Forget the oven! You won’t need it to enjoy dessert with some sweet health benefits found in this No-Bake Coconut Cream Pie recipe made with Lifeway Kefir and Lifeway Farmer Cheese. Our creamy no-bake pie is piled high with coconut flavor along with protein and live and active probiotics cultures found in our kefir and farmer cheese. Lifeway Kefir is packed with billions of live and active probiotics, while our protein-packed cheese can be used in place of cottage cheese or yogurt in any recipe, including no-bake desserts like this coconut cream pie. This recipe includes both coconut cream and unsweetened shredded coconut for the best flavor and texture. Unsweetened shredded coconut is also an excellent source of fiber and contains natural minerals including magnesium, potassium, and iron.
Feel free to top this pie with berries like did for a festive fruity spin, or sprinkle a bunch of shredded coconut on top to keep things simple. No matter what toppings you choose, this pie is protein-packed, no-bake perfection!
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is also a great source of all these nutrients, just in a different format for all the cheese lovers out there.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 4-6 hours to set Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1 cup Lowfat Plain Kefir
- 1/3 cup organic powdered sugar (or powdered sugar alternative equivalent to 1/3 cup)
- 1/2 cup coconut cream (from a can, drained)
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup or honey
- juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp. coconut extract
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded shredded coconut
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- Topping: shredded coconut (unsweetened), fresh berries, etc.
- Graham cracker crust (or gluten-free option, like a pecan, coconut, or almond-based crust)
Directions
- In a blender, blend the farmer cheese, vanilla extract, coconut extract, lemon juice, maple syrup, Lifeway Kefir, and drained coconut cream (just use the solids from the can). Pour this mixture into a large bowl, and using a hand mixer, mix in the powdered sugar (or alternative) to whip it up really fluffy.
- Fold in the cup of unsweetened shredded coconut with a spatula. Spread the mixture into a graham cracker crust (or gluten-free option like a pecan, coconut or almond-base crust) and smooth over the top. You can sprinkle on more unsweetened shredded coconut here if you have it for a pretty garnish.
- Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until completely set (overnight is best). Add fresh berries on top and top with unsweetened shredded coconut flakes.
- Optional: Drizzle honey or maple syrup on top if you want it sweeter
