Vegan Coconut Milk Fruit Smoothie

I have been enamored of coconut milk lately. It tastes far better than soy milk and gives things a very rich, creamy texture. Plus, it helps me avoid eating too much soy, which, depending on who you talk to, can be bad as chemicals in it mimic estrogen, which are theorized to contribute to breast cancer development. I doubt these claims, but just in case they're correct, I'll use coconut milk sometimes instead of soy milk.

I've also read that you can skim off the fatty part of coconut milk, beat it, and it will turn into whipped "cream." I have not tried it yet, but I look forward to that experiment!

Here's my concoction:

About 1 cup coconut milk (full fat) - I recommend Thai Kitchen brand
About 1 cup strawberries
About 1/2 banana
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Several drops stevia*

Put in blender and mix. I had refrigerated the coconut overnight. I don't know if that made a difference to its creaminess, but it might have. This smoothie was thick and yummy.

* Stevia is an awesome sweetener. It's an herb that is far sweeter than sugar so you only need a few drops usually (if you're using the liquid version). Plus, it doesn't raise blood sugar. In fact, it seems to increase insulin sensitivity, and some countries in South America even use it as a treatment for Type II diabetes. I credit it with helping to delay my diabetes diagnosis by a year. When my first glucose tolerance test came back over the range for a positive diagnosis (you have to get 2 out of 3 tests high enough to be diagnosed unless it's super high), I started using stevia in my tea every day. My blood sugars came down to normal levels within two weeks. I still use it, but since I also eat the way I'm supposed to now, it's impossible to say whether my continued normal blood sugars are due to diet or stevia or both.