Coconut Cinnamon Jam (diabetic Friendly)

It was a purchase gone wrong that led to an experiment gone right.

Since I was diagnosed a couple of months ago with type 2 diabetes, I have been reading up on all the good and bad foods for someone like me.  One thing I have seen quite a bit of is the benefits of coconut for people with type 2.  So, when I saw some coconuts on sale at the local supermarket (Yay!), I bought one.



All day, yesterday, I was looking forward to getting home from work, cracking open that nut, and enjoying some fresh coconut flesh.  It had been a rather tough day at the office, and I was anxious for a little treat to pick my spirits up.  I spent almost an hour peeling away the husk to get to the nut.  I openned a hole, and drained the water into a glass.  I was brimming with excitement by this point.  Several taps with a hammer to break through the shell.

... Disappointment ... I almost cried ... almost ...

Instead of an approximate 1/2 inch thick layer of white flesh, there was less than 1/8 inch.  I was able to scrape it all out with a spoon, and had barely a 1/4 cup of coconut to eat.  But it wasn't nice chunks to chew on, but thin shavings.  My first thought was to cook it, and put it in the freezer until I could figure out what to do, so into the pot it went.  As I was turning on the heat, I remembered something another diabetic (my mother) had recently told me.  "Add lots of cinnamon to your diet."

An idea was born.  An experiment began.



(Since this was not what I initially planned to do, I did not get any pictures taken.  I will be sure to do so with the next batch and update this instructable.)

Step 1: The Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh coconut flesh
1/2 cup fresh coconut water
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
small saucepan
small jar or container for finished product (baby food jar works)

Step 2: The Coconut

Make sure you are using fresh coconut.  You don't want something processed, or that has had the oil pressed out of it already.

Shred or chop about 1/4 cup of coconut flesh, and put it into a small saucepan.  One easy way to do this is to drop chunks into a blender.

Pour 1/2 cup of coconut water over the flesh.  You could use regular water if you wish, but I like the extra flavor from the coconut's own water.

Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.

Step 3: Spices

Stir in 1 Tbs of ground cinnamon.  If you want the bennefits for diabetes, be sure to use Ceylon cinnamon (this is the normal/real cinnamon), not Cassia.
Add 1/8 tsp of nutmeg.

Simmer until most of the water evaporates out, leaving a syrup or jam like consistency.
Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning.

Step 4: Finishing Up

Spoon the mixture into an open jar, and set it aside to cool.  I set my jar into a bowl of cold water, and changed out the water every few minutes to speed the cooling.

Once it has cooled, put the lid on the jar, and store it in the refridgerator.

I enjoyed a teaspoon of my new jam spread over a slice of low-carb flax seed bread.