Coconut Milk Archives - Coconut and Berries

Raw Pomegranate Coconut Mousse

As much as I’ve been enjoying eating apples and pears for the past month or so, it’s rather nice to see some more colour in the fruit department now – the season for clementines, satsumas, cranberries and pomegranate has arrived!

I’m especially fond of pomegranate and am surprised to see I only have a couple of recipes on the blog featuring it: A simple Beetroot & Pomegranate Salad and my Cabbage, Apple & Pomegranate Salad with Ginger-Almond Dressing (one of my very favourites!).

But I love pomegranate with breakfast: as a topping for non-dairy yogurt, porridge, granola, chia pudding or even pancakes. And of course it’s wonderful with all things chocolate for dessert.

Along with chocolate, coconut is my top choice for dessert (I hope it’s becoming one of yours too with all the coconutty ingredients I use in my recipes!).

I recently discovered a new coconut product - Rhythm Health‘s Virgin coconut milk. It’s very different to the canned coconut milk I’m used to which is definitely a liquid and is actually 50% (or more) water. This stuff, as you can see from the label, is 100% coconut milk, cold-pressed and with no added water. I tried some straight from the packet and nearly ate it all like that it was so good on its own. It’s super thick, a teeny bit tangy and incredibly rich.

I resisted eating the lot straight away and put it to use in a recipe…

To make this Raw Pomegranate Coconut Mousse, I infused the virgin coconut milk with some sweet and tangy pomegranate flavour using pure pomegranate juice. I used Biona Organic pure pomegranate juice which is made by pressing fresh pomegranates (and not from concentrate) since it takes quite a lot of pomegranates to get any significant quantity of juice, but you could juice your own if you have the patience. Adding the juice obviously thins out the milk somewhat so I blended in some cashews and chia seeds which together give an ultra thick, fluffy texture.

I like to layer up the mousse with some whole pomegranate arils for a little freshness and crunch to balance the creaminess. I think it looks pretty served like that too!

Raw Pomegranate Coconut Mousse

Yield: 3-4 Servings

Raw Pomegranate Coconut Mousse

Ingredients

3/4 C Rhythm coconut milk*
1/2 C Cashews
3/4 C Pure pomegranate juice (not from concentrate)
3 Tbsp White chia seeds**
1 tsp Fresh beetroot juice***
1/16 tsp Almond extract (optional)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Coconut OR Agave nectar
Pinch of salt
Pomegranate seeds

Instructions

Blend together the coconut milk, cashews and pomegranate juice in a high-powered blender until completely smooth.
Add all remaining ingredients, except pomegranate seeds, and blend again (If you don't have a high-powered blender, grind the chia seeds before adding to the blender).
Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to overnight.
When ready to serve, place a couple of spoonfuls of pomegranate seeds in the bottom of 3-4 serving dishes/glasses/mini jars, spoon the pomegranate mousse on top and sprinkle with a few more pomegranate seeds.

Notes

* If you can’t get hold of Rhythm Virgin coconut milk I recommend using an equal quantity of coconut yogurt, or, failing that, full-fat canned coconut milk and increasing the cashews to 3/4 C and chia seeds to 1/4 C.

** I recommend white chia seeds for the best colour

*** I added a tiny bit of beetroot juice to boost the pink.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/11/13/raw-pomegranate-coconut-mousse/

What’s your favourite way to enjoy pomegranate?

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[Disclosure: Rhythm Health kindly sent me some of their virgin coconut milk for review purposes, but I received no other compensation and, as always, all opinions are my own]

Spooky Spider Web Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Oil-Free)

I don’t get very excited about Halloween. I’ve never been trick or treating before and I don’t have any memories of carving pumpkins. Children in the UK these days might have a different experience of the holiday but when I was growing up it just wasn’t a big deal.

I know it’s quite the opposite across the Atlantic and that my US readers have probably been looking forward to the 31st October for weeks! The “spooky spiderweb” decoration on my cupcakes was with my American friends in mind, but everyone, anywhere in the world, can and should make these!

I think everyone should be able to enjoy a treat and so I tried to cover as many bases as possible by making this recipe, not only vegan, but gluten-free, grain-free, and oil-free (I couldn’t manage nut-free as well this time, sorry!) too!

I was positively jumping up and down when I tried the finished product! Ultra light, ultra fluffy and ultra moist, you really would have NO idea that I’d made these cupcakes without any of those things.

Check out that fluffy crumb!

A little shout-out to blogger friend Brandi of The Vegan 8 for introducing me to the magic combination of almond flour and potato starch. The almond flour keeps things moist and rich and the potato starch brings structure and lightness. I’ve done some of my own experimenting and have found that, while tapioca starch and potato starch are *fairly* interchangeable, tapioca can dry baked goods out a little.

I made these a little coconutty since we all know it’s a favourite flavour of mine, but without coconut extract the coconut flavour is very mild so the recipe would work well as a regular vanilla cupcake too.

