Berry Coconut Elixer

This is one of my new favorite drinks of all time. When I originally tried coconut water I couldn't stand it, it tasted like elmers glue water... then I figured out how to buy fresh coconuts and open them correctly and I came to find that I loved the water in smoothies, just not alone. The first time I had this smoothie a miracle insued. Within a few minutes after drinking the last drop a rush of energy cascaded over me. I never would have imagined how hydrating and electrically charged coconut water really was! Fresh, raw, young thai coconut water is all it's cracked up to be. And that is coming from a former sceptic :-)

"Coconuts are one of the greatest gifts on this planet. No matter where you are, what you have done, how much you have mistreated your body, fresh young coconuts and coconut oil can save your life. The coconut is a natural water filter that takes almost nine months to filter each liter of water in the shell. To get there the water levitates upward through innumerable fibers that purify it before it ends up in the sterile nut. This clear water is one of the highest sources of electrolytes found in nature. Young coconut water is identical to human blood plasma, making it the universal donor..."

-David Wolfe

Here is a movie of one of my favorite plant-based chefs, Diana Stobo. Watch her open a coconut!

I suggest drinking this a half hour before or after you work-out. This is a perfect whole foods replacement for gator-ade and other sports drinks. This would also probably help you re-hydrate a sick child instead of pedia-light popsicles and soda pop (as my family used to do for me when I was sick). Try changing out the fruit for variety or occassionaly using coconut water as the base of your green smoothie instead of plain filtered water. Getting coconuts in a bulk flat (about nine) from an Asian Food Market is how I get mine very cheap and fresh. Look online, there are dozens of vidoes showing how to open coconuts. It has become as easy for me as peeling an orange. And the meat freezes beautifully, you can make your own coconut cream in the blender for curries, cream sauces, yogurt etc.  The upside of doing this is that it is cheap ($1.50 per coconut if you buy the flat) and you don't get any BPA, or acidity from the canned product.

Berry Coconut Elixer
Ingredients:
1 cup Young Thai Coconut Water
1 cup Creamy Almond Milk
1/4 cup Young Coconut Meat
1 cup Organic Antioxidant Berry Mix (or a mixture of strawberries and raspberries)
1 Frozen Banana

Instructions:
Open the coconut with a mallet and drain the water into your blender. Scrape out the meat of the coconut and freeze whatever portion you don't need for later. Add the other ingredients and blend well. Add water or ice as needed.

This Antioxidant blend is the best I have found, hands down. It contains: frozen tart cherries, blueberries, pomegranate arils, red raspberries and strawberries.

I got this huge bag from Costco for $10.

TIP: For maximum sweetness and flavor, freeze your bananas when they get black spots on them. Eat ripe fruit, it will be at its peak of flavor and sweetness. Its easy, peel them, cut them in half and freeze in a big bag. Be sure you have a high quality freezer set very cold, otherwise they will go brown.