I know I promised you a recipe using the coconut oil chocolate this week, but when I went to make it I discovered I only had 5 pecans left – the star of the recipe I was planning (I swear this happens to me every time I go to make something, always one ingredient I’m out of). So we’ll both have to wait until next week for that yumminess! But I’ll give you a little hint: its going to be a very caramely week.
So I thought I’d make it up to you with a different chocolate recipe! I hope you like chocolate thickshakes (of course you do!).
Can you tell I’m really into coconut at the moment? 
I tried coconut water a while back from a carton, and I hated it, thought it was disgusting and wondered if everyone had lost their minds thinking it was the best thing ever.
While eating lunch at Mandala Arts Cafe, an amazing organic vegan restaurant that we frequent, I decided to try their coconut water from a real coconut, mostly because I think drinking from a coconut with a straw is fun.
It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever tasted. I made Ash try it and he loved it more than I did (I am amazed at what formerly Mr. Pickly Plain Eater will try and like these days). Ever since we’ve been a little bit obsessed, buying a bunch of coconuts from the health food shop every week and drinking from them, adding them to fruit smoothies, and now making chocolate thickshakes with them.
Whenever either one of us has a headache or feels a little off, we go straight for a coconut water and I find it makes me feel much better fast – try it out for yourself!
Let me talk for a second about how much full fat coconut milk/cream, coconut oil and shredded coconut I use. Yep we eat a lot of coconut fat products, and the more I eat, the more weight I seem to lose – it’s helping my digestive system heal (something coconut is well known for). Fat is essential, and certainly does not make you fat (logically this is a hard pill to swallow, I know).
Eating a ton of coconut cream and oil is likely not the perfect thing for everyone, we are all different and what works for me may not work for you. But I would urge you to experiment with adding different types of fats (coconut cream and oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, flax seed oil) and different quantities of fats. I’ve found that my body loves lots of coconut products, a medium amount of nuts and avocados, and just a little olive oil or flax oil.
Fat is not the enemy, and you need at least a little bit in your diet – so don’t be scared about the coconut milk/cream in this recipe! 
For opening the coconut, I have a little $8 device that drills a hole into the coconut. Then I flip the coconut upside down in the vitamix and let it sit in there and drain the water out. Then you can open the coconut with a butcher knife (have a look on youtube fore some videos) and scoop out the coconut meat (I’m not game enough for this last step – maybe one day!).
- water from one young coconut (about 1½ cups)
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk/cream OR meat from the young coconut
- 3 medjool dates, pitted
- handful baby spinach
- 6 Tbsp cacao powder
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup ice
- Throw everything in a high speed blender and blend until smooth!