Coconut cream

[Michelle Peake]

Hello, I've searched this forum and the web in general and haven't found an answer on how long is coconut cream, once scooped from can, good for? A week? A month?

[snowflower]

If kept in the refrigerator...I'd say a week or so.

[snowflower]

Oh...you could also freeze it in the portion sizes you want and take out as needed.

You can put dollops on a piece of parchment paper and freeze...then when frozen pop the serving-size dollops into a freezer bag to store.  I do this with tomato paste and kick-ass ketchup from Well Fed.  I'm sure it'd work for coconut cream, as well.

[FrontierGail]

I'm a newbie.  I feel like I'm drowning trying to ease into all this information.  But somewhere in the last few days, probably in the recipe notes, I read that when I make chicken bone broth--that once I strain it--I could put it into ice cube trays and freeze it.  That's working out great, because when I just need a couple of tablespoons, I take out two broth cubes from a ziplock bag.  I suppose you could do the same thing with coconut cream.  I haven't started on the coconut cream issue yet. On day six of my Whole30.  Seems like it's taking hours a day to deal with all this--but I'm figuring out that I could have prepared for this a little better.  I jumped in and purged EVERYTHING from my kitchen that isn't Whole30 compliant (saving a few things for re-introduction) and then spent days driving all over the city and county trying to find all these exotic ingredients.  It's a challenge, but it's a start for something new and better for my health, so I'm all in.  I updated all my spices and bought a few new pans.  And I cleaned out all my kitchen cabinets and took stuff to Goodwill so I could actually get at things I want to use.  I haven't been cooking for several years (I live alone and work from home)--just coasting along on junk.  So this is seriously an improvement.  I got all the books and signed up for Real Plan. Thanks for listening to my random reflection.  I'm just so out of my element. 

[snowflower]

During my first Whole30 3 years ago the food preparation and clean up was totally overwhelming to me.  I felt like I was thinking about food, preparing food, cooking food, or cleaning up food ALL. THE. TIME.  So this is all normal.  Hang in there....it does get easier.

You can freeze almost anything...so if you want to freeze your coconut cream that'll work.

[FrontierGail]

Thanks, Snowflower.  I'm glad to know this is normal and will get easier.  I went to a 4th of July cookout at my brother's yesterday.  He, and especially his wife, are serious foodies and are hard-core Whole30 people--actually, they've moved on to something called Keto, but she cooked Whole30 for my sake yesterday.  My sister-in-law is a nurse and she stops after work and works out most days--so long days. Then she comes home to teenaged boys.  So she offered some great suggestions about keeping things simple.  I sure hope it gets easier.  It's interesting (confounding) to me that although I'm coming from being a sugar addict, I'm not craving sweets.  I was, however, craving a glass of wine last night (there is none and I wouldn't go there).  Anyway, today I'm making the most decadent lemon meringue pie (family recipe) to give to my wonderful middle brother who's delivering a riding lawn mower to me this evening.  But I'm not even worried about the pie.  I just miss peanut butter SOO badly.  

[racheleats]

On ‎7‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 8:02 PM, FrontierGail said:

I'm a newbie.  I feel like I'm drowning trying to ease into all this information.  But somewhere in the last few days, probably in the recipe notes, I read that when I make chicken bone broth--that once I strain it--I could put it into ice cube trays and freeze it.  That's working out great, because when I just need a couple of tablespoons, I take out two broth cubes from a ziplock bag.  I suppose you could do the same thing with coconut cream.  I haven't started on the coconut cream issue yet. On day six of my Whole30.  Seems like it's taking hours a day to deal with all this--but I'm figuring out that I could have prepared for this a little better.  I jumped in and purged EVERYTHING from my kitchen that isn't Whole30 compliant (saving a few things for re-introduction) and then spent days driving all over the city and county trying to find all these exotic ingredients.  It's a challenge, but it's a start for something new and better for my health, so I'm all in.  I updated all my spices and bought a few new pans.  And I cleaned out all my kitchen cabinets and took stuff to Goodwill so I could actually get at things I want to use.  I haven't been cooking for several years (I live alone and work from home)--just coasting along on junk.  So this is seriously an improvement.  I got all the books and signed up for Real Plan. Thanks for listening to my random reflection.  I'm just so out of my element. 

Just an observation, it's totally possible to do a whole30 without all those "exotic" ingredients  Keep it simple and you'd be really surprised at how much a difference just olive oil and a few good spices make. I try to stay away from a lot of the whole30 recipes for that exact reason - I don't have the time/energy/money to go searching out these exotic ingredients for every single meal. Once in a while, yes definitely! For example, last night for dinner I had roasted broccoli (olive oil, salt and pepper), baked sweet potato fries (gym day, same thing olive oil, s&p) and a grilled pork chop I seasoned with garlic salt and some paprika. SO simple, no recipe and no real weird ingredients!

