Coconut Water Vinegar

Tomato Basil and Feta Salad

photo by recipe author

Servings: 8, 1 cup servings
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
4 cups fresh tomatoes, sliced or chopped (cherry, roma, or heirloom)
4 cups sliced cucumbers
2 green or yellow bell peppers
6 tablespoons feta cheese
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons coconut water vinegar
salt and ground pepper to taste

Roll basil leaves and cut into strips. In a large mixing bowl, combine basil, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and feta.

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil and coconut water vinegar.

Drizzle dressing, add salt and pepper, and toss salad.

Recipe and photo by Orissa. Submit your recipes and photos here for a chance to win $50!

Featured Product

Raw Coconut Water Vinegar. Buy it here!

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Water Vinegar is truly unique and is the first of its kind in the US market! Most vinegars are clear because they are distilled and originally made from white sugar. Our Organic Coconut Water Vinegar is not distilled, but raw. It contains the mother of vinegar. In the Philippines most all commercial vinegars are distilled, and the “coconut vinegars” are not made from the nutrient-packed coconut water from inside the coconut, but from the sap of the coconut tree which is used to make lambanog, an alcoholic drink similar to vodka. These “coconut vinegars” are by-products of the lambanog industry. To make these products, one must harvest the sap of the coconut tree from the coconut flower bud, which would normally become a fruit-bearing coconut. Hence, trees dedicated to harvesting the sap for lambanog and the more common coconut vinegar will never produce coconuts.

Tropical Traditions does NOT support coconut products that prevent coconut trees from bearing fruit (this would include “coconut sugar” harvested from the flowering bud of the coconut tree.) Coconut trees in the Philippines have been on the decline for decades, and the coconut oil from coconuts is also now valued as a fuel source in bio-diesel production, resulting in less coconut oil availability as a food source each year. Vinegar made from coconut water, however, does not sacrifice coconuts or coconut oil in its production, as it is collected from mature coconuts which are used to make coconut oil, and the same trees can continue producing coconuts year after year.

Tropical Traditions is the first company to make a truly organic product from the water of organic coconuts which is raw and fermented with fair-trade organic Muscabado whole cane sugar. This is one of the most nutrient-packed and healthiest vinegars you will find anywhere in the world!

Buy it here!

Salt n’ Vinegar Kale Chips

photo by recipe author

Servings: 2-4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

1 bunch kale
4 tablespoons Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
2 teaspoons Raw Coconut Water Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Rinse and remove stem from kale. Pat dry with towel. Tear into large 2-3″ pieces since they shrink a lot when dehydrated.

Place kale “chips” in a large bowl and add coconut oil. Massage oil into all areas of every leaf. Add vinegar and toss to coat each “chip.” Add salt and toss again to coat each “chip” evenly.

Place “chips” on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate for 6 hours at 115° F.

Recipe by Lynelle. Photo by Orissa. Submit your recipes and photos here for a chance to win $50!

Gluten Free Wild Blackberry and Rhubarb Pie

photo by recipe author

Servings: 10-12
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Never Fail Pie Crust:

2 cups gluten free flour blend*
1/2 tablespoon sugar (or honey)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon coconut water vinegar
1/4 cup lukewarm water
3/4 cup cold coconut oil or palm shortening, divided

Filling:

3 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup gluten free flour blend*
2 tablespoons coconut milk**
1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, vinegar and water. Cut in about 2/3 cup cold coconut oil or shortening into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly.

Pour in egg mixture and mix until dough ball forms. Add more water or flour to get desired dough texture. Divide dough in half. Place dough ball onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough until about 1/4″ thick.

Gently lay pie crust into a 9″ pie plate. Reserve the remaining dough for the top of the pie. After pie has been filled, roll out remaining dough and cut as desired for topping: lattice, whole, shapes, etc.

Combine berries, rhubarb, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Pour into uncooked pie crust. Add remaining 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil or shortening on top of berries in little pieces. Top with remaining pie crust if desired. Brush top of pie with coconut milk.

Bake at 350 °F for about 50 minutes. Filling should be bubbly and crust should be slightly brown. If edges of pie start to brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Let pie cool about 10-20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Note: Got leftover pie crust? Form together and roll out again on a floured surface. Cut or shape as desired. Place crust pieces on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 °F for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy with home made ice cream. Recipe here.

*Gluten Free Flour Mix:

Makes 3 cups

2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Mix all ingredients together and use as directed.

**For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Courtney from Columbus, KS won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here!

