HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!:)
I hope you're all having a lovely day! It is bright and shiny here in SC and just a perfect holiday! Though I'm busy as a bee with work today, I couldn't wait to share this post with you because I've been saving this certain superfood just for today:)
Today's superfood spotlight goes to my NUMBER ONE favorite superfood of all time, and one I've enjoyed LIBERALLY every single Easter.....
*Coconut*
I'm not sure where my love affair for this beautiful food came from, and really don't even care, because it has been one of my all time favorite foods for as long as I can remember. 
Coconut is a true superfood, and if you're not a fan, well I'm so sorry! For all you fellow coconut fans out there though, you're going to love today's post!
What is Coconut?
Despite the name, coconut isn't actually a nut, and it's not even a fruit like some believe- it's actually a nut, seed, and a fruit, which is botanically known as a drupe. 
Drupes contain three layers as you can see above: an outside hard layer known as the exocarp, a thin woody like middle layer known as the endocarp, and the inside layer is known as the meat.
Coconut is sold in two forms whole: young coconuts and mature coconuts. The white coconuts you see in health food stores are young coconuts and often said to taste much sweeter than the mature brown coconuts. Brown coconuts are said to taste much bitter, and to my experience, I've found this to be true.
Where does Coconut Come From?
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Coconut is grown in tropical regions all across the world. While you don't necessarily need to focus on what area you get them from, you should try to buy coconuts that are organically produced, if not certified organic. Coconut trees have been both a source of income and nutritional sustenance for people across the world throughout many different tropical regions.
Why Use Coconut?
Let's forget that it's incredibly delicious and filling, and SO energizing, and even forget about about all the marketing hype surrounding coconut the last 10 years.
Let's just look at the facts!
Coconut truly is brimming with nutritional benefits and they are worth taking a look into if you feel your diet could use some additional nutritional support.
Here are 10 Fast Health Facts About Coconut:
Coconuts are one of the highest sources of electrolytes of all fruits and vegetables. For this reason they are one of the most energizing, nourishing foods you can eat. Electrolytes are crucial to a healthy metabolism, healthy blood, healthy muscles, and healthy fluid levels.
Contains more potassium than a banana (in 8 ounces of the water or 1/4 cup of the meat).
Neutralizes your pH levels to prevent or treat acidity.
Relieves inflammation in your muscles and your digestive system.
Enhances mental focus and overall brain function.
Boosts liver cleansing and helps promote good liver health.
Detoxifies the blood.
Are a fantastic source of MCT fats which your liver uses immediately to produce energy and usher out toxins in the process.
Cleanses the digestive tract and rebuild cell walls within the digestive tract.
Prevents and treats viral issues such as candida yeast overgrowth, the common cold, the flu, and even chronic digestive disorders from a poor diet.
*Did you Know?*
Coconut's saturated fats contain NO cholesterol and have even been linked to reducing cholesterol levels. Because they are MCT fats (medium-chain triglyceride fats), they are used immediately to fight off viruses and bacteria, unlike other fats that most Americans eat, such as LCT (long-chain triglyceride fats) that enhance cholesterol levels to a negative degree.
My Personal Story With Coconut:
Coconut is actually a very special food to me. I dedicate my hormone balance, better brain health, enhanced mental focus, and more positive outlook to raw coconut. I also am convinced it has helped me combat depression that I struggled with for years in combination with a whole foods, low-sugar lifestyle. No matter if you're raw, vegan, or an omnivore, adding healthy fats, proteins, vegetables and leafy greens is one of the best things you can do to combat sugar, depression, and anxiety disorders. Coconut has been a huge part of that puzzle for me, so it is one special food to me and one I enjoy liberally!:)
What Kind of Coconut is Best?
There are many different forms of coconut you can buy and use, and most all have different benefits or uses....
whole coconuts- you can buy mature(brown-shelled) or young coconuts (white, coned shaped), and you can learn to cut them open here.
