Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Soggy, strangely sweet, and topped with bland tofu, my first experience with coconut rice was terrible. It was also my first experience with tofu, and that probably didn’t help. Being seven years old didn’t really lean in my favor, either. I remember picking at my bowl and barely eating, even though the rule in our family was “you eat this now or you go hungry.” 

I eventually learned to like tofu, but managed to steered clear of coconut rice for twenty years, traumatized by that experience. So, I’m not really sure what possessed me one day in February when I decided to make my own coconut rice. I shocked myself further when, halfway through the first bowl I thought, needs more coconut, and served myself seconds. 

It turns out, I love coconut rice. That first sample was far too long ago for me to remember what was wrong with it. But, now I find myself on quite the coconut rice kick — it’s the perfect side for Thai dishes. 

All you need is rice, water, coconut milk and a sprinkle of salt. I find that the salt is necessary because it keeps it savory rather than sweet. In other applications, maybe you would want to swing more sweet and in that case you could skip the salt.

Of course, cooking it in an Instant Pot is also key, which is the only way I cook rice because it’s fool proof and SO EASY. (I’m a home cook that tends to get distracted, or maybe just tried to juggle too many things at once. Cooking rice on the stove is a gamble: Will she burn it this time? But cooking rice in the Instant Pot is right on the mark every time, no matter how many other things I’m trying to do.)

Instant Pot Coconut Rice goes wonderfully with this Thai Basil Beef, or any stir fry, really.

Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Published April 24, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood    

Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups jasmine rice 
• 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 pinches salt 
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut
• Minced cilantro or green onions for garnish

Directions:

1. Add rice, coconut milk, water, and salt to Instant Pot and set to Rice setting with the vent turned to the sealed position. Timer should be set for 12 minutes.
2. When timer goes off, open vent to release pressure. Serve hot topped with minced cilantro/green onions and/or toasted coconut.

Power Cookies

Last night, the snow fell as over-sized flakes and we tried to catch them on our tongues, like we were 5 years old. Just two days ago, I was in a tank top looking for a mountain bike trail. This is Colorado springtime.

These Power Cookies enjoy all sorts of outings and fare well through all sorts of weather: throw them in your day bag for a hike, or munch on them while riding the ski lift. They are jam-packed with ingredients to give you energy. Peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips (how could I not include chocolate chips?) pecans, and coconut.

Why is it called a “Power Cookie?”

This cookie recipe sits somewhere between granola bar and cookie. But if you've ever made granola bars you know that they call for a lot (a lot a lot) of sugar in the form of honey, maple syrup, or (usually) rice syrup. That syrup is all there is to hold everything together. And don't get me wrong -- it's delicious! And there are some genius recipes that don’t call for quite as much sugar. But many have so much sugar, they are far too sweet for me. THESE cookies get the help of an egg, peanut butter and some almond meal, which helps them stick together without half as much syrup. YES: more whole foods, less processed syrup. So, it’s a power-bar slash cookie, making the final results a Power Cookie.

These Power Cookies are really inspired by my dad, who was the first person I knew to make a "energy cookie." He had a recipe similar to this on top of his fridge, in an over-stuffed manila folder. When I started baking a lot on my own (some time in high school), Power Cookies were one of the things I would make. This recipe is different -- the original is lost to me - but similar enough to be given the name "Power Cookies." 

Hope you enjoy, whether you take them on an adventure or eat them right here at your computer, while they're still warm! (They are good either way — you do not need to be out and about to enjoy these. They make a GREAT mid-afternoon power up when you start feeling that 3pm slump, and since they are not so syrup-heavy, they keep you going longer, with real nutrients).

Power Cookies

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 24 cookies   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup nut butter (try peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter)
• 1/4 cup honey 
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional - the cinnamon flavor comes through, so if you do not like cinnamon, skip it!) 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup rolled oats 
• 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the nut butter, honey, butter, eggs, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth.
3. Add optional cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl, and beat into wet ingredients until incorporated.
4. Now, add the rolled oats, coconut, almond flour, and mix until a stiff batter forms. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold the chocolate chips and pecans into the batter.
5. Scoop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto a cookie sheet fitted with parchment. Cookies will not spread as they bake, so flatten them slightly with the back of a spoon.
6. Place in center wrack of oven and bake for 8-12 minutes. Cookies will be golden on the edges, but still soft—they will continue to set as they cool. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Cara Cara Orange Salsa

There are days I plan dinner from the moment I wake up. The way the ingredients will feel as I chop them, the way they all come together, and the way they'll taste when finally on my fork. And then there are the days when I have no plan at all. On our drive home Oliver asks, "What’s for dinner?" and it catches me by surprise as if I didn’t know dinner was happening that day. I find this happens the most when I’m busy, the days I have the least time to day dream about recipes.

These are always the days I can’t fit a grocery run in. Instead, I focus on one ingredient that I know we have. In this case, it was frozen mahi-mahi fillets. Then, with mahi-mahi as the muse, I brainstorm recipes. Fish tacos? But we don’t have tortillas. Or salsa. Or cheese. Fish curry? When was the last time I bought coconut milk? Coconut. I have coconut, I thought as I remembered the pink bag of coconut buried with other baking supplies in the pantry.

This is how the pieces fall together. Sometimes it’s a disaster. Other times it’s happy coincidence, like it was meant to be. Like it had been planned. That’s how I first discovered this meal. A win; happy coincidence. I have since made this quite a few times—even planned on making it several times after the one happy coincidence.

The toasted coconut on the outside gives the flaky fish a crispy finish, and while you could probably use whatever fruit salsa you want, the citrus from the cara cara oranges cuts through the fish and coconut, balancing out the dish. Avocado brings it all together (like avocado so often does).

The other wonderful thing about mahi-mahi is that it cooks quite fast — just 10-12 minutes in the oven. And while the oven is doing it’s thing, you can be prepping the salsa. SO while this dinner has an “ooh, wow, pretty” effect on the eyes it’s really not going to take you much time to through together.

Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Cara Cara Orange Salsa

Published March 20, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 4 four-ounce fillets mahi-mahi (if frozen, thaw first)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free flour (try cassava flour, or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup desiccated shredded coconut
• 1 egg

For the salsa:
• 2 cara cara oranges
• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set pan aside.
2. Place three bowls on the counter. In the first, whisk flour and salt. In the second, whisk egg until yellow and frothy. In the last, place the coconut.
3. Coat one fish fillet at a time: first, dip it in the flour, coating all sides. Shake off access. Now, place the fillet in the egg, coating each side in egg and then letting excess drip off. Finally, place the fish in the coconut, flipping it over to coat each side. Now, place fillet on prepared baking sheet.
4. Repeat step three until each fillet is coated. Then, bake fish for 10-12 minutes, until it is flakey and opaque (check thickest fillet with a fork).
5. While the fish cooks, prep the salsa: segment oranges (here is a good way to do that). Dice segmented oranges, and place in small mixing bowl. Dice the avocado, and add it to the bowl along with the minced jalapeño and cilantro, and the lime juice. Stir.
6. To serve: place fish on serving plates (I served over a bed of arugula, for more greens) and spoon salsa over top.