Shredded Zucchini Salad with Coconut Water Vinegar

photo by recipe author

Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

1/2 pound zucchini or summer squash, grated or shredded
1 tablespoon mint, chopped
1 tablespoon dill, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 tablespoon coconut water vinegar
1 tablespoon raw honey
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped nuts of choice, optional
1 tablespoon dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled

Shred zucchini and place in clean towel and squeeze dry.

Put zucchini, mint, dill, and green onions in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Combine bowls and then add nuts, cranberries, cheese and lightly toss. If bolder flavors are desired, add more dill, mint, lemon and garlic.

Chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight before serving, if desired, to allow flavors to optimize. It is just as tasty when served immediately.

Cheryl from Carbondale, IL won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here!

Asian Pesto Sauce

photo by recipe author

Servings: 4 to 6

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes

handful of cleaned mint, about 1/2 cup leaves
handful of cleaned cilantro, about 1/2 cup leaves
handful of cleaned basil, about 1/2 cup leaves
1 tablespoon coconut water vinegar, use two tablespoons if not using atchara
2 tablespoons atchara, optional
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic
zest and juice of one lime
quarter size of ginger cleaned and finely chopped, or 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 seeded hot pepper, optional
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of hot sauce, optional

Clean herbs and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients and puree. Adjust seasoning for spice if needed.

This sauce is great as a dip for grilled meats or veggies, or mixed with mayonnaise for a sandwich spread.

Cheryl from Carbondale, Illinois won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here!

Fried Potato Cakes

Fried Potato Cakes (photo by recipe author)

Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 20 to 30 minutes

Potato mixture:

2 cups leftover cold mashed potatoes
1 egg (if small eggs use 2)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/8 cup choice of milk or sour cream
1-2 teaspoons fresh or dried chopped/flakes parsley
1-2 teaspoons fresh or dried chopped chives
1 cup flour*
1/2 cup cornmeal

Flour coating #1: (step 1)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Mix and add to bowl or plate big enough to use. Set aside.

Milk bath: (step 2)

1 1/2 cups of milk of choice
1 egg
1 tablespoon Tropical Traditions coconut water vinegar

Mix together making sure the egg is mixed in well & use a bowl large enough to dunk potato cakes in. Set aside./p>

FFlour coating #2: (step 3)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup of cornmeal
Optional 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 2 tsp. each of parsley & chives

Mix and add to bowl or plate big enough to use. Set aside./p>

Combine all the ingredients from the potato mixture and mix well; you want almost the consistency of play dough. If still to sticky or wet mix in more flour 1/4 a cup at a time.

Heat shortening in a large skillet. Shape a small amount of potato mixture to form a small ball and then smash it out flat – 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, making it about the size of a cut tomato slice around.

With step 1 flour coating, and lightly coat potato cake and dunk in milk mixture, making sure to do this step fast but getting both sides wet.

Add potato cake to step 3 flour coating and press both sides into mixture making sure to cover well.

Add to hot palm Shortening to cook (depending on your stove you might need to cook on med, med/hi or hi) Make sure oils not to hot that it burns, you want the first side golden brown in about 2 to 3 minutes. then flip & cook another minute to 3 minutes, potato cakes are done when they float, we simply add them to a cookie sheet sideways as pictured.

*Flour recommendations: whole wheat, einkorn, or gluten free flour mixture.

Cheree from Allons, TN just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

Roast Chicken with Coconut Peanut Butter Sauce

Prepared by Sarah Shilhavy, Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Roast Chicken:

1 whole chicken
Salt & pepper
1 bunch fresh rosemary
4 lemons, 2 halved, 2 quartered
3 heads garlic, cut in half crosswise
6 tablespoons butter, melted (you can also use part or all coconut oil)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove packet of chicken giblets and rinse chicken inside and out. Place chicken in a roasting pan or 9×13 glass baking pan and pat all over with paper towel to dry.

Generously salt and pepper inside of chicken. Stuff with a few sprigs of the rosemary, the 2 lemon halves, and 2 garlic halves. Brush outside all over with melted butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the lemon quarters and remaining garlic halves around the chicken.

Roast chicken for approximately 1 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices every now and then once it is halfway through cooking.

Serve chicken with the roasted garlic and coconut peanut butter sauce.

While the chicken is roasting, prepare the sauce.

Coconut Peanut Butter Sauce:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water
4 tablespoons organic fermented soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons coconut water vinegar
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

Place coconut peanut butter and hot water in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour to allow flavors to develop.

Recipe courtesy Sarah Shilhavy

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