shredded coconut - dried, shredded pieces of coconut meat that comes in unsweetened and sweetened forms-avoid sweetened forms and read your labels:)
coconut flakes- large pieces of dried meat that are larger than shreds
coconut flour- finely milled dried form of coconut met. It is low in calories, rich in fiber, high in protein, rich in potassium, excellent replacement for grain-free baking
coconut water- rich in electrolytes like potassium, but can be high in sugar if you buy bottled versus fresh
coconut vinegar- zero calories, is more nutritious than apple cider vinegar and it is also higher in enzymes and probiotics
coconut nectar - This is the pure sap from the coconut tree (about 1/2 the sugar and calories of maple syrup or honey with added enzymes)
coconut sugar (dried form of coconut nectar that you can use like brown sugar)
coconut aminos- Coconut aminos are a great replacement for soy-based aminos or soy sauce. They have a distinct unami flavor and are rich in amino acids. They can be high in sodium, so I'd suggest using them sparingly
coconut butter- One of my FAVORITE coconut products, coconut butter is simply the whole coconut meat creamed into a butter. It is solid at room temps but melts at 76 degrees or above and is one of my favorite things to use in almost anything.
coconut cream- True coconut cream is a bit different than coconut butter. Real coconut cream is a bit lower in fat than coconut butter, and contains more coconut water combined with the meat, than oil combined with the meat. Raw coconut cream from Original Living Coconut is the best example, and one of my favorite coconut products.
coconut water kefir- Coconut kefir is dairy-free and made only from raw coconut water. It is higher in probiotics than dairy-kefir and very healing for the immune system. It can also help combat candida yeast overgrowth or gut disorders. I like Original Living Coconut brand the best- it is higher in nutrients and contains no additives like other brands.
coconut oil-Coconut oil is very high in nutritious fats, but like other oils, you need to be aware that you should use it sparingly and buy the most raw form possible. Buy raw coconut oil or unrefined, extra-virgin coconut oil.
My favorite brand of all time (and I've tried EVERY single brand you can think of), is raw, extra-virgin coconut oil by Bright Earth Superfoods. I like the vanilla flavor the best since it comes with an organic, raw vanilla bean:)
That's ALOT of coconut products, so how do you know which form is best?
My thoughts:
As I mentioned, I love and use both coconut butter and coconut oil. I use Artisana coconut butter and Bright Earth Superfoods coconut oil.
I use coconut flour( the most to make grain-free baked goods, grain-free puddings mixed with protein powder, stirred into oatmeal, or to thicken a smoothie. I'm very picky about brands and really only like one brand, which is raw coconut flour. All other brands are heated. Raw coconut flour from Coconut Secret is the most flavorful and very affordable.
It has the best flavor and has live enzymes that heated coconut flours don't, which means your body can use it easier and it's a bit healthier for you. If you're strictly using coconut flour for baking, this won't matter, but I like to use it raw in many things like smoothies, puddings, stirred into yogurt or into oatmeal .
It has a nice, cake-like flavor that to me, doesn't taste like shredded coconut, but more like vanilla cake batter!:) I also tolerate it better than other grain-free flours like almond flour.
I use unsweetened coconut shreds ( I like Bob's Red Mill for the best flavor), and I use it a good bit in baking (as you can see in the cake above:), stirred into puddings and oatmeal, and also in smoothies.
Coconut shreds can be used interchangeably with coconut flour, but baking with coconut flour creates a lighter crumb, while coconut shreds produces a heavier crumb with more of a heartier, coconut flour.
I also use Coconut Secret coconut vinegar as an awesome salad dressing. It has a nice zippy taste to it that's a bit different than apple cider vinegar. The taste is hard to explain, but it's delicious, especially when combined with lemon juice and a bit of black pepper. Yum! Coconut vinegar is live in rich in enzymes and probiotics and contains nothing but vinegar that is made from fermenting coconut water and coconut sap. It contains no sugar, any additives, and no calories at all if you're concerned with that.
I find it really helps with blood sugar issues and helping digest heavier meals too. It's also very high in potassium which can balance your electrolytes and combat bloating- always a bonus!
Coconut Secret is generally my go-to brand for coconut products. I appreciate their raw approach to making organic, non-GMO coconut products that retain all the additives with less processing.
Coconut Secret also makes the following products if you like coconut products:
Raw coconut sugar (crystals)
Raw coconut aminos
Raw coconut nectar (though it is low-glycemic, it is still high in sugar, so I avoid it, but if you tolerate sugar, it is a better choice than agave, honey, or maple syrup)
Raw coconut ice cream( I'm still DYING to try this and haven't yet-it contains much less ingredients than other more popular brands)
As I mentioned, I am also in love with Original Living Coconut's Raw Coconut Cream. This stuff is NOT coconut butter that is shelf stable. It is actually real, raw fresh coconut cream, hand-scooped out of raw coconuts straight from the Philippines. It's literally one of the best foods I have ever had in my life! (*This is not a sponsored post by any brand- these are my 100% honest opinions).
