How to Make Coconut Water Kefir (w/ boxed coconut water)

I've always wanted to try coconut kefir but the thought of carting home a case of young coconuts home on the subway was not very encouraging. I decided to try making it with boxed coconut water and it totally worked! I used the ZICO brand because I saw that it didn't contain any extra additives so I'm not sure if other brands will work...

So first you dump the entire container (1 liter) of coconut water into a glass jar. Make sure the coconut water and the jar are room temperature.

Next, add in the powder from two probiotic capsules

This could totally be in a photography gallery! I've never seen such a professional looking picture of pills....

Be sure that your probiotic capsules contain "lactobacillus acidophilus" bacteria.

Stir in the powder and screw on the jar lid tightly. Place in a warm environment for 1 1/2 - 2 days and make sure it's warm, I tried just putting it on the counter and it didn't work (I ended up putting it on a heat register with a towel over it to keep the heat in). You will know it's ready when it becomes significantly cloudy.

Store in the refrigerator and enjoy with meals to aid digestion and get a hefty dose of probiotics!

Drink up me hearty yo ho!....

The boxed coconut water is not as "fresh" so the kefir will be a more yellow-y colour (it was even yellow-ish in the beginning), but it's just as fizzy in my opinion! You'll know it's done when it tastes like beer and no longer contains the subtle sweetness coconut water is famous for.

This is such a powerful drink! Click HERE to read all the amazing benefits of coconut kefir!

Also check out our EBOOK if you're looking for more fizzy recipes

Buckwheat Granola w/ Stevia (Vegan, GF)

I was on a mission. Oh yes. Candida friendly granola. This granola was very crunchy, I repeat, VERY CRUNCHY. It was more like grape nuts, the buckwheat didn't cluster with the quinoa puffs. It was still very yummy with the cinnamon and stevia. You could use this for topping yogurt, smoothies, I made our Sunbutter Chocolate Bars and added the granola in for crunchiness, it was so incredibly good! You can get quinoa puffs in any health food store. If you don't like quinoa, try any puffed grain. Also, if you don't have chia, ground flax would work as well. 

1 1/2 cups soaked buckwheat
3 cups quinoa puffs
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
25-30 drops vanilla stevia
1 heaping tbsp ground chia seeds mixed with 1/3 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt


Preheat oven to 325 F. Bake soaked buckwheat for about 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet (to dry out a bit) unless you didn't soak yours. Combine buckwheat, quinoa puffs, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Make chia mixture, mix in stevia and coconut oil. Mix into dry mixture. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 min, stirring around periodically to prevent burning. Makes enough granola for 4 bowls of cereal. 

Curried Pea Mash (Vegan, GF)

This is probably the silliest thing we've posted to date, and yes another puree. This was made during one of those times when inspiration hits and you just can't help yourself! This pea-cauliflower mash is sooo soo good, I know it's extremely simple but simple is good right? For some reason peas, curry, coconut oil and cauliflower just go amazingly together. You have to try it out for yourself to really understand where we're coming from with this little recipe. Make this and I guarantee you will want to make it again the next day, or maybe even the next hour :P.

1/2 a head of cauliflower (can be frozen)
1/2 cup green peas (can be frozen)
1 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 tsp curry powder (or to taste)
Salt and Pepper, to taste


Boil water and steam cauliflower until tender, then add peas and steam until peas are cooked through. In a blender, combine cauliflower, peas and rest of ingredients. Makes 2 side dish servings.


I've made this four times, it's becoming a frequent staple :)

Samosa Quinoa Bowl (Vegan, GF)

We try to eat as much quinoa as we can, I purchased some pre-rinsed quinoa which convinces me to make it even if I don't feel like it. Gotta use it up! We love samosas and indian food has a special place in our hearts. And we haven't even considered making gluten-free vegan samosas but after making this dish we are adding it to our list :) This is a rather easy meal that can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, the flavours will only get better with time. Love how turmeric makes everything so yellow and bright!

Sunshine Samosa City!

1 cup dry quinoa, cooked
1/4 an onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium potato
1/3 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
2 1/2 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional, for colour)
1 tsp ground mustard seed
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt, to taste

Cut potato into small chunks and coat with coconut oil, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet or in roasting pan. Roast until tender. You could also boil them if you'd prefer. Heat a frying pan to medium-low, cooks onions and garlic until onions are translucent. While you're doing this you could be cooking the quinoa. Add more oil into onion pan, add the cooked potatoes. Add in all of the spices except for turmeric. Cook spices for a minute or so. Add into the pot of cooked quinoa. Season with salt and turmeric, add in peas and put a lid over quinoa in order for the flavours to infuse. Drizzle olive oil and stir in. Serves 2 main dishes or 4 side dishes.