Zucchini Ice Cream

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I got home from work one day and thought myself how much I love zucchini bread, why not make zucchini ice cream? I like pumpkin ice cream, so I should like zucchini ice cream. Brain child was born.

Zucchini ice cream:
1 zucchini pealed and pureed in a food processor
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 cans full fat coconut milk
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
Pinch of cardamon

Directions:
Blend or puree all the ingredients together in a bowl and use in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
It tasted really good although I used a really large zucchini, so the texture may have been slushier than normal ice cream; so, I have doubled the coconut milk in the recipe. Since I used the entire zucchini, it’s hard to tell how much it measured out to be. I would use 1 cup and move down to 1/2 cup if you don’t think it’s creamy enough. Either way, the taste is great!

Dandy Blend Ice Cream

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I’ve been working with quite a few women lately that are digging themselves out of adrenal fatigue.  This is a common issue among women because they try and play every role that exists in life: wife, daughter, mother, sister, employee….taxi driver, chef, maid, Laundromat, athlete, “fixer of all problems.”  Let me tell you, this is impossible.  Most of them burn themselves out trying to “do it all!”  With this much on their plate, they forget to breathe!  When the adrenal glands are in trouble, it’s imperative to avoid sources of caffeine because caffeine is an added stressor to the adrenals.  What does that mean?  You guessed it!  No more coffee!  Oh man.  This is a serious deal for those that love coffee as much I do, but it’s a necessary sacrifice to heal years of running your adrenals ragged.  The best substitute I have found for coffee is Dandy Blend.

I used Dandy Blend to create this caffeine free, “coffee” ice cream for my ladies.  Just lookin’ out.  Right along adrenal burn out will be hormone imbalance, so dairy is not ideal either.  This doesn’t mean you don’t get ice cream though!  Coconut milk will work just as amazingly!

*I should say this could have trace amounts of caffeine due to cocoa powder.

Dandy Blend Ice Cream

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans of coconut milk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 5 Tbsp Dandy Blend
  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Blend all the ingredients together and run through your ice cream maker or put in containers and place in the freezer.  Once frozen, enjoy with a nut topping, a sprinkle of dandy blend or cinnamon, or non-adrenal patients could use dark chocolate chips!

Paleo Olive Oil Ice Cream: No Joke

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It’s been over 80 degrees everyday, and when it’s that hot out, I want something a little creamy and cold.  Ice cream always seems to do the trick.  I have tried several variations of coconut milk ice cream and I can honestly say that “you can’t go wrong!”  However, I am a huge foodie and will watch the Cooking Network for hours for flavor inspiration.  One day, I was watching a show where the couple went back to Tuscany to cook a traditional meal and olive oil ice cream was on the menu for dessert.  Really?  Wouldn’t that taste absolutely disgusting?  I started researching it and I found out that this is a super traditional concept where olives are grown.  When you have good quality olive oil, it tends to be on the fruity side.  Who knew?!

We have a store called the Olive Branch in Granger and I knew they had tons of infused olive oils.  I went out to check it out and I was completely torn between one of the citrus infusions like lime, meyer lemon, or blood orange, but I ended up going with roasted almond.  The reason I chose Roasted Almond infused olive oil was because I could not resist the thought of using their espresso balsamic vinegar as a reduction over the top!   Done.  Had to go home and make it….right after I did the Regional workout #6.

It turned out great and I am going to say that this is an awesome option to add healthy monosaturated fats to your diet without the heat!  It really took on the flavor of the olive oil.  Try it with basic EVOO or ANY of the infused olive oils at the Olive Branch!  I considered trying to infuse my own with vanilla but sometimes I just get impatient when I have an idea….

*Lurong folks use honey instead

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups full fat coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup roasted almond olive oil (or regular EVOO, or any other flavor)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend until smooth.  Put into the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions!

I put some of the espresso balsamic in a saucepan and reduced it gently while the ice cream was processing.  I drizzled it over the top to eat it….pure magic.

Homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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I couldn’t wait.  I had a bunch of friends in town this past weekend and one of them kept going to get ice cream!  I usually don’t think that much about ice cream, however, she was not helping the matter.  So, when I was at the health food store, I thought about picking up a small container of coconut milk ice cream.  I took a peek at how much I pay for that little bad boy, and I was like OMG!  I pay over 7 bucks for a tiny container.  So, that was a good sign that I shouldn’t wait any longer to do my homemade ice cream post.  I got the recipe from my friend Cathy, and here it is:

Mocha Nut Brownie Ice Cream.

Ingredients:

Ice Cream Mixture:

  • 2 C. Coconut Milk (basically a whole can, I put mine in the frig to get it cold before I started – not necessary, but thought it would help it get thick)
  • 2 Tbsp. Honey
  • 1/4 C. Chilled Coffee
  • 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Nut Crumble Mix-In:

  • 1/2 C. Unsalted Cashews
  • 1/2 C. Pitted Dates
  • 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder

Preparation:

There are two parts to making this ice cream; making the ice cream mixture itself and then making the nut crumble mix-in.

To prepare the ice cream mixture, combine the Coconut Milk, Honey, Chilled Coffee, and Vanilla Extract in a blender and mix together well.

In either a food processor- combine  Cashews, Dates, and Cocoa Powder mix until they are crumbly.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and I let mine run for about 20 minutes.  As it gets thick you then spoon the nut mixture into the machine as it is still churning to get it all mixed in.

It cost me pretty much the price of a can of coconut milk…maybe $2.  Whatever you decide to use to flavor it will decide how expensive it is.  This particular variety probably cost about $4 in mix-in ingredients.  The batch I made gave me about 5-6 cups of ice cream.  My friends and I ate it all in one sitting so I didn’t have any to store, but you could put in the freezer.  That would be at least 2 containers of my regular, store-bought version!

Rating:

Ease: 5 stars (the ice cream maker does all the work!)

Price: 5 stars (cost half the amt of the store version…without preservatives!)

Worth the trouble: 5 stars (Passed for amazing ice cream to those that knew no different)

Taste: 5 Yum!!!!