What is CocoYo anyway? CocoYo is the name I have given to Nico’s first favorite food: coconut yogurt. If you have ever purchased coconut yogurt at the store, you know it is quite expensive. I realized one day that I could easily make my own coconut yogurt and have been making it each week ever since!
The key is finding a great coconut milk and probiotic. I like two brands of coconut milk: Lets Do Organic Coconut Cream and Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream. These brands do not have any fillers or stabilizers. I must also mention you can make your own coconut milk, but it is a bit more involved. Step 2 is finding a great probiotic. I use Flora Advanced Adult Formula (even for Nico!) and it gives great results. Make sure you do not use a probiotic that also contains probiotics, as the coconut yogurt will not ferment properly.
I found Cocoyo to be a great first food for Nico. It has all the good fats, is easy to digest, and helps inoculate Nico’s gut with good bacteria! In the early days of Nico’s transition into eating solids, I often added a tablespoon of coconut yogurt to sweet potatoes, broccoli and other veggies as well. He loved the taste of the coconut yogurt, and it served as a fantastic carrier for introducing him to new veggies!
2 cans coconut milk (I like Natural Value BPA Free Organic Coconut Milk)
2-3 probiotic capsules (prebiotic free)*
*the probiotics must be prebiotic free or the fermentation will not happen properly
Sterilize two 4-6 oz glass jars and lids. Set aside.
Place cans of coconut milk in a bowl. Open probiotic capsules, and dump the inside powder into the bowl and stir well. Pour into sterilized jars and allow to sit in dehydrator at 110 for about 12 hours. You can also place your jars in a turned off oven, with the oven light on, for 12-18 hours.
Remove from dehydrator or oven and allow to set in fridge, about 6 + hours.
hi love! can you clarify – is it coconut cream (like mentioned in the notes with the two brands you like best) or coconut milk (as noted in the ingredient list in the recipe) that I am looking for? i used full fat coconut milk and moon juice probiotics and it was a sad story. xo/n
Use coconut cream for thicker yogurt, coconut milk for thinner consistency. I like mine pretty thick so I tend to always use the cream. Hope this helps!
so helpful – thank you! I am going with the cream – I like a thick yogurt too! xo
is the turned off oven with the light on necessary to create some heat? Is the light’heat what gives the same effect s a dehydrator? Or does the oven just need to have recently been turned off but no-longer hot? I’m a student and don’t want to keep the oven semi-on (for the light) if I don’t have to- also, dehydrators are above my budget!
The oven light provides enough heat for fermentation to occur. Hope this helps!
Hello Laurel 🙂 I love this recipe! I’m wondering if this https://www.amazon.com/Choice-Advanced-Adult-Enzyme-Capsules/dp/B0010EI0E8/ref=pd_sim_121_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0010EI0E8&pd_rd_r=N57G3A9WY14D0RQ5Q3FH&pd_rd_w=o9R5s&pd_rd_wg=MnT2M&psc=1&refRID=N57G3A9WY14D0RQ5Q3FH is the probiotic you use?
Thanks!
So happy to hear this! Same brand, but it’s Advanced Adult Probiotic https://www.google.com/shopping/product/11936885983704695238?lsf=seller:15646,store:669391813237535571&prds=oid:11298068131850193604&q=flora+advanced+adult+probiotic&hl=en-us&ei=UbP0WobPOYbRjAOwt6mwDA&lsft=gclid:EAIaIQobChMIpqneqYX82gIVivhkCh10ZAGLEAQYBCABEgLst_D_BwE.
thanks!!
After putting the coconut and probiotic mixture into the jars, do I put the lids on and then put them into the dehydrator or do I put the jars in the dehydrator without the lids?
With lids! Enjoy!!
Can I make the yogurt in an instant pot instead of jars in the oven ?
I’m sure you could! I haven’t used an instant pot before, but I’m sure their yogurt mode will work for this recipe.
If you want to sweeten your yogurt or flavor it (with almond or vanilla extract) should you do that at the start? Or once it’s sat in the dehydrator?