I topped them with an easy chocolate ganache, and, instead of a sugary icing, used pure coconut butter to make my spider web design. The pattern isn’t hard to do and you certainly don’t need any fancy equipment- I simply used a freezer bag (with a tiny end cut off) and a toothpick. Of course you can decorate these any way you like for the appropriate occasion.

Spooky Spider Web Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Oil-Free)

Yield: 10-12

Spooky Spider Web Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Oil-Free)

Ingredients

Coconut Cupcakes

1 C (125 g) Almond flour (Ground almonds UK name)
1/2 C (75 g) Potato starch (NOT flour)
1/4 C (20 g) Shredded coconut
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 C Coconut sugar (75g)
1-1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 tsp Coconut extract (optional)
3/4 C Coconut milk (the kind from a can),well whisked
1/2 C Apple purée/unsweetened applesauce

Ganache

80 g/ 3oz Dark chocolate (OR 1/2 C Chocolate chips)
2 Tbsp Coconut milk
Coconut butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line a cupcake tin with paper/foil cases.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, making sure there are no lumps remaining.
In another bowl, whisk together the extracts, coconut milk and apple purée.
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir well to combine.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases (10-12) and bake for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes then place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before topping.
For the ganache, melt the chocolate in a bain marie or glass bowl placed over a pot of boiling water. Whisk in the coconut milk (it should thicken a little).
Spread the cooled cupcakes with ganache then make the spider web design.
Spoon a few tbsp coconut butter into a freezer bag (or piping bag with a fine nozzle) and allow to cool slightly to thicken a little. Snip a tiny corner off the bag and pipe 3-4 concentric circles on top of the cupcakes. Drag a toothpick from the centre to the edge of the cake at regular intervals through each circle to create the spider web effect.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/10/29/spooky-spider-web-coconut-cupcakes-chocolate-ganache-vegan-gluten-free-grain-free-oil-free/

Whether you make these cupcakes for Halloween or for another occasion, I hope you like them as much as me! And please do share your feedback, I love hearing from you.

Thai Green Curry Noodles with Sweet Potato & Tofu

I was lucky enough to visit Thailand many years ago but back then I wasn’t all that interested in food so don’t remember much about that side of things, other than it being very spicy! So, I’m not claiming that this recipe is authentic but it certainly is tasty (and not too spicy at all!).

I doubt many people have the inclination to go hunting in specialist stores for authentic Thai ingredients, or to start making curry paste from scratch on a weeknight anyway so I’m hoping you appreciate the simplicity here.

I’d been alternating brown rice and quinoa for too long so was all too happy to break open a packet of noodles for a change. One of my favourite companies, Clearspring, who you’ve heard me mention dozens of times before, have just launched a new range of products, including these fabulous gluten-free brown rice noodles. It hasn’t been easy to find wholegrain noodles until now so I’m particularly pleased about these. They even do an extra thick version!

For convenience I used a ready-made green curry paste, which, along with coconut milk, makes a lovely flavourful sauce. Just watch out for shellfish in the ingredients as that seems to be a typical ingredient in many of them.

The sweet potato is especially good in this as after a short simmer it soaks up some of the sauce and almost melts in your mouth. The other vegetables are up to you and the tofu is entirely optional but I like to balance out my meals with some protein. You could always use chickpeas if you can’t eat soy.

If you enjoy these Thai Green Curry Noodles and are looking for MORE Thai (ish) recipes, take a look at my Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry, Miso-Curry Roasted Squash with Crispy Chickpeas & Kale or Green Curry Tempeh Patties with Coconut-Lime Sauce.

Thai Green Curry Noodles with Sweet Potato & Tofu

Yield: 4 Servings

Thai Green Curry Noodles with Sweet Potato & Tofu

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 Onion, sliced thinly
250g/8 oz Tofu, pressed to remove water and cut into 1" cubes
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
3-4 Tbsp Green Curry Paste (check the ingredients list for shellfish!)
1/2 Tbsp Tamari
1 Can of Coconut Milk (preferably not "light")
1/2-1 C Water
1 Red or Green Pepper (or 1/2 of each colour),sliced into strips
1 Medium Sweet Potato, cut into 1 " cubes
Juice of 1 Lime
Green Onions, chopped (optional)
300-350g/ 10-12 oz (or enough for 4 people) Brown Rice Noodles

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and tofu and sauté for 5-10 mins, flipping tofu occasionally, until the tofu is brown all over.
Add the garlic and green curry paste and cook, stirring, for a further minute. Add the coconut milk and 1/2 C of water (to start with. If it's looking a little dry while cooking, add an extra 1/2 C) and bring to a boil.
Add the peppers and sweet potato, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the sweet potato can be pierced easily with a fork. Add the lime juice and stir well.
While the curry is simmering, cook the rice noodles according to package instructions.
To serve: Either mix the noodles in with the vegetables, tofu and sauce or top the noodles with the curry.
Finish with chopped green onions.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/09/25/thai-green-curry-noodles-sweet-potato-tofu/

Before I leave, just a friendly a reminder for my UK readers that it’s London VegFest this Saturday and Sunday (28th and 29th September)! It’s looking like it’s going to be the biggest UK VegFest yet, with lots of great companies bringing along their products for sampling, interesting talks and demonstrations from vegan athletes, chefs, lifestyle and wellbeing experts, competitions, workshops and plenty of food and fun! If you don’t have plans this weekend, definitely don’t miss out! Advance ticket purchases recommended.

