Soy Sauce Substitute: Coconut Aminos

By Caitlin

How is my crazy diet going, you (don't) ask? It's going great! As of yesterday I am....officially....halfway THRROO-OUGGHHH my...WHOOOLE THIRRTAYYYY! (Oprah voice) 

It's...going well. I feel pretty great (except for what I expect is HA HAAA another sinus infection), I have more energy, I am getting more sleep and better sleep and am just more clear-headed in general. I am beginning to tire of the relentless cooking and meal planning, yet it is also becoming easier in the sense that it's more routine now. Zach and I have found things we like, and some great new foods we'd probably never have tried otherwise. I think ghee (clarified butter) is going to be a routine part of my diet now. All the delicious butter with out all the mucus-causing dairy component! Delightful!

One problem you have when eliminating all soy, sugars, legumes, and the like is that it can be hard to find a product that lends umami to your cooking. Soy sauce, worcestershire, and most other sauces and seasonings are out. Enter coconut aminos. This soy, nut, dairy, gluten, everything free, raw, vegan liquid gold is shockingly good inspite what all those hippie adjectives might imply, and tastes like a sweet soy sauce. It has been a delightful addition to our diet. Use in stir fries, dressings, marinades, soups, or for dipping sashimi; basically anywhere you'd use soy sauce.  

Photo from http://www.vitacost.com

I've read about coconut aminos before on paleo and healthy living blogs but as I have a rather large cabinet chock full of seasonings, sauces, and spices (such is the fate of being married to a chef), I had little impetus to actually try it. Until now. I scavenged my local Whole Foods, missed the first time, and found it the second. It was in the asian section, near the mirin and soy sauces. (You can also find it on Amazon.) When I got it home Zach opened it up to taste it and it fizzed everywhere. We were disappointed and were going to take it back to exchange it for a fresh one when I had an epiphany: I think it's fermented? A few google searches later and we learned that it's normal for it to fizz when you open it: It's made from the fermented sap of the coconut tree. It sounds like I made that up, but I sure didn't.

Have you tried coconut aminos? And tell me, how is candy? Is candy still as good as I remember? Tell it I said hi.

Comments

[Madison L.]

I was also surprised and concerned about the fizzing aminos, but couldn't trouble myself to google it. Thanks for letting me know it's all good!

I'm doing my Whole30 sans husband, and he's a candy junky. Fortunately, he's hiding it and eating it when he thinks I'm not looking. It's very sweet...

[C. Cenotti]

This is perfect. I've been searching for a soy sauce replacement for my wife who is allergic to soy. Finally we can make all of those amazing Thai recipes we used to make. Thanks Caitlin!