No-coconut zone

[vwpalmer]

So many of the recipes call for coconut milk or other coconut products and I cannot abide the smell or taste of coconut - even strongly scented tanning lotion makes my stomach heave a little.  I also DETEST any form of curry (too much exposure to it as a child),  So what can I use instead of coconut and alternatives to the many curry containing dishes in the Whole 30 recipes?  I've been Paleo (with small amounts of heavy cream and butter) since Lent started in March, but looking for ways to continue to make it a long term way of living, not a "diet".  I'm also not fond of a lot of hot peppers in any of my food.

[Carlaccini]

I have found that it is only many of the curry dishes that contain coconut milk.  You could try making your own almond milk and using that as an alternative.  Although I can't see it thickening up that much.

 

In terms of coconut oil - you could use any other oil/fat as a substitute here.  Just because a recipe calls for coconut oil doesn't mean that is what you have to use.You can use ghee (or clarified butter), duck fat, bacon fat, red palm oil, all for cooking.  Avocado and oil oils for finishing oils or salad dressings.

 

Also - FYI - there are coconut oils on the market that quite litterally have no flavour.  They usually are more refined.  But one brand I use is Spectrum. It has no taste and no smell.  I have no problem with coconut oil per se but I am not a big fan of scrambled eggs tasting of coconut. 

 

I have also found out through experience that using coconut milk doesn't really give any coconut taste.  It actually helps blend and meld flavours really well.  However I am not highly sensitive to coconut.  But it might be worth a try at least once.

[vwpalmer]

I have such a strong aversion to coconut that I don't even want to try it in food lest I waste the other ingredients, and we won't even mention putting it in my morning tea. Maybe it's irrational, but like the thought of eating liver or kidneys it makes my stomach roil.

[jent103]

I also hate coconut and curry powder. So... I don't eat them. Tons of options without. As Carla said, you can sub ghee or well-sourced lard or tallow if you need a saturated fat to replace coconut oil. I've been eating this way for over a year and it's not occurred to me to make a curry!

 

I do use coconut milk and coconut flour very occasionally - for example, a chicken nugget recipe that I have calls for coconut milk and egg to bind the coconut flour "breading" to the chicken. This does not taste at all like coconut to me, though when I fried the chicken in coconut oil it definitely did, so now I use other fats instead.

 

As far as the tea goes, if you drink black tea and can't stomach the idea of not putting something in it, maybe try switching to herbal or infused teas? I had a (compliant) vanilla bean-infused black tea that came in handy when I started my Whole30.

[Carlaccini]

If you are looking to bread things - just regular egg wash + seasoned almond flour works well.  I use coconut flour only for outside whole 30 paleo baking.  

[little mighty]

A little late to this convo...but I digress.

 

You could try making a thick nut milk and using that in place of coconut milk. Soak cashews, almonds, or other neutral nut/seed in water for a few hours or overnight, then drain and add to your blender with just enough water to get it to blend at first, then add more until it's the consistency of coconut milk or whipping cream. It might not thicken as well as coconut milk in things like curries, but adding a little arrowroot or tapioca starch (both of which I believe are compliant) to the dish can solve that problem. Bonus: you can also use this in your coffee/tea!