Coco What?

I had never in my life heard of such a thing as a "young coconut"...my idea of coconut was the stuff you found in a nice little package in the baking isle in the grocery store. That was until I started drinking unsweetened coconut milk, using canned coconut milk and coconut oil. Wow, to think that a year ago none of these things (besides the baking isle stuff) could be found in my kitchen. A little indication of how things have changed perhaps?

So my latest forrey into the world of trying new things was when I picked up a nice young coconut. To be honest it sat on my counter for a couple of weeks becasue I just didn't know what to do it it. I knew enough to know that it was healthy and rather something that you can't get everyday here in Canada, so when I saw it at the grocery store I snapped it up, not really knowing what I was going to do with it. Thank you so much for "google" because without it, my dear little coconuts would be rotting on my counter top. For those of you, ( like me) who have no idea what I am talking about, watch this video on how to crack open a young Thai coconut. Even if you know what they are, I tried this method and it is extremely easy and hassle free. I would suggest chilling the coconut before using it for a smoothie.  Below is a photo of what it looks like.

Young Thai Coconut

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO ON HOW TO CUT OPEN A YOUNG COCONUT

This video is the best I saw, no cleaver needed and it was quick and easy. Once I cracked it open I poured the liquid into my blender, scraped out the tender flesh with the spoon, without even having to crack open the shell. It was so easy, you don't have to wait two weeks to tackle it like I did. Here's the smoothie recipe:

Young Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients:

 Flesh and liquid of one young coconut
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup Aurthur's Pineapple Coconut Juice ( I used the coconut but you can use whatever flavour you like) 
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup ice cubes (more or less as needed)
1 cube frozen spinach
1 drop stevia liquid.

Method:

1.  Crack open the young coconut and empty out the liquid into your blender
2. Scrape out the tender flesh and clean off the brown "skin" and put in blender
3. Add juices, frozen banana and spices together with the frozen spinach and Stevia. Add Ice  cubes and blend.
4. Blend until smooth.

Serves 2 

Health benefits of this wonderful fruit are numerous, one of them being that the coconut milk is the highest form of electrolytes known to man. (This is according to this site) That little piece of information is handy to know in case you are suffering from dehydration. Next time  you see them in the grocery store, why not snatch one up and give it a try. They are better chilled in my opinion.

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By Melony Teague

By Melony Teague
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 www.melonyteague.com 

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Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
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