Coffee and Coconuts: When you know it’s meant to be

Coconuts are packed with healthy fats, which promote brain function and a healthy nervous system

If my life had a theme song, it would definitely be “Coffee and Coconuts” … so you can imagine my delight when I stumbled across this gem of a café that bore exactly that namesake during my recent visit to Amsterdam. And when I say café, I really mean giant three-story Nordic-style warehouse, which radiated with warmth and intimacy.

While the café is open throughout the day, we decided to pop in here for a quick breakfast to get our day started. And if I hadn’t fallen head-over-heels in love just by the ambiance of this place, my heart grew even fonder after seeing that they had several gluten-free, dairy-free options on the menu.

The coconut pancakes were calling my name. Made from almond and buckwheat flour, and topped with coconut whip, this was heaven on a plate. And yet, I knew that if I wanted to indulge, I would have to balance out the glycemic load of this sweet dish.

How was I to do this? Simple:

• Add extra protein – I ordered a side of scrambled eggs

• Add healthy fats – the almond flour and coconut whip topping did the trick

• Decrease the sugar – I asked them to hold the maple, as the dish was already sufficiently sweetened with fruit

• Mind the portion size – my dining partner was more than happy to go halfsies with me

Now, if you’re wondering whether coconuts are just trendy or actually nutritious, here are a few things to consider:

• Coconuts are packed with healthy fats, which promote brain function and a healthy nervous system

• Coconuts have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties to boost the immune system

• Coconut oil remains stable at high temperatures and is therefore a good cooking oil

• Coconut adds a natural sweetness to foods without spiking blood sugar

(I am referring above to the meat of the coconut, whether eaten whole, cold-pressed into oil, or used as coconut cream/milk.)