Like natural peanut butter or almond butter, the oils in the coconut spread will naturally rise to the top of the jar as it sets. It is also important to understand that this oil will turn to a solid at temperatures cooler than 76 degrees F. Therefore, to use this spread you will want to lightly warm the jar (if it is cool in your home, below 76 degrees) and you will need to stir it with a knife to remix the oils into the paste.

There are absolutely no additives in this coconut spread. It looks like white icing and has a light sweet coconut taste. In fact, you can add a bit of stevia or natural sweetening and make your own natural, low carbohydrate frosting. It mixes well with almond or other nut butters and tastes great on apples or celery. It is shelf-stable without needing preservatives. Other ideas:

• By adding a natural raw sugar and natural chocolate you can make a chocolate frosting.
• By adding dried fruit and "whizzing" it in the blender with a little coconut milk, you can make a delicious fruit spread.
• Some people like to use it in their sauces and spreads for fruit or vegetable salads as it adds the flavor of coconut and will greatly thicken purees.

In Jan London's book, "Coconut Cuisine," she used the coconut spread a great deal in her dishes, along with coconut milk and coconut cream, coconut oil and the freeze dried flakes.

RECIPES

Outrageous Apricot Coconut Spread
from Coconut Cuisine by Jan London

Ingredients

1 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup Coconut Cream
1 tablespoon Coconut Spread (well blended)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Place apricots in the water and let stand for 30 minutes until they soften.
2. Drain and reserve water.
3. In a food processor, puree all the ingredients including the soaking water.
4. If more sweetness is desired add a touch of stevia.

Variations & Notes

This spread is truly outrageous.  Serve with pancakes, or bread, or over puddings or porridge, as pie filling for a pie crust in the raw or simply alone.

Baked Apples
from Coconut Cuisine by Jan London

Ingredients

Apples
a mixture of Coconut Spread, Sesame Tahini, Raisins, cinnamon, and Sea Salt

Directions

1. Remove the core from the apples including the seeds without piercing the bottom of the apple.
2. Fill each apple with the mixture.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes.

Variations & Notes

If you prefer raw foods, try using this as a spread on your fresh apples and other fresh fruits.

Date Nut Treat
from Coconut Cuisine by Jan London

Ingredients

1 large Madjool date
2 Tbsp Coconut Spread, well-blended
2 or 3 Walnut halves, finely chopped Freeze-Dried Coconut

Directions

1. Remove the pit from the date.
2. Dice the date and combine with the chopped walnuts and blend in the coconut spread.
3. Form into 1 or 2 firm balls.
4. Roll the balls in coconut flakes.
5. Refrigerate.

Avocado Spread
from Coconut Cuisine by Jan London

Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 tbsp Coconut Spread
• juice of 1 lemon or to taste
• 2 drops Stevia, clear liquid
• few pinches ground cumin
• Sea Salt

Directions

1. In a bowl, mash avocado pulp with a fork.  Blend in the coconut spread and add the onions
2. In a cup, combine lemon juice with stevia, cumin and sea salt.
3. Combine all ingredients and blend well.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Variations & Notes

Serve as a sandwich with lettuce, sprouts, and tomato, or as a dip for raw vegetables.  Servings: 1-2

Other Spread Ideas

Variations & Notes

Mix 1/2 Coconut Spread and 1/2 any nut butter of your choice (Almond butter is nice, but so is macadamia nut butter, cashew butter and even peanut butter). Use this to spread on apples, in celery, etc. Add Coconut Milk to thin it slightly and use it as a dressing for a fruit or veggie salad, or use as a spread on crackers or toast!

Another product you may be interested in is: Low Temperature Dehydrated Coconut -  Produced from mature coconuts. The white coconut meat is grated into various desired sizes and dried at temperatures below 103 degrees F. It is available in Macaroon/Fine, Medium Flakes, Large shreds and Chips.