TODAY Food Club

I use coconut milk pretty regularly in everything from my morning smoothie to chia seed pudding. It’s a staple in my household, but keeping it healthy and inexpensive can be a challenge. They sell coconut milk in boxes, but my eyes start to glaze over after I get past coconut and see carrageenan, locust bean gum and “natural flavors.” The only natural thing I want in my coconut milk is coconut!

There’s an easy and inexpensive fix – make coconut milk yourself! There’s a few ways you can do this. If you live near some fabulous palm trees, climb on up, grab a coconut, crack and pour. I do not live near such trees and don’t trust my climbing abilities, so we’re going to focus on other options like simply taking unsweetened shredded coconut and mixing it with water in a blender. Voila, coconut milk with no preservatives!

There is canned coconut milk, but you need to make sure that it comes in a BPA-free can, because again, you don’t want extra chemicals in your body. You can take milk from a BPA-free can and mix it with water for a lighter, reduced calorie milk. Don’t pay for light coconut milk! They’re just taking the full fat milk and diluting it with water. Stretch your dollars and do it yourself!

How to Make Your Own Coconut Milk

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
• 3 cups hot water

Instructions

• Place the coconut flakes in a high-speed blender. Add hot water. You don’t want the water to be boiling. You just want the water to soften the coconut, not cook it. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes.
• Put some cheesecloth on top of a fine mesh strainer that’s sitting over a glass bowl and pour in the liquid. Press down on the remnant flakes. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and wring to squeeze out all of the liquid. Let the coconut milk cool before placing in a mason jar, covered, in the refrigerator. Keep refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.

For more healthy recipes and inspiration, visit Tasting Page.