Raw Coconut-Creamsicle Smoothie - Fight that Cold & Cough!

I hope all of you are having a healthy winter so far.  Everywhere I go I hear people coughing and/or talking about being on antibiotics.  So far, I have been staying healthy this winter.  I have been focusing on a lot more raw foods and making sure I get plenty of green barley juice to strengthen my immune system.  I bought a big beautiful coconut and decided to create two recipes from it.  I am posting my original creation - Raw Coconut-Creamsicle Smoothie today and will post my recipes for chocolate pudding on Wednesday.  Both these recipes can be made from one coconut.  Having colds in mind, I tried to combine ingredients in this smoothie that will help you to recover quickly and relieve symptoms of your cold or flu. Read all the health information below and you will be amazed at what the ingredients will do to help you.  If you have never opened a young coconut, it is extremely easy and fun.  You can buy young coconuts at the health food store or at an Asian market.  At the Asian markets you can buy inexpensive (under $10.00) a cleaver knife that will help you to open the coconut. First wash your coconut. I then grab the cleaver with my right hand and hit the coconut with the lower edge of the knife all around the top of the coconut (see picture below), until it starts to break open. Keep your left hand out of the way while you are doing this. You then lift the lid you have created, pour out the coconut water, and scrape out all the young coconut meat with a spoon. Some people like to remove some of the outer shell of the coconut before starting to hit it with the cleaver, but I actually skipped this step and it opened right up for me.  Once I remove the coconut meat, I usually rinse the pieces to remove any part of the shell.  I was able to get about 2 1/2 cups of coconut water and about 1 good sized cup of coconut meat from my young coconut, but this varies with the size of your coconut.  When picking out your coconut make sure the coconut has a hard bottom, as few imperfections as possible and when you shake it, you don't hear any water moving around.  This means you have a nice sealed and sterile coconut. You will use the coconut water in your smoothies and the the coconut meat for the chocolate pudding recipe I am posting on Wednesday. I hope you enjoy the recipes and are staying healthy!!  Make sure you get enough rest every night and stay away from refined foods.

Young Coconut Water is an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, which means you can help reduce the effect of colds, and the flu by drinking it. This drink is high in potassium. Potassium is our central electrolyte which regulates so many of the bodily functions. Drinking coconut water will certainly help your potassium levels providing 294 mg per serving.You will also be amazed to know that through drinking one cup of coconut water, you'll receive over 2.5 grams of fiber.

Pineapple has Bromelain - The "Magic" Ingredient Found Only in Pineapples and Papayas
This tropical fruit is just one of two fruits found on the planet that contains Bromelain. Pineapple juice contains an enzyme called Bromelain. It's health benefits are numerous:
1. It's effective in reducing the body aches and pains you may feel when you have a cold.
2. Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory. It kills bad bacteria and fights infections. Drinking pineapple juice when you have a cold will help soothe and heal a sore throat and reduce swollen glands.
3. Pineapple juice helps to thin mucus and congestion so your body can expel it easier. The bromelain helps calm annoying coughs as well.
4. Drink pineapple juice when you have a cold and it will help settle a nauseous stomach.
5. Pineapple juice has also been used to treat other respiratory ailments such as bronchitis, hay fever, asthma and pneumonia.

Mandarin Oranges - The USDA tested mandarins from 10 different micro climates in Placer County and found that they contain six to seven times the amount of synephrine, a naturally occurring decongestant, than other citrus fruits.

Lemon has been used as a medicinal treatment since the days of ancient Rome. Lemon juice has been used as a cold remedy for ages. The lemon contains over eighty percent of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C. This is from the juice of one lemon! Vitamin C has been shown to boost the immune system. When more white blood cells are present to fight infection, the life of the offending virus is cut short.

Bananas are high in magnesium, a mineral that may help fight off colds and flu.  Stress hormones drain magnesium from the immune systems cells and impair their ability to fight off viral invaders.

The young Thai coconut I purchased! Beautiful white coconut meat and lots of water.

Save your coconut meat and use it for your chocolate pudding. Watch for recipe this week.

 Raw Coconut-Creamsicle Smoothie
Printable Recipe
Serves 2

1 cup young coconut water
2 lemons (juiced)
1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 banana
3 mandarin oranges (peeled)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup ice


Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy!!