There have been a lot of recent articles about the "dangers" of cow's milk. I plan to write an in-depth review of those claims and the "truth" behind them, but that is beyond the scope of today's post. I'll just say that cow's milk, in it's most common, present day form, i.e. homogenized, ultra-pasteurized, from grain-fed, stressed, over-medicated cows, is not very healthy or at all necessary in our diets. Dairy, in general, is not necessary to your diet, as their are numerous other ways to get the necessary calcium and vitamin D so often derived from dairy products. With all this in mind, I decided that while we buy a very nice, organic, grass-fed, non-homogenized, full-fat milk, there's no need for my son to drink a ton of it every day.
Instead, he gets about 5 ounces of it in a straw cup in the morning, and then has some cheese or yogurt at some point during the day most days. Otherwise, we do water, coconut water, or, the focus of today's post and recipe, coconut milk! Coconut milk offers a richer, creamier texture than most dairy milk alternatives and has healthy, yummy fats, which is especially great for little one's growing brains! Yes, you can buy coconut milk in stores, but they often add extra crap and making it yourself is way more economical. I bought a bunch of coconut flakes in bulk and can get about 12 cups of coconut milk from one 8-oz bag of coconut, meaning those 12 cups cost me about $3!
Confession: I don't like coconut milk very much, so I can't truly vouch for whether it tastes like most other coconut milks. I can say that N loves it and drinks it right up and when I've tasted it, I think it tastes "good", just isn't my cup of tea...or milk... ;) Because there is some lovely coconut fat in the final milk, and no added emulsifiers to keep the fat mixed with the rest of the liquid, the fat does have a tendency to separate out a bit when refrigerated. No worries! Shake it up good or heat for just a few seconds and mix to get it back to a nice, smooth, velvety consistency.
To sweeten, I add a date for just some slight sweetness above that of the natural coconut. And for some immune boosting and anti-inflammatory effects, I also add a bit of turmeric and cinnamon (hence the golden color of the milk in the picture!). N doesn't know the difference and it's a great way to sneak in some added nutrition benefits! Whether you're dairy free or just looking for a fun milk alternative, give this a try! Let me know what you think!
Coconut Milk
makes about 3 cups
3 cups filtered water
1 medjool date, pit removed
3/4 cup shredded, unsweetened, unsulfured coconut, preferably organic
cinnamon
turmeric
Add your coconut, date, cinnamon and turmeric to a blender. Heat the 3 cups of water to about boiling. Pour water into blender over other ingredients and allow to soak until water cools a bit, to about room temp or a little warmer. Blend thoroughly until as smooth as your blender can make it. Pour into a nut milk bag (or cheesecloth) over a bowl. Squeeze gently to get all the excess milk out. You can discard the coconut/date pulp or dry it in the oven for a slightly sweetened homemade coconut flour. Pour the finished milk into a mason jar or other air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Confession: I don't like coconut milk very much, so I can't truly vouch for whether it tastes like most other coconut milks. I can say that N loves it and drinks it right up and when I've tasted it, I think it tastes "good", just isn't my cup of tea...or milk... ;) Because there is some lovely coconut fat in the final milk, and no added emulsifiers to keep the fat mixed with the rest of the liquid, the fat does have a tendency to separate out a bit when refrigerated. No worries! Shake it up good or heat for just a few seconds and mix to get it back to a nice, smooth, velvety consistency.
To sweeten, I add a date for just some slight sweetness above that of the natural coconut. And for some immune boosting and anti-inflammatory effects, I also add a bit of turmeric and cinnamon (hence the golden color of the milk in the picture!). N doesn't know the difference and it's a great way to sneak in some added nutrition benefits! Whether you're dairy free or just looking for a fun milk alternative, give this a try! Let me know what you think!
Coconut Milk
makes about 3 cups
3 cups filtered water
1 medjool date, pit removed
3/4 cup shredded, unsweetened, unsulfured coconut, preferably organic
cinnamon
turmeric
Add your coconut, date, cinnamon and turmeric to a blender. Heat the 3 cups of water to about boiling. Pour water into blender over other ingredients and allow to soak until water cools a bit, to about room temp or a little warmer. Blend thoroughly until as smooth as your blender can make it. Pour into a nut milk bag (or cheesecloth) over a bowl. Squeeze gently to get all the excess milk out. You can discard the coconut/date pulp or dry it in the oven for a slightly sweetened homemade coconut flour. Pour the finished milk into a mason jar or other air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.