Today, March 12, 2013, Ryan reached another milestone into adulthood: it was his first day of his very first job! Ryan is the clerk at a bankruptcy law firm where I used to work, in what seems like another lifetime ago, and where his father is still employed. While being a clerk is not grand and glorious work, it’s a relatively cushy job for an 18-year-old who hasn’t even finished high school (don’t even start me on that one). It’s good to have parents with connections. 
For now, it is just 12-15 hours per week, while he tries to finish high school online. He and Daniel have been finishing high school online ever since I fell ill in 2010. We hope that as time goes by, he will be able to 1) finish school, and 2) turn this into a more permanent and full-time position while he decides what to do with his life.
I’m not sure he was excited about the job, but he was extremely happy with all the nicer new clothes. This is his favorite of the new outfits. When we came home from shopping Friday and he tried it on, he asked if he could just wear it the remainder of the day because it was so comfortable. Sure, why not? He’s really growing up: first a new, more mature hairdo, and now new, more mature clothing. It’s good to see progress!
To celebrate his new job, we had one of his favorite meals: turkey, cornbread dressing and giblet gravy. Not exactly on our healthier eating plan, but I did use coconut oil everywhere possible. Besides, I am trying to remember to live by the 80-20 rule: eat right 80% of the time, and don’t worry about the other 20%. We don’t live in a vacuum.
By the way, did you know that you can taste coconut oil in giblet gravy? LOL! Okay, so that wasn’t one of my better trade outs; back to butter next time for the roux for the gravy. Live and learn, live and learn.
And, as an extra special treat, we made homemade frozen yogurt!
So, even though I promised something other than another coconut recipe, I just can’t resist sharing this recipe I tried from making frozen yogurt, and none other than coconut frozen yogurt. I cannot give any one person, website, etc., a shout out on this one because it is everywhere on the internet. The recipe was so simple that I just remembered it, and don’t know exactly where I saw it first.
In making this coconut ice cream, I did notice that everyone was talking about using regular yogurt, then straining it for 6 or more hours to remove the liquid; or, as an alternative to use Greek yogurt. Now, to use the regular yogurt, you actually have to buy twice as much and lose the liquid.
One woman said she bought the regular yogurt because it was cheaper, but if I have to buy twice as much anyway, why would I do that? I can get 2 containers of regular yogurt (more hassle to prepare for freezing) for the same price as 1 Greek yogurt…hmmm…let me think…NOT!
My recipe assumes you will be using Greek yogurt.
3 Cups Plain Greek Yogurt (I used 0% fat Chobani)
3/4 Cups sugar or your choice of sweetener (I used Truvia blend)
1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Flavoring
1/4 Cup Coconut shreds or flakes
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place in the refrigerator for one hour so the sugar will dissolve and blend into the mixture.
After an hour, place in your ice cream freezer and follow the manufacturers directions for freezing.
My freezer took 20 minutes to make a nice soft serve yogurt, and at 30 minutes it was quite stiff.
Doesn’t it look awesome? Well, it was! Sorry you weren’t here to share it.
I actually doubled the recipe so we could freeze the leftovers. I’m curious to see how hard it freezes in the freezer overnight.
So, perhaps next time I’ll actually share something that isn’t made with or from coconuts. But, don’t count on it.
Until next time, live loud, live strong!
Love,
Shari