I love playing in the kitchen and infusing my food with natural, good for you probiotics, the way they happen in nature....like making sauerkraut and kim chi from scratch, and new favorite, this vanilla coconut yoghurt. In fact, research shows that probiotics found in kim chi and sauerkraut and other ferments create much more diverse colonies and symbiotic relationship between probiotics than those found in a capsule (which are fabricated in a lab). So much so that you end up saving money if you make your own, vs. buying a probiotic bottle of pills.
I'm in love with these frozen packs of fresh raw coconut (see below), and I bought a whole case just for this purpose: making my own yoghurt. While it's expensive, I've experienced breaking open expensive coconuts from a store and finding out that they're either purple inside, don't have enough meat, aren't fresh, or the outside is sprayed with fermaldehyde. Gross! You've ended up wasting a lot of time and having to return the coconuts anyway. This one is a no brainer: you save so much time and hassle! Plus they're frozen so they last a long time, ready to use when you need them.
Also, here's a really good reason for making your own yoghurt: When you buy store-bought yoghurt, many times it has stabilizers and preservatives, even the good kinds. This recipe has 4 ingredients, all of which you can pronounce, and it's oh so easy & fast to make:
1 package raw coconut meat, defrosted (I love this brand)
1 cup coconut water (I prefer this one, as it's in a glass; you can also buy them individually at any health food store)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon probiotic powder (I use this one, but you can also break open a few probiotic capsules and give it a go)
Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth, using the tamper to move all everything in towards the vortex. It's best to leave this overnight on a counter (if your kitchen is cool, otherwise, it will turn sour fast), or in the fridge. This helps the bacteria to proliferate (multiply) and create a probiotic-rich food that's not only creamy, sweet and delicious, but so very good for your micro biome. I love adding organic strawberries and cacao nibs to it and make it a morning breakfast. Enjoy!
