

While the coconut is sitting, I like to get my jar ready. Put your nut bag (or cheese cloth, which is trickier) into your jar and secure at the top with a rubber band.

Blend your coconut for 2-3 minutes, then pour into the nut bag.

Once you've poured all of the milk in, carefully remove the bag and tie the top (for cheese cloth you'll need to carefully secure the top with your hands and be much more gentle as you squeeze out the milk). Now, squeeze the bag like you're milking a cow :)

And, VOILA!

Look at that creamy goodness! This should keep in the fridge for about 3-5 days, but we use it up so quickly I've never gone longer than that ;)

Now, I don't like to waste. So, I dump that coconut pulp into a bowl...

You can throw that pulp into your baking, OR you can dehydrate it for coconut flour!

I use my dehydrator and leave it in there for about 6-8 hours.

You can also use the oven (though I haven't personally done this). You'll bake for about 10-15 minutes at 250 degrees F on a baking sheet. Then, throw it back in the blender and grind into fine flour.

No waste!

We use the milk for smoothies everyday as well as to replace milk in a cream sauce, in place of milk in recipes, with homemade grain free granola, and more!

Coconut flour is great, though quite finicky, so only use it in a recipe that calls for coconut flour (do not replace it for other flours, as it absorbs a lot of liquid.

I'll be sharing recipes that call for coconut flour too, so stay tuned!

What do you use coconut milk for?