Fresh Young Coconut :)

[pixiesis]

Hi Catheland! I just had to share that I got a young/Thai coconut over the weekend and just had it as a post work-out meal. I blended the water with the flesh--it was so amazing! Delicious, refreshing, light, just great. I will definitely be buying these often. I've always been intimidated about opening them but I watched a few online tutorials and it was so easy. If you've never tried one, you gotta do it!

 

[syzygy314]

Sounds delicious! How are they as far as calories and nutrition? Besides the coconut oil, what do you get?

 

[pixiesis]

Here's a link to the nutrition info. The whole thing only has 140 cals and 3 grams of fat.
http://wiliweld.com/coconuts/nutrition.html

 

[kathryn]

I was at a conference outside of Chicago in October, and on the way back, I stopped in a Whole Foods and found some Thai coconuts. I bought three of them to try (and should have gotten more!!). I agree, they are DELICIOUS! I like "One" coconut water, but this fresh stuff was FABULOUS!

Like you, I was a bit intimidated about opening them (especially after seeing some demos of people whacking at them with a machete, or HOLDING the coconut and whacking at it with a very big knife!). But then I saw some demos where they shaved off the covering near the pointy end, and just gave a few good min-whacks that didn't look that dangerous, and I ended up opening them all without losing a limb or a digit, LOL!

I haven't been able to find any since. (I was almost tempted to order some online, and found a place that has organic young coconut).

One tip that a colleague of mine gave me: when you shake the coconut, you shouldn't hear the 'water' in it at all. If you do, then it may be bad.

 

[syzygy314]

Wow! I had no idea! That' s getting added to my regular menu!

Thanks for the link!

 

[janie1234]

I lived for many years on Guam, . . .gosh everyone owned a machete and I remember as a kid climbing coconut trees for what we called "green or young coconuts." The juice is truly delicous and the soft flesh amazing. The closest I've ever gotten to the real thing is when I have the oportunity to go to an Asian market where they sell it in cans. Gosh this post really reminds me of those days.

 

[pixiesis]

Like you, I was a bit intimidated about opening them (especially after seeing some demos of people whacking at them with a machete, or HOLDING the coconut and whacking at it with a very big knife!). But then I saw some demos where they shaved off the covering near the pointy end, and just gave a few good min-whacks that didn't look that dangerous, and I ended up opening them all without losing a limb or a digit, LOL!

That's exactly the technique I used. It was much easier than cutting a butternut squash. I read the tip about how sloshing is bad too. It's a shame you can't buy them closer by. Our regular grocery store (Meijer) has them, and has had them for awhile. I'm scared that now that I want to buy them they will go away! If it happens, I'm sure I'll want to order some online, too.

Janie, that's too cool! You should look for these at the store--it will bring back so many memories!

 

[kathryn]

If it happens, I'm sure I'll want to order some online, too.

The problem with that is that while they aren't that pricey in stores (I got mine for $1.99 each), the shipping costs are usually close to, or more than, what the coconuts themselves cost!

I found some online that are organic, and don't have the white layer on (those Thai coconuts we got are dipped in formaldehyde to preserve them, though most folks think it doesn't penetrate into the coconut itself), but they are way pricey, not even including shipping (though the absence of the white outer layer makes it easier to make bowls and things out of them): http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/certified_organic_young_coconuts.html They also had these (but are out of stock): http://www.rawguru.com/store/raw-food/certified_organic_young_coconuts.html

 

[pixiesis]

Well, that's a bummer Kathryn. But thanks for the info. I don't want to buy them if they are being treated with scary chemicals, and the organic ones are just soooo expensive, I don't think I can justify it, or afford it.

Oh well. At least there are so many awesome coconut products to choose from these days. Right now, I'm enjoying a baked sweet potato with Artisana Coconut Butter (the kind with the oil and the flesh--yum!), raw agave nectar, raw, organic vanilla flavoring, and Cinnamon. Heavenly!

 

[kathryn]

Oh well. At least there are so many awesome coconut products to choose from these days. Right now, I'm enjoying a baked sweet potato with Artisana Coconut Butter (the kind with the oil and the flesh--yum!), raw agave nectar, raw, organic vanilla flavoring, and Cinnamon. Heavenly!

I am becoming addicted to the "Coconut Chips" from www.sunfood.com . I've had the spirulina and the Hawaiian ones (I might even pick up the honey ones sometime, even though I don't usually use honey, because I like the bees' story: they are all bees rescued from extermination). They are SOOOOOOO good! They need to sell them in larger quantities for a beter per-pound price.