DIY Coconut Milk

I'm one happy girl this morning, this morning of DIY coconut milk. This is a breakthrough in this house, though I shouldn't be surprised. I've found that you can make almost anything you can find in the stores, and most of the time, the homemade version tastes 10,000 times better! We make a lot of smoothies in this house. Sometimes I use milk. Sometimes juice, water, almond milk, coconut water, etc. Many of the recipes I use call for coconut milk, but similar to almond milk, you can't find a commercial brand that doesn't have some kind of preservative, thickener or filler in it. Most coconut milks and almond milks have carrageenan in it. While the official verdict is still out on this stuff, all the early studies show that carrageenan can cause inflammation in the body, and inflammation has been tied to a myriad of health issues. If you want to consume it, that's your decision, but I've outlawed it in my house for the most part. I already make my own almond milk, so why not coconut milk? It so easy and fast! With almond milk, you have to soak your almonds overnight, but coconut milk can be whipped up in less than five minutes! Genius!

DIY Coconut Milk
Ingredients:
4 cups heated, but not boiling water
2 cups coconut (unsweetened, shredded)

1. Put coconut in blender. Add the hot water on top. Blend for two minutes.

2. Strain into a nut milk bag or through a metal strainer. If using the metal strainer, you might need to strain one more time through cheesecloth to get those last bit of coconut.

3. Drink right away (or put in smoothies!) or refrigerate until cold and then use.