Coconut What? part trois

While at Central Market I found a huge display with O.N.E. Coconut Water on sale for something like 5 for $6. Considering my foray into coconut water previously, I decided to just grab a couple flavors to try out. How could I pass up such a great deal?!

What a difference a brand makes! I love ONE! The consistency is much more like water and less syrupy. I tried the passion fruit and mango flavours, with the passion fruit being my favorite. Because the price was better/lower than the VitaCoconut, I will probably keep picking up a few of these delicious and nutritious beverages.

The other really cool thing about O.N.E. (check them out on twitter and Facebook), is they support several non-profits in the Amazons and 100% of the profits from their "bottled" water is donated to charities chosen by the consumer. Super cool!

I'm super excited for this evening. My sister is in town for the holiday weekend and we are going to explore some vegetarian restaurant we've never been to in Dallas. At the top of the list is Kalachandjis Krishna Palace and Restaurant. We've been talking about going there forever and it's so close to my house. Kalachandjis serves mostly vegan cuisine inspired by the middle east. The menu changes daily based on what's fresh and lunch and dinner service are paid for by donations only. The suggested donation for lunch is $7.95 and dinner is $10.95. Of course, if you enjoy your experience (or eat a lot) you can pay more. If you're a bit strapped for cash, you can pay a bit less. I love it! I can't wait to tell you all about our experience.

Coconut what?!

While out for happy hour last week, I heard my new acquaintance wax poetically about coconut water. She loves it- loves it- and says she must spend $40 a week on the stuff. My first thought was, "Damn, it must be yummy", followed immediately by, "How much does the stuff cost?!"

The brand most recommended is Vita Coco, a 100% natural product. It comes in lots of flavours including: plain, passion fruit (the one I tried), pineapple, peach & mango, and acai & pomegranate. Coconut water is full of electrolytes (which give your body energy) and potassium (which helps keep your body hydrated). It is fat free and cholesterol free. It is a fruit product, so there is naturally occurring sugar (my 11.7 oz pack had 18g- a little less than half of what's found in regular sodas). Vita Coco is also great, because it's packaged in Tetra Paks which are easier on the environment and can be recycled.

While I was at Whole Foods, preparing to gorge myself in the prepared foods section; I decided to give coconut water a try. The logic behind spending $40/week became clear- my single serving was over $2. This stuff better be good!

I liked the flavor of Vita Coco. It had just a hint of coconut but the passion fruit really came through. I did find it to be very sweet, so it may make for a good substitute to soda; maybe with a bit of club soda to add some fizz. The texture of a product is always a big deal for me. This one was a bit thicker than water, but less than juice (if that makes any sense). It is not unpleasant. My suggestion: this stuff tastes best when ice cold, so pour it into a tall glass of ice to enjoy.

While I enjoyed Vita Coco, and especially enjoyed that I was getting more potassium than two bananas (which is super important to me as I suffer from "growing pains" and Charley horses); the price makes this a "special treat" item only. They don't currently offer coupons directly, so I'll have to wait to see if Whole Foods ever puts it on sale. I'm not holding my breath.

Have you tried coconut water? What did you think?