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Cauliflower, Coconut & Lime Soup

Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed when you look into the fridge? I mostly cook for myself and, though I do eat a lot of vegetables, sometimes I overestimate how much I can get through all on my own and end up with an overflowing crisper drawer.

I suppose I should be grateful that my impulse buys are typically vegetables rather than expensive shoes…but I’m still faced with two problems: a lack of time (before they go bad) and a lack of tummy space (it’s just impossible for me to eat them all without having to stuff myself silly).

Soup is the answer in these situations. It’s easy to pack a lot of bulky vegetables into- so good for using up excess as well as being loaded with nourishment! It also has the added bonus of being quick and simple to make.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that cauliflower has made a huge comeback recently and is no longer looked over in favour of its more colourful cousin (though broccoli will always be my favourite).

I’ve definitely discovered its versatility and now use it in so many ways: roasting it until crisp in my Middle-Eastern Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower & Sweet Potato, turning it into “rice” for my Cauliflower Fried Rice and Leek, White Bean & Sun-dried Tomato Risotto, grilling it to get that lovely deep char in this Pesto Cauliflower & Potato Salad and using it in curries like my Tempeh & Cauliflower Pasanda where it soaks up the rich flavours wonderfully.

This simple Cauliflower, Coconut & Lime Soup is a new favourite. It has very few ingredients, including a little coconut milk for extra richness and plenty of lime to brighten it all up. Blending it in a high-powered blender makes it unbelievably velvety too.

Cauliflower, Coconut & Lime Soup

Yield: 2-4 Servings (depending on sides)

Cauliflower, Coconut & Lime Soup

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ground coriander
1 Medium Cauliflower, broken into florets (Approx 4 C)
2-3 C Vegetable Broth
1/2 C Coconut Milk (canned, full-fat)
2-3 Tbsp Lime Juice
Salt to taste (how much you want will depend on your vegetable broth- I used 1/2 tsp)

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes. Add the ground coriander and cook, stirring, for a further minute, to bring out its flavour.
Add the cauliflower, vegetable broth and coconut milk, stir to combine, cover and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft.
Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Leave to cool for 10 minutes or so before pouring carefully into your blender and blending until very smooth.
Return to the pot to warm through again before serving.
Adjust salt and lime amounts to preference.

http://www.coconutandberries.com/2014/09/20/cauliflower-coconut-lime-soup/

What are your favourite cauliflower recipes?

Review: Coconut Collaborative Coconut Yoghurt

New product alert! My UK friends might be familiar with the company Bessant & Drury and their delicious coconut-based frozen desserts. They’ve been around for a few years now and their ice cream/sorbet is widely available in supermarkets and independents nationwide. The company has now become the “Coconut Collaborative” and have recently launched a range of coconut yoghurts.

It’s a little ridiculous how excited I am about these but they really are amazing.

This is a yoghurt EVERYONE can eat as it’s free from dairy, soya, and gluten.

Until recently, the only dairy-free yoghurt available in the UK has been soya which I know not everyone’s so keen on. It also tends to be quite light and not really an ideal stand-in for richer dairy Greek yoghurt.

Well, this coconut yogurt is certainly that. It’s thick and luscious with that distinctive tang from the live cultures which are oh so good for us too.

They’re available in a few varieties- natural, raspberry (natural with a layer of raspberry compote), mango & passion fruit (natural with a layer of tropical fruit compote) and natural with berries & seeds (which comes with a little bag of seeds & berries for sprinkling).

Natural coconut yoghurt with homemade granola and fresh strawberries.

I always flip over packaging and check out the ingredients list of anything I buy and I was seriously impressed with these- just live coconut milk, dairy-free cultures and some starch for thickening, and the compote is only sweetened with fruit- a little grape extract.

They’re very low even in natural sugars and though they are quite high in fat, hopefully you know by now that coconut fat is friendly fat! And actually has some amazing health benefits.

Natural Coconut Yoghurt with Mango & Passion fruit Compote

The Coconut Collaborative Coconut Yoghurts are currently available in Waitrose, all Itsu stores, Daylesford Organics, Harvey Nichols, Planet Organic and other smaller independent stores. Soon to be stocked by Ocado and Sainsbury’s too!

Keep an eye out for the store locator going up on their website soon.

Follow the Coconut Collaborative on Facebook and Twitter for updates and competitions.

[Disclaimer: The Coconut Collaborative provided me with some free samples for review purposes but I received no other compensation and, as always, all opinions are my own]

If you’re new to Coconut and Berries, Please sign up for email updates and join me elsewhere: I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram (@coconutandberries), Google + and Twitter!

Follow Coconut and Berries with Bloglovin or Feedly.