One Ingredient Coconut Milk or Cream for Under $3

Even though I have never been a huge milk fan, my body doesn't tolerate dairy well.  Although there was this one time when I worked on a secluded farm in the hills of Tuscany where I was able to drink fresh goat milk with total ease and pleasure. We can take baby steps to slowly change our habits and improve our health.  Sometime just knowing how easy it can be done, or how much fresher the homemade dreamy goodness tastes in comparison to the chemical-laden varieties at grocery stores or the $7.00 bottles of fresh "pressed" nut milks at the local juice stand.  Show yourself some love, get in the kitchen, and whip up your own batch of fresh coconut milk.  It's a game changer.

Warming up the coconut cream, I'll try not to use boiling hot water so the plastic doesn't leach into the cream.

Adapted from plant-based Chef Julia Hellerman Yield: 1 super-thick quart

Ingredients:
1 package of Let's Do Organic Creamed Coconut
1 quart (4 cups) boiled water

Equipment:
1 quart glass measuring pyrex or large glass bowl
high speed blender
1 quart ball jar





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1. In a 1 quart glass pyrex, soak sealed package of creamed coconut in warm water until soft, about 10 minutes. 
2. Squeeze the 1/2 coconut cream into blender and pour in about 2 cups of water, careful not to fill the blender more than 3/4 full.  Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until liquid becomes frothy.  Since the liquid is very hot, be sure to carefully let some steam out of the blender while blending. This can be done using a towel to cover the plastic cap on the blender's lid, and carefully lift the towel a bit to let some steam out.
3. Once mixture is frothy, pour into 1 quart ball jar or other large glass storage container.  Feel free to use a nut milk bag or cheese cloth to strain out the little pulp that remains. These are the bags I use. This might be a good idea if you plan to use the milk purely for drinking.  Repeat step 2 with the rest of the coconut cream and hot water.  
4. Let the mixture sit out to cool for a bit before storing in the refrigerator.  Will keep for 5-6 days.  You can also freeze it in ice cube trays and use in smoothies or to thicken soups.
5. I like to add vanilla powder, a couple dates, and cinnamon to my coconut milk.  If I use the milk in granola or as a thickener for baking, I'll thin it out with water. Otherwise the cream is naturally really thick, and you can use it as a whipped topping for cake, pudding, or a warm chai latte, here's my recipe.  

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