Lately I’ve been trying to drink less milk. I’m not sure if I’m actually lactose intolerant but I’ve just been trying to drink less milk any way. Currently I have one bottle of almond milk and one bottle of coconut milk in my fridge to substitute in my coffee, cereal and smoothies. I decided that coconut milk in coffee is gross, but tastes great in a smoothie.
For these drinks, I used coconut milk beverage in a carton (from Trader Joe’s), not to be confused with thick coconut milk in a can.
These coconut drink recipes are perfectly simple and great for breakfast.
Cucumber Coconut Juice
1 cup coconut milk beverage
1/2 cup water
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/4 tsp ginger (optional)
Pour coconut milk and water in the blender first. Add half a cucumber and a dash of cinnamon. Strain out any cucumber pulp before serving in glasses.
This drink is so healthy. Cucumbers are full of fiber and water. It makes me feel hydrated, refreshed and it relieves stomach aches. Honestly though, it’s not the best testing. It’s not very sweet. You could add sugar, but that would take away a bit of the health benefits.
Coconut Wake Up Blend
1/4 cup cold brew
1 1/4 cup coconut milk beverage
1 banana
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pour cold brew and coconut milk in the blender first. Add one very ripe banana and a dash of cinnamon.
Perk for a pick me up. It’s got potassium from the banana and a strong does of caffeine from the cold brew. If you want to throw in a fifth ingredient for extra oomph, try adding in about a tablespoon of peanut butter or old-fashioned rolled oats. I know I said coconut milk in coffee is gross, but it seems to taste good with cold brew. Just not with my morning cup of pour over coffee.
Coco for Mango Smoothie
1 cup coconut milk beverage
honey syrup (1 tsp honey + 1 tsp hot water)
1 mango, chopped and frozen or approximately 1 cup frozen, chopped mango
Pour coconut milk and honey syrup in the blender first. Add frozen mango chunks. If you forgot to freeze a mango in preparation for this smoothies, you can still make it with a fresh room temperature mango. Just add some ice.
Mango smoothies have been my favorite types of smoothies since I was in junior high when the smoothie shop Jamba Juice opened at a mall near me. This mango smoothie isn’t that complex. The mango is clearly the star of the show here.
Side note: I like to make a smoothie in the afternoon and store it in a jar in the fridge for the next morning. That way I won’t have to worry about waking anyone up with the sound of the blender in the a.m. You might want to try this tactic yourself.
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