Wild Blueberry Ice Cream

There are umpteen reasons to go wild about these wild blueberries. For starters ,its one of the best anti-aging and anti-cancer foods ,also known to promote healthy vision and maintain heart health.

Difference between Wild and Cultivated Blueberries
Wild blueberries are distinct from cultivated blueberries in several significant ways.Unlike cultivated (highbush) blueberries, Wild (lowbush) Blueberries are not planted. They are spread primarily by rhizomes or underground runners, which give rise to new shoots and stems. Wild Blueberry fields and barrens contain many different varieties of berries, which accounts for the variations in size and color that characterize the Wild Blueberry crop.
Other differences include:

Antioxidant capacity - Wild Blueberries contain more of the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin and demonstrate greater antioxidant capacity per serving than cultivated blueberries.
Taste - Wild Blueberries have a more intense, sweet and tangy taste than cultivated blueberries
Size - Wild Blueberries are naturally smaller and more compact (less water content) than cultivated, which means you get more Wild Blueberries per pound.
Performance - Wild Blueberries hold their shape, texture and color through a variety of baking and manufacturing process. They also freeze very well: IQF Wild Blueberries maintain their quality for more than two years.

Wild Blueberry Health
Source :Wildblueberries.com


One of my favorite ways to enjoy the wild blueberries is in an non-fat yogurt. Also this Wild blueberry Ice-cream is truly a sensational summer treat. The method remains same as other dairy-free healthy ice creams inspired by Rachel's original recipe.


Recipe : Dairy free Wild Blueberry Ice-cream ,inspired by Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.Find my review here.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
2 cups frozen Wild blueberries
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt


Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process the 1 cup of blueberries in a food processor or vitamix along with the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Mix in the remaining 1 cup of frozen blueberries.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.Garnish with fresh mango slices

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.

Kiwi Yogurt Smoothie

Rich in anti-oxidants and fiber,this hairy fruit is packed with lot of healthy surprises.An equivalent serving of Kiwi has more Vitamin C than Orange and more potassium than a Banana.

Combined with a probiotic rich source as yogurt ,the kiwi fruit smoothie is an amazing formula to build excellent immunity and over all health.


Ingredients
2 very ripe Kiwi ,peeled and chopped
1 very ripe banana
1/2 cup chilled Organic vanilla soy milk
1 cup Organic vanilla fat-free yogurt(or 3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt )
2 tablespoon Pure Organic honey

Method
Add all the ingredients in a high power blender and blend until smooth on low power(do not over blend,crushed kiwi seeds can be bitter) .Serve cold.

Watermelon Spritzer. And the winner of Ice cream challenge.

Who doesn't crave watermelon during the summer? A slice of fresh juicy crisp watermelon can quench the thirst better than any other fruit.Mid-summer has the best melons that are ripe,red and sweet.

Watermelon is loaded with a nutrient called citrulline that helps produce nitric oxide, a powerful blood vessel dilator that's critical to healthy blood flow - Dr. Oz

Much more satisfying than sugary sodas,the fizzy watermelon ice cubes spritzer is an amazing drink to chill off.The melon ice cubes keeps the drink cooler longer,alternately you could also make the drink by blending the melon with few ice cubes.But the ice cubes method yield a more intense melon punch,since the ice cubes are purely melons.

Recipe : Water melon Ice Cubes Spritzer(Non-alcoholic)
Ingredients
5 cups of Water melon chunks(about a quarter of large size melon)
2 tablespoon agave nectar(optional)
6 ounce bottle of lime flavored soda water

Method
Puree the water melon in a blender until smooth.Pour in ice trays and freeze for 4-5 hours.Unmold the ice cubes,put about 5-6 of the frozen water melon cubes in each of the tall glasses and pour a cup of soda water in each.Serve immediately.




Now for the exciting announcement of the winner of the Health Nut Ice cream challenge.It was a very close contest with such brilliant healthy Ice cream recipes.The top recipes which got most votes are :

Recipe , Votes
Kiran's Avocado Coconut Vegan Ice Cream 13
Denny's Almond Carrot Ice Cream 11
Nithu's Mixed Veggie Fruit Nut Oats Ice Cream 9
Rebecca's Almond Berry coconut Ice Dream 8
Curry Leaf's Mango coconut pops 5
Priya's Orange Yogurt Cheese Pops 4
Umm Mymoonah's Cherry Porridge Ice Cream 4


Congrats! Kiran,a copy of Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Cream Cook Book will be on your way soon.Thanks again to all the participants,the challenge indeed brought out some unusual yet tasty ideas of home made ice cream.

Chunky Cherry Ice Cream

Bountiful fruity bits in chilled creamy goodness,this frozen treat calms the craving for the cool.With fruit lovers as in my family,the fresh berries and stone fruit rarely make it to recipe,a smoothie at the best or an ice cream or fruit pops are always worth waiting for.


