4 recipes using coconut yoghurt: sweet and savoury!

Not only is coconut yoghurt dairy-free and suitable for vegans and those with lactose, soy and cow’s milk intolerances and allergies, but it also offers the benefits of medium-chain triglycerides (healthy fats).

What makes medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) unique is how your body metabolises them; they’re easily absorbed into the bloodstream by your gut, where they go straight to the liver, and they’re burned for fuel or converted into ketones.

This metabolic process, unique to MCTs, is what sets them apart from other types of fat.

The MCTs in coconut may assist with fat loss through increased satiety and their unique metabolic route.

There are several coconut yoghurts available in the supermarket now but one local WA brand is producing their yoghurt to maximise the health benefits.

Sharon at CoCoMe only uses natural ingredients and employs a ‘direct-set starter’ method for every batch, ensuring the yoghurt produced contains a high level of cultures and has a thick and creamy texture.

There is also a range of flavours to try including original, vanilla, chocolate, salted caramel, chocolate fudge, mango & passionfruit chia jam, raspberry chia jam and blueberry chia jam.

Every jar is pot set and the live cultures are specifically grown on a non-dairy & non-soy based medium to ensure it is 100% dairy & soy-free.

Sometimes it is hard to get creative in the kitchen with yoghurt but we have compiled a healthy menu for the day including 4 recipes using coconut yoghurt…Enjoy!

This post is sponsored by CoCoMe.

A healthy menu: 4 recipes using coconut yoghurt

Breakfast: Overnight Blueberry Buckwheat Porridge

Not only is this recipe dairy-free it is also gut-friendly. Your gut microbes will love to eat the fibre in the oats, buckwheat, blueberries, seeds and nuts. The live cultures in CoCoMe Coconut yoghurt are also great for gut health. Each tub contains specifically selected strains of:

• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus
• and the probiotics
• Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis
• Lactobacillus acidophilus

Serves 2
Ingredients

1 cup oats
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
1.5 cups water
1 cup CoCoMe coconut yoghurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup chopped almonds
(optional) 1 tablespoon dried cranberries

Directions
1. Mix oats, buckwheat and water before adding chia and sunflower seeds in a bowl with a lid. Let set in the fridge overnight.
2. Split into two bowls and stir through coconut yoghurt before topping with cinnamon, blueberries, almonds and cranberries (optional).

Lunch: Healthy Zucchini Cakes with Cucumber Dill dip

These zucchini cakes are gluten and dairy-free and are a great way to sneak some veggies into the kids’ tummies! The dairy-free dip is a tasty accompaniment.

Serves 8
Ingredients

Zucchini cakes:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, grated
1 garlic clove
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (or egg replacer if vegan)
1/4 cup coconut flour
2 tablespoon flax meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Cucumber Dill Dip:
1/2 cup CoCoMe Life Coconut yoghurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon dill
1/2 cup cucumber, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
2 dashes salt
2 dashes black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced

Directions
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then set aside.
2. Place grated zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with the salt and allow to sit in the sink for 10 minutes to drain. Use a clean paper towel to squeeze excess water from the zucchini.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the coconut flour, flax, and baking powder. Add the onions and zucchini. Set aside.
4. Add all dip ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until creamy. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
5. Place the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the dough mixture to the skillet in heaping tablespoons, press down with a fork. Cook each side for 3 minutes or until golden.

Serve with dip.

Dinner: 10-minute black bean burgers with vegan tzatziki

Who says that vegan recipes can’t be filling? Besides protein, black beans provide lots of soluble and insoluble fibre, making them great for the gut and, paired with this tzatziki (which is high in good fats), will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Serves 4
Ingredients

Burger patties:
1/2 onion, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1/2 cup whole spelt flour
2 slices wholegrain bread, crumbled
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
coconut or avocado oil for frying

Vegan tzatziki:
1/4 large cucumber (unpeeled + finely grated)
3/4 cup CoCoMe coconut yoghurt
1 clove garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To serve (optional):
4 whole-grain burger buns
2 tomatoes (diced)
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 red onion chopped

Directions
1. Sautee the onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes. In a large bowl, mash the beans until almost smooth. Add sautéed onions and the rest of the ingredients (except the oil), adding the flour a few tbsp at a time to combine well. The mixture will be thick.
2. Add all tzatziki ingredients into a bowl and stir. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
3. Form bean mixture into patties, approximately ½ inch thick. Fry patties in a small amount of oil until slightly firm.
4. Serve in a bun with your favourite burger toppings and vegan tzatziki or with a side salad.

Tip: Extra tzatziki can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

Dessert: Baked Cinnamon apples with salted caramel coconut yoghurt

The dessert won’t spike blood sugar as it uses whole apples (retains the fibre content) and cinnamon.

Serves 2
Ingredients

2 apples, cored and chopped in half
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tub salted caramel CoCoMe Coconut Yoghurt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Place cored, chopped apples upright into a baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice.
2. Rub with vanilla and then sprinkle with cinnamon and salt.
3. Cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with salted caramel CoCoMe coconut yoghurt.

To purchase CoCoMe yoghurt (or their custard range) or find a stockist close to you, head to their website.

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