Woohoo! Yoohoo! (Dairy-free) Chocolate Coconut Water

Answer: 1920s. In New Jersey. By a paisano named Natale Olivieri.

Question: When, where and by whom was Yoo-Hoo originally made and sold.

That’s all I’ve got folks.

No cute story about why I decided to mimic dairy-free Yoo-Hoo.

Sometimes something just pops into my head and I’m off and running.

Other than that I’ve got nothing.

Clearly there’s only one real Yoo-Hoo Chocolate Drink but, if you can’t have dairy or corn or are avoiding HFCS give this little recipe a try. It’s a smooth, light, healthy knock-off of a childhood favorite—a sweet treat to remind us how cool it is to be a kid.

So, go ahead, be a kid again for a day. Have a tall glass of Woohoo! Yoohoo! Chocolate Coconut Water and a few Four Chicken’s Animal Crackers. 

Woohoo! Yoohoo! Chocolate Coconut Water

Mix together in a glass, heatproof measuring cup:

1 1/2 tablespoons dutch process cocoa powder

2 tablespoons Vance’s Darifree

A pinch of salt

Pour in & stir until smooth:

1/4 cup very warm (not boiling) water

Place the cocoa mixture into a blender with:

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1 3/4 cups coconut water (alternatively you can use purified water)

Whir for a minute or two. Chill and serve. Makes two 1 cup servings.

You can probably double or triple this recipe and keep it in the fridge for a few days.

Both 100% pure unflavored coconut water (like ONE) and Vance’s Darifree are gluten-free and dairy-free. The local grocer and health food or specialty stores, like Trader Joe’s, carry coconut water. I found Vance’s Darifree at Wegmans.

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Cajeta (Dulce de Leche) Muffins

I’m a big fan of muffins. Any kind.

I like the texture, the variety of flavor combinations, the taste. They’re like individual little cakes—delicious and not too sweet. I don’t feel guilty eating them for breakfast. I probably should. But, I don’t.

The cajeta my sister and I made recently—made with unpasteurized goat milk courtesy of her beau, natural cane sugar, mexican cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean—seemed like a great sweetener for muffins. The cajeta is rich and caramelly and crazy sweet. It begged to be merged with gluten-free flours and oats,  popped into the oven and transformed into a lovely subtle cajeta flavored muffin.

So, I obliged. That cajeta knew what it was talking about.

Cajeta might be found in Mexican/Spanish markets. You can make your own—this is the recipe I follow. (Some health food or grocery stores carry goat milk.) Or, you can buy or make your own dulce de leche and use it instead of cajeta.

Cajeta (Dulce de Leche) Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Mix up one faux egg, whisking together until foamy:

1 ½ teaspoons EnerG Egg Replacer

2 tablespoons warm water

Place the following ingredients in a large bowl, whisk together and set aside:

1 ½ cups gluten-free flour mix*

¾ cups gluten-free rolled oats

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

In a separate bowl (or a 2 quart measuring cup if you have one) mix together until fully blended:

1 6-ounce container coconut or soy yogurt

½ cup hemp milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup cajeta or dulce de leche

¼ cup canola or grapeseed oil

1 faux egg (prepared above)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon baking soda

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix together with a spoon or spatula.

Spoon (or scoop with an ice cream scooper) the batter into the muffin liners. You can top with a few chopped nuts and a sprinkle of sugar (optional).

Place in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes—a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

*Any pre-blended gluten-free flour should work. I use either Authentic Foods Gluten-Free Multi Blend Flour or Better Batter.

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