This food has been found to kill viruses and bacteria on contact and tastes like fresh coconut ice cream but contains ONLY raw coconut cream. Original Living Coconut also carry a honey and lime flavor, but since it has added sugar, I'm more of a fan of the plain.
I also love Original Living Coconut's raw coconut water kefir and coconut oil, which are both amazing coconut products. Plus, Renee, the creator and owner of the company has one AMAZING story. Give this website a visit- you'll be quite amazed and intrigued with their coconut products just like I was:)
How to Use Coconut ( My Favorite Recipes)
Due to the many forms of coconut you can choose from, honestly, there are ENDLESS ways to use it.
I have an incredible amount of recipes containing coconut so for a full list, please check out my recipes page. It's obvious I'm a HUGE fan of coconut as I hope you will be too after reading this if you're not already:)
Below are just a handful of my favorite recipes with coconut so far on The Soulful Spoon so far!
These recipes are all sugar-free, gluten-free and soy-free. Most are vegan and grain-free as well.
Coconut Flour Waffles
Chocolate Coconut Vanilla Bean Snowballs
Raw Coconut Snowballs
Magically Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies
Homemade Raw Coconut Crunch Chocolate Cups
Raw Coconut ButterCups
And lastly, my FAVORITE coconut recipe on this blog to date is this past year's Happy Birthday Coconut Cream Cake! I make myself a coconut cake every year, so this is version #2 so far that I've posted. It is my top favorite and I actually make it sometimes I'm craving healthy comfort food too:)
Give it a try!:)
I also make this cake without icing sometimes for a breakfast bread too:)
And...since this is a holiday, I have a NEW special recipe for you!
This recipe can be made as a grain-free version of oatmeal (which is my latest favorite way in case you're grain-sensitive like me), or you can eat it as a snack.
I'm in love with this so much I've been eating it twice a day. I haven't given up my morning oatmeal, but I have to rotate it with other foods or I notice my digestion can get a little iffy from grains everyday, even gluten-free ones.
I also used yesterday's superfood in this recipe, chia seeds, for a filling, energizing bonus to the coconut flour and shredded coconut I used in this recipe. Just one tablespoon of chia is all you need!
This is such a filling, satisfying, and comforting breakfast or snack, I know you're going to love it too!:)
Enjoy!
Lemon Coconut Cream Chia Porridge-
Grain-Free, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
2 heaping tablespoons of Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour
2 heaping tablespoons of shredded coconut (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup So Delicious Dairy Free Culinary Coconut Milk (Lite)
2 full drops of NuNuturals liquid vanilla stevia
pinch of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
juice from one lemon (adds a sweet, tart taste that's incredible, plus gives you a huge dose of Vitamin C)
Toppings: I like to sprinkle on a bit of raw ground flax, as it resembles crumbled graham crackers a bit to me in appearance and I love the taste and texture!:) I also like to use cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon on top too.
Directions:
1. Mix the coconut flour, shredded coconut and chia seeds in a small bowl all together. You can also easily double the recipes for a bigger or double serving.
2. Slowly add the coconut milk, lemon juice, stevia, and stir.
*Note*-
It will thicken very quickly, and sometimes, I have to add more water if I want it more creamy versus thick like pudding. Remember the longer it sits, the more it will thicken. Use the one cup of coconut milk called for if you are eating it immediately. If you're letting it sit for a few minutes (or overnight), you may have to add a tablespoon of water or more coconut milk to get it back to its creamy consistency.
3. Top with the topping suggestions or add fun superfoods like cacao nibs, gojis, or even a few nuts or seeds. Melted coconut butter would also be incredibly fabulous here!
I have been enjoying this coconut-rich breakfast so much that I decided to enter this recipe into the 2014 So Delicious Dairy Free Spring Fling Dairy Free Recipe Contest, which you can learn more about here. I have really come to love the So Delicious culinary coconut milk products this last year because they are sugar-free and carrageenan free, while being super thick and creamy!
The So Delicious culinary milk gives this morning meal a bit more calories so you stay full, but with absolutely no sugar at all! You can learn more about this product over at the So Delicious website here, and even get a coupon or click the image below!:)
Additional Coconut Resources:
Original Living Coconut
Coconut Secret
The Coconut Research Center
And that my friends, is a superfood, Easter-inspired wrap!:)
Do you all enjoy coconut on Easter or other times of the year? What's your favorite way to eat coconut?
Like this post? Share it below with someone you think might enjoy it!:) Thank you!