Hello Foodie Friends!
Hope you are well in your corner of the world.
It has been so long since my last post in this blog space that I truly don’t know where to begin. Maybe I should just start with a heartfelt THANK YOU to each one of you for being patient by sticking around and for your amazing support as Ketmala’s Kitchen turned 4 year old this past March 16, 2016. Time flies when you are having fun indeed. I am humbled and grateful that you are enjoying my cooking classes, which have become fully private group sessions now along with some cooking demonstrations, the occasional lectures and freelance recipe writing. I feel truly blessed to do what I love and love what I do everyday along this culinary journey. This quote from Keith Floyd resonates with me immensely and sums it all up: “Cooking is an art and patience a virtue… Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – LOVE. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist – not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love.” Remember wherever you might be in this big wide world, whatever you might be cooking, every recipes, no matter how simple, should offer a rich culinary experience for all the senses. Food nourishes our body, mind and spirit, so let’s choose the most vibrant and powerful nutrient dense food to feast on everyday, shall we?
I am happy to be sharing with you some healthy and delicious plant-based recipes with a vivid spectrum of colors and flavors that is unique of each wholesome ingredient. We’ll start with a simple deliciously Creamy Coconut Yogurt that I have been making for Sunday breakfast, midday snack, post-workout or special dessert top with fresh fruits, hemp hearts, granola. etc. All you need is fresh young Thai coconuts, live probiotics, tall glass jar and a blender. Are you ready to get cooking?
Creamy Coconut Yogurt (raw, vegan, free of refined-sugar/gluten/soy)
Fresh coconut meat is low in carbohydrate and a great source of fiber. High in good fats, it’s very sustaining and helpful for balancing blood sugar levels. Once you see how easy peasy it is to make your homemade coconut yogurt with fresh coconuts and “sans” the nasties, you will never go back to the store-bought version.
Ingredients:
- 3 fresh young Thai coconuts or 1lb organic frozen young Thai coconut meat, thawed (buy fresh or frozen at Wholefoods or online via Exotic Superfoods)
- 3/4 to 1 cup fresh coconut water (or filtered water)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or fresh vanilla bean, scraped (optional, extra good)
- 2 good quality probiotic capsules or about 1/2 teaspoon (in the refrigerated section of health food store. Garden of Life, Now or any brands) for the starter
Toppings: Fresh berries, fruits, granola, hemp seeds, coconut flakes, freeze-dried raspberry, liquid stevia, yacon/maple syrup, coconut nectar or raw honey (for non-vegan), to taste
Directions:
You MUST sterilize your tools, bowls and blender by boiling them, or washing them in very hot water by hand or dishwasher. You will also need a wooden spoon for the final mixing step and tall glass jar. Open your coconuts safely (I recommend investing in the Coco Jack Coconut Opener if you are like me and open fresh coconuts often!) strained the coconut water in jar, measure out 1 cup and set aside the rest for other use. Scoop out the meat with the back of a large rounded tip spoon. Skip this part if you are using the store-bought coconut meat and continue onto the next step. Put the cleaned coconut meat (without any brown parts) in high speed blender with the vanilla if using and add in the coconut water a little at a time until it becomes a thick, smooth and creamy texture. Pour creamy coconut mixture into a tall glass jar, add in the content of probiotic capsules, stir and mix well with a wooden spoon by hand. Slightly cover ajar with a lid or a cheesecloth and a rubber band and put in a dark place (counter, oven or dehydrator NOT turn on) for 12 hours, stir again and let it sit for another 12 hours until the cream rises and it is full of little air bubbles. Store in the refrigerator for 3 hours prior to eating if you prefer a thicker texture, it will keep up to 1 week with a more sour taste.
Serve with some fresh fruit, top with nuts or seeds and a drizzle of your favorite sweetener. Blend in your smoothie or make a yogurt fruit parfait for a simple dessert. My children love the coco yogurt with a rose mango*, a touch of raw honey and of course some beet/raspberry coconut sprinkles. Enjoy!
Print Recipe :Creamy Coconut Yogurt : Ketmala’s Kitchen
*Head over to Karen McLean Instagram account where she shows you how to have fun in the kitchen and make roses out of avocado, cucumber, mango, kiwi, strawberry, plum, persimmon, etc. She is the Rose Queen! Check out her foodblog Secret Squirrel for simple and easy food recipes too.
Give this simple Creamy Coconut Yogurt a try! I would love to see your version, so please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram #ketmaslaskitchen
Despite a cold and wet spring this year the blooms have been stunning once again from the first sight of crocus to daffodils, tulips, etc. to our azaleas that are finally blooming right now, which make me so happy!
My children were overjoyed to discover a bird nest tucked away in our front yard shrub with four pretty speckles eggs nestled within it. We have been watching daily how Mama bird has been keeping them warm and safe and last week three tiny Northern Cardinal baby birds hatched magically. Mama and Papa birds have been super busy in and out of the nest lately constantly in search of food for their babies until they are all grown-up and strong enough to fly away on their own soon. What a simple and beautiful lesson in the life cycle for my children to watch and learn from Mother Nature, they are totally enamored watching their feathered friends!
Enjoy this glorious Spring season and its bountiful fresh produce at the market: Crispy young lettuces, tender asparagus, colorful carrot, bright radishes, sweet peas, vibrant rhubarb, juicy strawberry to name just a few.
Happy healthy cooking always!
with love and gratitude,
Ketmala
Ketmala's Kitchen 