Coco-berry Smoothie
There are so many alternatives to dairy available that we sometimes don’t even consider when brainstorming our next smoothie or meal. One of those is my absolute favourite coconut milk! I love the flavour of coconut and the smell takes me straight to the beach so making this smoothie on a cool winter morning is absolute perfection in my books.
The following smoothie combines the antioxidant rich sweetness of berries with the many healthful properties of coconut milk.
Coconut milk contains many vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, including potassium, calcium and chloride. Plus, half of the medium-chain fatty acids in the dairy-free milk are composed of lauric acid, which offers anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. Dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, lactose-free and, yes, nut-free! Perfect!
Coco-berry Smoothie
(Makes 2 servings)
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can light organic coconut milk (or 2 cups of homemade coconut milk recipe below, my preference)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (no sugar added) or 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries (no sugar added) or 3/4 cup fresh raspberries.
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. honey or agave (optional, I find the berries sweet enough)
Directions:
Step 1 – Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2 – Serve.
Homemade Coconut Milk (SO SIMPLE)
(yields 4 cups)
Soak 1 cup of organic unsweetened shredded coconut in 4 cups of warm water for 15 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or in a full blender. Strain. Voila!
I hope you enjoy this smoothie as much as I do, it’s a regular in my kitchen 
Feel free to experiment with different berry combinations or add pineapple and mango for a delicious and nutritious pina colada (sans alcohol)!
Always living with passion,
Sammie
Comments
Hi,
I have a question about coconut milk, is it high in fat? I was under the impression that it was high in fat.
I recently switched from dairy milk to soy-milk to reduce my dairy intake but maintain my calcium intake.
Is soy-milk lower in fat and calories than coconut milk?
Thank you for the amazing recipe and ingredient alternatives.
Hi Stephanie,
Here’s some information about coconut milk to help you out
Coconut milk
Serving: 1/3 cup
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 11 g
Sat. Fat: 10 g
Sugar: 2 g
Light coconut milk
Serving: 1/3 cup
Calories: 50
Total Fat: 4.5 g
Sat. Fat: 4 g
Sugar: 1 g
Yes, it’s fat content is largely made up of saturated fat, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s important to note that the saturated fat found in coconut milk is different than that from animal-based products. Coconuts are rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), fats that are more easily burned as energy than other fats. Long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) are found in meat and dairy products. MCFAs are more quickly metabolized by the liver, and some studies suggest that they are less likely to be stored as fat and contribute to heart disease compared to LCFAs. Plus, half of the medium-chain fatty acids in dairy-free coconut milk are composed of lauric acid, which offers anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.
And here are some soy milk nutrition facts, just in case:
http://www.fitsugar.com/Calories-Soy-Milk-7169921
Silk Original
Serving: 1 cup
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 4 g
Sat. Fat: 0.5 g
Sugar: 6 g
The choice is really up to you but there is certainly no harm done incorporating this into your diet on occasion
Hope this helps!
Perfect, thank you for clearing that up. Sometimes it is hard to know what the right choice is when you hear so many different opinions about one topic/ product.
Here’s another great post about coconut milk ladies. http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2010/02/26/milk-those-coconuts/