In Costa Rica we are fairly fortunate to be able to rely on the land and the green space that surrounds us. It doesn’t take the best green thumb to make a garden grow here. Combined with the number of sunny days a year, where solar can be implemented for energy sources at home and ample down pour where you can collect rain water, relying on natural resources becomes second nature to those of us who live here. And if you are taking any of these last steps towards your own self sufficiency, way to go! You are definitely ahead of the curve.

We can also look into smaller detail at our daily habits to help ourselves in the long run.  Offsetting our carbon travel footprint, one may decide to take up the hobby of tree planting. Waste management also definitely comes under the microscope. Looking at the incoming plastics from purchases and an effort to minimize single use plastics we can look at ways of using reusable containers wherever possible by buying in bulk, bringing our own take out containers when eating out, and choosing to buy local where big packaging is often forgone. IN the home, we can help Mother Earth out by using biodegradable cleaning solvents. Most people don’t realize cleaning detergents oftentimes are sent back into nature polluting streams and rivers nearby. Best to use natural from the get go as to be most symbiotic with the environment. The extra cost for these last products are surely well worth the health benefits they reap. And for those experts whom have gone the extra mile, where up-cycling clothes is not just a fashion statement it’s a way to reduce your impact, hats off, as often time clothing is the item most likely to find its self on its way to the garbage. 

There are many ways to help this worldwide issue of what it will take for us to be sustainable and seems to be the only thing we know for sure is it is going to take every individuals effort to help achieve it.

Pro-Tip!

Regrow Heady Edibles like Pineapple 

• Twist the crown of leaves off the top of the pineapple. Make sure the base, the very tip of the area where the leaves join together, stays intact. New roots will be sprouting from this, and without it the plant won’t grow. 
• Strip off some of the lower leaves and any pineapple to expose the core stem. This helps the stem sprout roots once it is planted.
• Let it dry a week. 
• Then place the crown in a bowl of water in a sunny spot. Roots will begin to grow within days and it will be ready for transplant when you see several roots growing out.

They say it takes about two years for a pineapple to come to fruition. What do you say, worth the wait? Or can’t wait to try!

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Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1½-2 cups  shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Heat water until hot, but not boiling.
2. Put shredded coconut in blender or Vitamix and add the hot water. If all the water will not fit, this can be done in batches. 
3. Blend on high for several minutes until thick and creamy.
4. First, pour through a mesh strainer to remove most of the coconut solids. Then squeeze through a towel or several thicknesses of cheesecloth to remove remaining pieces of coconut.
5. If you had to split the water into batches put all the coconut that you strained out back in the blender, add the remaining water, and repeat.
6. Drink immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days after making for best flavor and texture. Since there are no preservatives or fillers, the “cream” of the coconut milk may separate on the top if stored in the fridge. Just shake or stir before using. Best kept in a large mason jar, swing top jars, or other air-tight container.

Pro-tip! 

Use a coconut demoting tool or cut with a pairing knife small sections to get the coconut meat to separate from the shell.

The post Cooking on the Coast: How to Make Coconut Milk appeared first on Costa Pacifica LIVING.