Dairy Free Coconut “Yogurt” and Berry Vanilla Chia Jam

For the longest time, I ate yogurt for breakfast thinking that I was doing the “right thing.” What I didn’t realize, was that most of the “healthy yogurt” I was eating was not only filled with sugar, it was also causing me some unwanted side effects.

Stomach pains
Gas
Cramping
PMS
Acne
Puffy face
Weight gain

I had an intolerance to dairy, not realizing that the exact food I was eating to be healthy, was actually causing some of my most nagging health challenges.

If you can relate, be sure to check out Jo’s blog post on How to Identify If You’ve Got a Dairy Sensitivity.

The commercials tell us that yogurt is a healthy, fat free, high protein choice – the “perfect snack” to be exact. However, if you look a little closer you’ll find that one serving of flavored yogurt accounts for more than the recommended amount of daily sugar.

Take a look:

Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt = 26 grams of sugar
Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Blueberry = 24 grams of sugar
Organic Stonyfield French Vanilla = 29 grams of sugar

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are:

Men: 37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons of sugar per day
Women: 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar per day

And by the way, fat is what gives food flavor, so don’t be fooled by the fat free fad of the 90s. In the case of yogurt, the food manufacturers add in more sugar and additives in place of the fat, and it’s actually these additions that are making us fat, not the fat.

Today we’ve whipped up a healthy alternative to dairy and all store-bought yogurts. Be sure to grab the recipe below and don’t miss the homemade Berry Vanilla Chia Jam and Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble topper. This is cleanse-friendly and sure to be all-star family favorite.

With love and better choices,

Dairy Free Coconut “Yogurt”

Yield: 2 servings

Note: We recommend making the jam first to allow time for it cool while making the yogurt and crumble.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. (2 packets) frozen fresh young coconut puree, thawed
• ½ cup coconut water, to thin as necessary
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
In a high speed blender place coconut puree, vanilla extract, and ¼ cup coconut water. Blend on high adding more coconut water as necessary to get the mixture to a Greek yogurt type consistency. Add to a bowl and top with Berry Vanilla Chia Jam and Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble.

Berry Vanilla Chia Jam

Yield: 1 pint

Ingredients:

• 1 LB. fresh berries such as raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries
• 3 TB. organic honey, or to taste depending on how sweet the berries are
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 2 TB. chia seeds
• Juice of ¼ lemon

Instructions:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat place berries, vanilla bean, and honey. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the juice from the berries has thickened slightly. Add the chia seeds and lemon juice and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has a jam like consistency. It will continue to thicken slightly after cooling so keep that in mind when deciding on a final texture.

Coconut Hemp Seed Crumble

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3 TB. large flake coconut
• 2 TB. hemp seeds
• Pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Instructions:
In a small skillet over medium heat melt coconut oil. Add honey and stir to combine. Add coconut flakes and hemp seeds and toast until golden stirring constantly. Remove from heat and toss with Himalayan sea salt. Let cool and use as a topping for your “yogurt” and chia bowl.