Five Ways to Use Coconut Milk
When my husband and I decided to give up dairy, leaving behind cream for my morning coffee was the most difficult. We don’t have any dairy allergies, but we were noticing that when we included dairy in our meals, we didn’t digest as well as we would without. Neither of us liked drinking a glass of milk, so that was easy to leave behind – but it was the coffee cream I just couldn’t shake. When I fell upon this post via pinterest, I knew I had to give it a try. What can I say, one little can of coconut milk has made a huge impact. Not only do I like to use it in my coffee, I love its refreshing taste in smoothies, the moisture it adds to baking, and how delicious it is as a whipped topping for pancakes.
Coconut milk contains electrolytes, lauric acid, antimicrobial lipids and capric acid, which have antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties (source). The saturated fat in coconut is made up of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids the body quickly turns into enegery instead of storing as fat. Therefore, even though it’s high in saturated fat, coconut can aid in weight loss (source)
I buy canned coconut milk by Aroy-D and boxed coconut milk, by Coconut Dream. I always look for Aroy-D because it BPA-Free. Please be careful of using other canned coconut milk, as many canned goods contain BPA. There are also organic canned coconut milks, such as Native Forest Organic (BPA-free), that you can purchase. They are not as widely available, therefore online purchase might be a good option.
So, what can you do with coconut milk? Let’s see…
Five Ways to Use Coconut Milk
- Coffee Cream: Whether you use it straight out of the can to substitute milk in your coffee or chill it overnight and use the coconut fat to whip up an over the top delicious coffee cream, I promise you, you’ll love it! Read how to make coconut coffee cream here.
- Smoothies: Add coconut milk to your smoothie for a creamy, fresh, electrolyte-packed drink. Say goodbye to sports drinks forever!
- For Baking: I’ve used coconut milk to substitute many recipes that call for milk and it’s always turned out great.
- Coconut Ice Cream: It couldn’t be any easier to make. You don’t need an ice cream machine. A blender will do. Try countless variations for a sweet, light, healthy dessert. Read how to make coconut ice cream on this post.
- In Your Bath: Add two cups of full-fat coconut milk to your bath. The after effects: soft, smoothy, glowing skin. Read how to make an at-home spa.
And you can even make your own….
How to make Homemade Coconut Milk
- In a large pot, heat water until near boiling temperature (do not bring to a boil)
- In a blender, add two cups of the hot water and coconut flakes.
- Blend until a creamy consistency is reached.
- Add additional cups of water to blend until all is mixed.
- Pour through a nut milk bag to strain.
- Store in the fridge for 3 days. Enjoy!
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I love discovering all sorts of new ways to use old ingredients.. Especially coconuts! They’re my fav.. Thanks Emily xo
Emily I love coconut milk is really nice to a lot of things!!
I never used it in my bath !
Thank you for visiting us…. les petits pieds canadiens… your blog is so beautiful !
^_^
Céline
what a great list! I have never used it in my bath either, I will be trying that!
I always have coconut milk leftover from cooking! These ideas are awesome – bath? Do not have to tell me twice 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
ooohh a smoothie!! But of course!!
Coconut ice cream is my very favorite, husband and I LOVE it!
Once upon a time i actually through out three cans of coconut milk in a row because I thought they had gone bad…now I know it’s just the cream on the top and it’s the BEST bit! I’ve never tried it in coffee though…interesting!
Love this post! We use coconut milk in our smoothies, and I’ve been substituting it for real milk in my toddler’s cup and he doesn’t know the difference! I think the hardest thing for me to give up would be cheese. I love it too much!
Great ideas for coconut milk EMily! Coconut milk is pretty much a storecupboard essential for me, especially since I cook a lot of south east asian food, which brings me to one major use that you’ve missed: CURRY!
i also only use aroy-d! I never knew other people were also aware of this brand. Here I can get boxed aroy d coconut milk, so I tend to use that.
I love coconut milk! I am going to check out the ice cream recipe, it sounds tasty.
Will coconut milk be good for my cat. If so how do I use it.
Hi Marion, although it wouldn’t be toxic to your cat – it’s not the best choice, since there are oils and fats in coconut milk that might upset your cat’s digestive system. I would speak with someone at a pet store about specific options for your cat. Thank you for reading!
i made a chia pudding with coconut milk this weekend – it is not something i buy often. I am intrigued about all that can be done with it!
Thanks for the idea – I have half a can left over of the milky part that I’m going to now try in the bath. I shake the cans and try to buy those with the least water. The cream is delicious with berries – better than ice cream.