Cooking Veggies - Cashew and Coconut Yoghurt Dressing
Drinking coconut water it seems is de rigueur. But have you ever wondered what happens to all that delicious coconut flesh still left behind in your newly lopped coconut?
Do you even eat it?
I was thinking just that the other day so I wanted to create the perfect recipe using all of the coconut, meat included.
You might be thinking that raw coconut meat contains a large amount of saturated fat, but please don’t let that scare you away! Most of the fat in coconut meat is a medium chain fatty acid, which is broken down a lot faster than long chain fatty acids. As a result, it doesn’t contribute to high cholesterol.
A good thing to remember when it comes to coconuts and all good fats is moderation is the key.
Here are a few good reasons why all of the coconut should be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet…
Coconut meat is fibre rich, with one cup containing 7.2g, which works out to be more than 20% of the recommended daily intake for adults. Fibre is an extremely important inclusion in any diet as it works to lower the risk of heart disease, help prevent cancer, improve digestion and regulate blood sugar levels.
Coconut meat is an excellent source of protein, providing long lasting boosts of energy, which in turn discourages from over-eating and weight gain.
It is high in the trace mineral manganese and coconut meat helps the body to metabolise both fat and protein. Manganese also works to stabilize blood sugar levels and supports the immune and nervous systems.
I like to use young coconut meat in my sauces to thicken them up and provide texture as well as a sweet, coconutty flavour.
You can drizzle cashew and coconut yoghurt dressing on vegetables and salads or even plop it on a slice of GF bread.
It will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for a week.
Cashew Yoghurt Dressing
You can add more coconut water for a runnier dressing
You can use cashew yoghurt on its own or as a dressing for salads and veggies
*Young coconut meat and mature coconut meat differ greatly. Young coconut meat comes from the smooth, green coconut as opposed to the more widely recognized hairy brown mature coconut. The meat in a young coconut has a softer more gelatinous texture.
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