The Yoga Plate

SERVES 3–4

This yogurt takes a bit of effort to make, but it is worth the time, and you will cherish and savor every bite. Cracking the coconuts and cleaning out the meat takes the majority of the labor, but with a little practice, you can speed up the process. Most recently, when Victoria timed herself, it took only 20 minutes to clean three coconuts. Not too bad. The health benefits from coconuts are immense. They are antibacterial, antiparasitic, and antifungal. Coconuts are loaded with vitamin E. They increase your energy with medium-chain fatty acids, in addition to improving your digestion and speeding up the healing process when you’re under the weather. Coconut water also contains electrolytes, so it’s particularly beneficial after a workout. And that’s just the short list of coconut’s strengths. Needless to say, this is a very nourishing dish.

2–3 young Thai coconuts

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 capsule or ¼ tsp. probiotic powder

⅛ tsp. vanilla bean powder (optional, but highly recommended)

1 To open the coconuts: Place a coconut on its side. Shave the husks off the top point with a very sharp knife. Whack the sharp edge of the knife around the top of the coconut until you form a circle. Pry it open with a butter knife, pour the coconut water into a glass or jar, and scoop the coconut meat out with a spoon. Rinse the meat well.

2 Place 2 cups coconut meat, maple syrup, and ½ cup coconut water into a high-speed blender and process until smooth. It may take several minutes to get the coconut smooth.

3 Pour the mixture into a medium-size bowl and stir in the probiotic and vanilla bean powders.

4 Cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave out on your counter overnight. In the morning you will have your finished product! You can top with fresh mango and strawberries or berries and granola. The possibilities are endless.

5 Store in an airtight container or mason jars for up to 1 week (if it lasts that long!).

For easy-to-follow visuals on opening a coconut, see the tutorial video “How to Open a Coconut” on Victoria’s The Yoga Plate YouTube channel.