I recently discovered coconut butter and I absolutely love it.
Not to be confused with coconut oil (which I also like), coconut butter is derived from pureed dried coconut meat (the thick white flesh) and consists of both the coconut meat and the oil. On the other hand, in the production of coconut oil the oil is completely separated from the meat. Thus with coconut butter you get some additional nutrients, including protein and fibre.
Coconut butter has a rich creamy texture making it a great sugar free spread and an ideal alternative to butter and nut butters (it’s allergy free) or because you are just looking for a change. It is easy to digest and has the same wonderful health properties as coconut oil (see our article on ‘The Benefits of Coconut Oil’). It is also excellent for cooking and baking because it has a low moisture content. I personally like to just spread it on a slice of toasted sprouted whole wheat bread with some banana slices and cinnamon just like you might do with peanut or almond butter for example. You can also add it to smoothies or a hot beverage, like coffee or tea instead of sugar.
You can find coconut butter at most health food stores. Depending on the brand or where you live, you may find that it is called ‘coconut spread‘, ‘coconut manna‘ or ‘coconut cream concentrate‘ rather than coconut butter. Don’t confuse it for ‘cocoa butter‘ though; they are two completely different things. Alternatively, you can make coconut butter yourself using approximately 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut and a good food processer or blender. Be patient though, as you need to blend it at high speed for about 15 minutes or more.
Although I have made my own coconut butter, I happened to find a local brand that I absolutely love as a treat called Cracked Coconut. I love the fact that this product is all natural (no preservatives, artificial flavours, additives, or refined/processed sugars), is locally produced in Kitchener, Ontario, is offered at a great price point (a real plus since coconut butter can be pretty expensive), is spreadable right out of the jar (most are not), and tastes amazing! Cracked Coconut is currently available in 3 amazing all natural flavours including, Pumpkin Chai, Dark Chocolate, and Bourbon Vanilla Bean and there are great recipes on their website that use the various coconut butters. I’ve tasted all three of them and I have to say, I like them all.
Unfortunately, Cracked Coconut is only sold in the province of Ontario. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Alex, the brilliant creator behind Cracked Coconut, and asked her if she had plans to expand both within Canada and outside, including Europe. She advised that expansion is in the plan, but it will take some time as she is currently making each product herself by hand. For those of you Mirror Friendly followers who live in the province of Ontario, this is definitely a product you will want to check out. If you don’t live in the province of Ontario but are interested in purchasing or making coconut butter but really aren’t sure what you can do with it, then you need to check out the recipes on this website. You can also follow Cracked Coconut on Facebook and Twitter to find out about new flavours (I hear they are in the works), recipes and expansion to other stores and locations.
So if you are looking for a Mirror Friendly alternative to nut butter or are looking to enjoy a nutritious all natural treat, give coconut butter a try. Oh, and if you come up with a great new recipe using coconut butter be sure to post on Mirror Friendly and share your ideas!
To fitness with love,
Tanya
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