[FrontierGail]

Gee, thanks, Rachel.  Apparently, the approach I've been taking wasn't the "easy" approach.  But I am so disconnected from cooking and meal planning--have been for years.  So I thought all the recipes would make this easier because the ingredients and steps are all laid out for me. I thought (well, I don't really feel very thoughtful) that I could make things easier on myself by just diving into the book.  I am slowly coming to grips with what meal planning and stocking up on groceries that aren't so complicated could be.  Today is day 15 for me.  Yesterday, late in the day, I went outside and sat in a chair under a shade tree to try to "get a grip."  I encountered some horrific computer problems, and when I reached out to my son for help, he was an absolute jerk.  I felt overwhelmed.  This was before lunch.  I started crying and couldn't stop (and I'm a professional educator for graduate students--so you'd think I'd be more rational). When I went outside for awhile in the afternoon, it occurred to me that maybe what was going on was a shift in hormones because of this new eating program.  It was a strange moment (because I was still beside myself--crying like a fool, which I NEVER do).  Today I got up earlier than usual and walked on my treadmill.  I have lots of food in the frig and freezer I'd frozen, so no cooking today.  I have three work meetings (I teach online) and I'm ready for all of them.  So maybe this is starting to make a difference in my body.  I hope so.  I am thankful for those Whole30 day-by-day emails, for the encouragement, the tips, and the commentary on what to expect.  And thanks for your comments.  I have a grill and lots of meat in my freezer I could just throw on the grill, and lots of vegetables I can just steam or microwave for the next few days.  Although I am going to make a sweet potato/coconut soup recipe tomorrow.  I'm enjoying this--now that things are calming down a little.  There so much to get used to.  I work long days, and am on a mission to stock up on every time-saving device I can acquire.  I bought a new Cuisinart food processor (yay, major sale), and a nifty onion chopper, and found a great steel garlic press at the thrift store. I also got some glass storage and microwave containers.  So little by little, the hours a day I've been devoting to this are easing off.  I am so relieved in my mind and spirit because this makes so much sense to me.  Once equipped and organized, and armed with reliable information on how to make this a lifestyle change, it's all worth it and doable.  I'm so happy to be part of the Whole30 community.  Looking forward to years of this! And. . . I'm really surprised that so early on, the craving for sweets has abated--I really didn't expect that.

[racheleats]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 0:18 PM, FrontierGail said:

Gee, thanks, Rachel.  Apparently, the approach I've been taking wasn't the "easy" approach.  But I am so disconnected from cooking and meal planning--have been for years.  So I thought all the recipes would make this easier because the ingredients and steps are all laid out for me. I thought (well, I don't really feel very thoughtful) that I could make things easier on myself by just diving into the book.  I am slowly coming to grips with what meal planning and stocking up on groceries that aren't so complicated could be.  Today is day 15 for me.  Yesterday, late in the day, I went outside and sat in a chair under a shade tree to try to "get a grip."  I encountered some horrific computer problems, and when I reached out to my son for help, he was an absolute jerk.  I felt overwhelmed.  This was before lunch.  I started crying and couldn't stop (and I'm a professional educator for graduate students--so you'd think I'd be more rational). When I went outside for awhile in the afternoon, it occurred to me that maybe what was going on was a shift in hormones because of this new eating program.  It was a strange moment (because I was still beside myself--crying like a fool, which I NEVER do).  Today I got up earlier than usual and walked on my treadmill.  I have lots of food in the frig and freezer I'd frozen, so no cooking today.  I have three work meetings (I teach online) and I'm ready for all of them.  So maybe this is starting to make a difference in my body.  I hope so.  I am thankful for those Whole30 day-by-day emails, for the encouragement, the tips, and the commentary on what to expect.  And thanks for your comments.  I have a grill and lots of meat in my freezer I could just throw on the grill, and lots of vegetables I can just steam or microwave for the next few days.  Although I am going to make a sweet potato/coconut soup recipe tomorrow.  I'm enjoying this--now that things are calming down a little.  There so much to get used to.  I work long days, and am on a mission to stock up on every time-saving device I can acquire.  I bought a new Cuisinart food processor (yay, major sale), and a nifty onion chopper, and found a great steel garlic press at the thrift store. I also got some glass storage and microwave containers.  So little by little, the hours a day I've been devoting to this are easing off.  I am so relieved in my mind and spirit because this makes so much sense to me.  Once equipped and organized, and armed with reliable information on how to make this a lifestyle change, it's all worth it and doable.  I'm so happy to be part of the Whole30 community.  Looking forward to years of this! And. . . I'm really surprised that so early on, the craving for sweets has abated--I really didn't expect that.

There is definitely a learning curve, and the more you do it the better you'll get at it! And I'm so glad that you are being a little less hard on yourself!

[FrontierGail]

Oh my goodness.  I'm on day 27.  I am not having a great day--I live alone and work from home and it seems all I've done for weeks is cook and clean up. I live in a little cottage and I don't have a dishwasher.  I haven't even begun to figure out a way to do anything the easy way.  I'm making recipes and it seems like I mess up everything in the kitchen.  I don't regret any of this--but it is so much work.  But I know it's worth it.  The biggest change for me so far is that I've quit eating at night.  I have been in the habit of eating at night for years, so this is like a miracle to me.  Most of the food I've been preparing has been really great, but you know: there were a few "flops."  So those recipes got thrown out.  I seriously can't get myself to progress to "what's next."  I just figure I'll keep eating close to Whole30 for awhile to ensure these habits STICK.  I am seriously looking forward to one thing: milk!  Starbucks latte.  Just. One.  I'm flipping amazed I could live for weeks without sugar. I'm sticking with the no-sugar paradigm for awhile too. I'm pretty bored with all this by this point--I haven't gone out to eat in weeks (I work from home).  My only exception is my son's birthday.  I'm making him my lemon meringue pie that all my extended family just cry over. I've made 2 since I've been on Whole30 (for brothers) and didn't even touch that.  But I'm going to have one piece of my son's pie.  Also, I can't believe I've gone for weeks without wine.  I've been drinking decaf iced tea. So, slowly but surely.  A new life.  I'm so proud of myself for DOING this!