I just have to tell you about a new discovery (new for me). I am always on the hunt to find delicious food that is actually GOOD for you and me (and Ms Earth), along with new flavours and vegan alchemy that has sprung since my last visit to the US. So what does one do immediately when they touch down into San Francisco? They dump their bags, swipe over some fresh lippy and then hot foot it to Rainbow Grocery (I LOVE this place...it is a treasure trove, a co-op, a launch pad for all things ethical, foodie and good) of course. I was champing at the bit to spend more time than probably is normal, walking up and down the rows of products and sumptuous veggies, throwing new, wrapped goodies into my basket to await me then finding somewhere quiet, tear open an all new wrapping, and excitedly take a mindful bite of a flavour my tastebuds have yet to be aquainted with.
When I spotted, alongside the familiar Tamari (wheat free soy sauce) a new, blue baby on the block, I just had to know what taste was locked up inside that bottle. Coconut oil is a current love of mine, and coconut flour, so I thought lets have a coconut moment and give it all a try. At home, I Googled Coconut Secret and clicked around their website. The story goes that they stumbled across coconut sap as a form of truly diabetic friendly sweetner, upon their shocking discovery that the agave supplier they had been using was putting corn syrup in their product to water it down! Fate manouvered them in the direction of a Philipeno company who were producing a sap, derived from the process of tapping the coconut blossoms and a prelimary product of coconut sugar. They use the pre-evaporated product to maximise its health giving properties. I'm not an expert, nor and I advocating its reported weight lost and nutrient benefits but, right now, coconut seems to 'agree' with me. Siblings, Randy and Leslie were so excited about this product that they built up a range of coconut products that surprisingly don't taste like coconut (unless they are meant to). Their products are all organic, raw, gluten free and vegan.
I got the nectar/sweetener, coconut vinegar, aminos and an almond coconut bar. The bar...oh my Dear God, it is toe curlingly good. The outer chocolate coating is crisp and wonderfully bitter, the inside is a coconut paradise. It almost melts on your tongue. Really...as I bit into it, and let all the soft, rich, sweet flavours unfold in my mouth, I was rolling my eyes heavenwards and humming like a kid does when they eat something good. I stopped at swinging my legs back and forth under my chair.. You have to try this. If this bar was thrown down a bowling lane towards ten shapely pins of satisfaction...It'd be a STRIKE!
I was fired up to test them all. I gathered some groceries. Considered a menu. Then I got cooking...
 |
| called up a friend and said 'come on over, I'm making a feast' |
 |
| I used the coconut vinegar, cocnnut nectar, cocnut aminos with tomato paste, garlic, onions, cumin, carob, chipotle powder, black pepper and pretty pink salt to make my version of mole BBQ tempeh steaks |
 |
| the coconut vinegar, cocnut nectar, seasoning and olive oil played nicely alongside lime, onions and heirloom tomatoes in my citrus salsa |
 |
| I'd never seen WHITE yams before so I baked them in the oven with slices of garlic and seasoning and them splashed them with coconut vinegar to make fries. Perfect accompaniment to the fried garlic plantains. I wouldn't usually have fries AND plantains but...I couldn't resist. |
 |
finally, I made the 'old favourite' 'bet you can't guess the ingredient, yes it is avocado' mousse to impress my friend, who is toying with the idea of becoming vegan. What a delectable treat - carob, hibiscus, orange and chili infused mousse. Oh my Lord. it was good. The coconut nectar has a bizarre consistency, it is like spun sugar and it is sweet, but it somehow doesn't turn you into a sweet-hungry pac-man monster type, plague of hungry locust type creature, like some syrups can. (the technical term for this is Low Glycemic) The aminos would be a great swap for tamari for those who are soy sensitive. It doesn't have the deep saltiness of tamari but then again it has a fraction of the sodium (65% less). I think it would be wonderful in a raw mushroom soup. I wish it had a pouring spout/gadgety, sproggit thing to slow down the 'pour'. The vinegar is reported to be even more nutritionally beneficial than apple cider vinegar (I wonder if it cleans the windows as well as ACV?!...). I put a tablespoon of it in a tall glass of cold bubbly water with some lime and it was so refreshing. I also now use a spoon of it in my morning protein bowl. And of course, I loved it in my salad dressing. Surprisingly, it doesn't taste coconutty at all. None of the products do (apart from my new love...the almond coconut bar). The aminos is faintly sweet, but definitely no hint of the tropical, wonder nut...seed, fruit..plant. I got this from Wiki - The term is derived from 16th century Portuguese and Spanish cocos, meaning "grinning face", from the three small holes on the coconut shell that resemble human facial features. I hope it is true. I like the frivolity of the naming of it. They don't supply outside of the USA yet (I know, fingers crossed they will soon. www.iherb.com does ship internationally though, and they stock Coconut Secret...use the button on the top right of my website to get a money off coupon if you have not ordered from iHerb previously). You can buy the products in many health food stores nationally Listings are here I will be posting more food finds in the coming days/weeks, so be sure to follow... If you have any products you have unearthed and think I must try then please let me know! |
