Ice-Cream and Giggles

If there is one staple in my kitchen that I absolutely must make myself, it is coconut yogurt. It is ridiculously easy and cheap to make, and by making it yourself you can determine how much sugar etc goes into it! Here's to no longer buying $15 tubs of coyo!

Makes one 400 ml tub of coyo.

Prep: 10 minutes, plus 24 hours in oven and 12 in fridge. Total Time: 36 h 10 min.

You will need:

1 x 400 ml can full fat coconut cream, refridgerated overnight
1 vegan probiotic tablet
1 tbsp corn flour (optional)
1 tbsp natvia sugar (or other sugar replacement)

Method:

1. Put your oven on the lowest heat, around 40 degrees Celsius. Sterilize a glass ball jar by pouring boiling water in it and letting it sit for a few minutes, then pour out the water.
2. Scoop out the coconut cream, and put into a small saucepan on low heat. Discard water.
3. Once the cream has melted and is warm, add the corn flour and natvia sugar. Take off heat, then stir in the contents of a probiotic tablet.
4. Pour the yogurt into the sterilized jar (making sure the glass isn't too hot), put on the lid and place in the oven at 40 degrees. Leave for 24 hours, then let it set in the fridge for around 12 hours.

After experimenting with Coyo with pretty much everything (popsicles, granola, and various smoothies), and still having a significant amount left, I decided to try it with ice-cream! I used banana, blueberries and coyo, and it turned into a super smooth delicious ice-cream, and the coyo added another dimension to the texture. The result was a rich, smooth and thick ice-cream! Though coyo is high in fat, it really is the key to gaining that "cream" texture, which can be hard to achieve in any vegan recipes. You can probably use soy yoghurt or coconut cream to acquire the same taste and texture.

Serves 1-2 people, approx: 5 minutes preparation and 1 hour freezing time.

You will need:

2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup plain coconut yoghurt (coconut cream or soy yoghurt may also work)

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. Serve immediately or place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to harden up.

These banana pops are one of those easy go-to recipes that are great for a healthy snack or for party favours. You don't need any fancy equipment either, which means less cleaning up! I only used one banana, which makes two pops, but you can multiply the recipe depending on how many banana pops you want. Instead of the traditional chocolate coated banana pops, I decided to mix it up and use some left-over coconut yoghurt and top it with coconut flakes!

Makes 2 banana pops. Approx 5 minutes to make, and at least an hour in the freezer.

1 large banana
approx 2-4 tbsp vegan coconut yoghurt
approx 2 tbsp coconut flakes

You will also need: 2 paddle pop sticks

1. Peel your banana and cut into two, cutting off the ends.


2. Stick a paddle pop stick into each banana.


3. With a spoon, coat the banana with yoghurt, making sure the tips are also covered. It is best to place them on baking paper so they are easier to remove later.


4. Top with coconut flakes, pressing down so that they stick to the yoghurt.


5. Place banana pops in a freezer for at least an hour, serve!

After recently buying Coyo (Coconut Yoghurt) for the first time, I decided to try it in a watermelon-strawberry smoothie. It turned out into a wonderful creamy drink, and since it is made from frozen watermelon, it really is the ultimate thirst quencher for a hot summer day. Coyo is yummy, however, since it is hard to get (I had to go into the city to a specialty store), and expensive (400g = $10!), this is probably more of a rare treat rather than a weekly indulgence. You could probably use coconut cream in place of the yoghurt, or even a soy coconut yoghurt, but you really do want something coconut based, as the coconut flavour really does complement the watermelon and strawberries, making it taste of a tropical paradise!

Serves 2, approx. 10 minutes to make

You will need:

2 cups of frozen watermelon, cut into cubes
1/2 cup of plain Coconut Yoghurt
1/2 cup of chopped strawberries
3/4 cup of coconut water

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses, serve!