Raw Coconut Nectar approved!

I love finding new “superfoods” to try, so when I was wandering along the natural food section at our local grocery store this weekend, I shrieked with joy when I came across this.

Raw coconut nectar? This is definitely something I did not hesitate to put in my cart. I knew absolutely nothing about it, and wasn’t even aware it existed. And with an ingredient list that simply reads, "Raw Coconut Sap grown without chemicals, pesticides or herbicides," I thought, "What the heck?"

I went home and started doing a little research. Apparently, raw coconut nectar is better nutritionally than agave nectar? Ok, let me do so more research on this.

Apparently there is only one brand available, since it’s the only brand I’ve seen on everything I’ve searched. Here are some of the reviews:

Coconut Nectar is raw, unprocessed and naturally sweet, making it a great, nutritionally superior alternative to agave syrup! This Raw Coconut Nectar is:

• Raw processed - no heat, no chemicals
• Full of 17 amino acids, minerals, Vitamin C, broad spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH
• Organically grown - certification pending
• Low Glycemic - rating of 35
• FREE of gluten and dairy
• Vegan

The first thing I used it for was as a sweetener for my salad dressing.

2 T red wine vinegar
1 T Olive Oil
1 tsp. whole grain, unsalted mustard
2 tsp. Coconut nectar

Yum. The coconut nectar is thick, more like a syrup…thicker than agave nectar. It doesn’t taste like coconut, just in case anyone was worried about that. It has a rich flavor but not overpowering. It’s definitely a distinct flavor, but nothing like maple syrup or honey. Much less defined than that, but definitely noticeable.

Next thing I used it on was this Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa recipe I borrowed from Heidi at 101 Cookbooks (I’ve mentioned before how much I love her recipes) This recipe calls for agave and I replaced it with the coconut nectar … it would so well with the roasted pecans. It brought out the flavor much more than the agave did.

I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a sweetening alternative. Oh, and it was only $6.99 so it wasn't any more expensive than agave. Give it a try!

OH and a heads up...my computer is on the verge of dying. I don't have a lot of money to spend on a new one, but would really love suggestions. Something affordable but also, a name brand that I can trust. Any suggestions?