As a child, I loved jello.  The melt in your mouth, make you hyper jello.  My mother used to make a rainbow jello, which we took the day to make before bringing it to a party.  We would go to the store, and buy different packs of Jello Brand jello, all the colors of the rainbow.   Today, a box of jello is only about 80 cents a box, which makes it a really really cheap dessert.  But is that a good thing?  The ingredients on a box of strawberry jello are: sugar, gelatin, adipic acid, artificial flavor, disodium phosphate, sodium citrate, fumaric acid, and red 40.  So…  mainly sugar, gelatin, and some chemicals.

Jello wasn’t always like this.  It was considered a very healing food, because gelatin is a very healing delicacy.  It’s the culinary term for collagen, and there are many benefits to collagen.  In our body, it pretty much holds us together.  It gives our skin its strength and suppleness, and is an integral part of our bones, joint, and connective tissue.  It’s healing to the gut and considered to be a digestive aid.

I’ve recently started experimenting with gelatin in the kitchen and boy is it fun!  Instead of the packaged jello, it’s possible to make jello out of whole foods with very few ingredients, and just as much enjoyment.

I had a few batches of tasteless, rubber ball like batches, but I think I’ve perfected the recipe, at least to my tastes   Enjoy the recipe and I would love to hear about experiments you make!  Instagram tag me @thenourishedbelly or tweet me at nourished_belly.  Join the Nourished Belly community with #thenourishedbellydiet.

Happy Nourishing,

Tammy

Homemade Strawberry Coconut Jello 

5 servings

Strawberry Jello Ingredients
1 cup strawberry puree

1 cup water

2 tablespoons coconut sugar or palm sugar 

4 teaspoons gelatin

Coconut Jello Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup filtered water

1 tablespoon coconut sugar/maple syrup/palm sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 and 1/2 teaspoons gelatin

Directions: 

1) Before you start, set up 5 cup size containers, I like half pint mason jars, so that you can pour the mixture directly in. 

2) In a medium saucepan, heat strawberry puree, water and sugar over medium heat until it starts to simmer.  Turn off heat. 

3) Using an immersion blender or wisk, slowly add gelatin and blend/wisk until fully blended. 

4) Pour into jars, lid, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes until solid.  

5) When gelled, take out and open the jars to prepare to pour the  coconut portion. 

6) In a medium saucepan, place coconut mik, water, and coconut sugar over medium heat until it starts to simmer.  Turn off heat. 

7) Add vanilla. 

8) Using an immersion blender or wisk, slowly add gelatin and blend until fully integrated.  

9) Pour over strawberry portion.  Divide evenly between the jars.  

10) Lid and refrigerate!  Should be ready to eat within the hour :)