I haven't done anything hugely different in this Ice cream,except for flavoring with generous load of fresh cherries,otherwise it follows the same method as in all the ice creams that I recreated or adapted from Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.The vegan healthy ice cream,uses dairy free substitutes as Coconut milk for heavy cream and low calorie sweetener for plain sugar.You can find more details about these ingredients used from my earlier post.

Recipe : Dairy free Chunky Cherry Ice Cream ,inspired by Rachel Albert-Matesz recipes as in Ice Dream Cookbook.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1 pound fresh cherries,seeded and chopped
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt


Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process halve of the chopped cherries in a food processor or vitamix until finely chopped,the add the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Mix in the rest halve of the chopped cherries.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.



Have you screamed for Ice cream yet?What's keeping you from?.The heat is on,inspirational ideas are here.Wait no more,feel the joy of home made ice cream.Create one healthy frozen and share the recipe with Health Nut Challenge 6 :I Scream for Ice cream before June 30th.

Best out of Waste : Broccoli Stalks Cold Soup

Its either ignorance or abundance that leads to good food go waste.Out of my sheer inexperience,just the florets were utilized and the nutritious broccoli stalks trashed.Fresh broccoli is not cheap,a head of broccoli costs about $2.25 per lb.And to let more than half of it go waste,is not just careless loss at nutrition but also to the wallet.Thanks to a this brilliant recipe,the stalks are now devoured in entirety.

A good source of calcium,there are about 30 calories per stalk,has 6 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein.The broccoli stalks can be sliced or shred ,cooked or used raw in salad,in any recipe were broccoli is used.



In addition to the unused broccoli stalks,other versatile vegetables can be used in this chilled summer soup.

Recipe : Broccoli Stalks Cold Soup
Serves - 2
Ingredients
2 cups Broccoli Stalks(about 1 whole broccoli stalk) ,sliced
1 cup leafy greens(Spinach,kale or other mild greens)
2 cups vegetables(carrots,corn,peas,broccoli florets,cauliflower or others of choice)
1/2 a medium onion,chopped
few sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root,minced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds(optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup low fat yogurt,whipped
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
Heat the oil in a saute pan,add the onions and let sizzle for about a minute,then add the rest of the vegetables,ginger,fennel seeds and broccoli stalks.Cover and cook until veggies are all lightly tender,about 5-6 minutes.Season with salt and pepper.Blend the cooked veggie mixture with 1 cup of water and the thyme leaves until smooth.In summers chill in fridge for 2-3 hours.Can be served warm in cold season.
Serve along side the thyme shortbread(recipe coming up later) ,swirl the whipped yogurt on top.


This is my contribution to the Best out of waste Food event.And also to the Souper Sundays

A question for my viewers,"What fruits\Vegetables have you learned to use efficiently?"

Tropical Fruit Pops

Funny how my 3 year old asked Popsicle for breakfast.I don't blame him, the heat and humidity was intense and so was the thirst.And having enjoyed these the day before in mid afternoon heat,little buds assumed must be OK to eat them whenever thirsty.Not that these are no good to start the day,but he still had to take his milk and cereal for starters and pops for dessert.

Acai-Coconut-Papaya-Banana Pops
Papayas,kiwis,mangoes,bananas,pineapple,coincidentally had all the tropical fruits in hand to give a very tropical touch to the fruit pops.A real summer indulgence,you could enrich the fruit pops with variety of real fresh fruit puree ,deliciously adding a daily serving of all natural fruits and fiber in your diet,void of artificial colors or excess sugar.



Acai-Coconut-Mango-Pineapple Pops
Layering the pops in different fruit flavors seemed daunting at first,then figured that semi-freezing each fruit layer then proceeding with next layer and finally immersing the stick over the last layer and then freezing completely.Evidently the method worked beautifully,the vibrant pops caught my kiddos attention instantly and of course they were not satisfied with one.


Acai-Coconut-Kiwi Pops

Recipe : Tropical Fruit Pops

Ingredients
2 cups Acai Juice(or any concentrated fruit juice,Raspberry,Grape or Goji)
2 ripe Kiwi ,peeled
quarter of a medium papaya,peeled and cubed
1/2 ripe banana
1 small ripe mango
1/2 cup pineapple cut in cubes
1 cup coconut milk(sweetened with 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey)

Method
Puree the papaya and banana in a blender and set aside.Likewise puree the mango and pineapple together.Finally puree the kiwi.

Pour the Acai fruit juice in to the molds till 1/3rd full.Set in the freezer for an hour until set but not completely frozen.Now pour the coconut milk in the molds till 2/3rd full.Again set in freezer,for 30 minutes this time.Finally pour in rest of the fruit purees.Insert the mold stick and set in the freezer for 3-6 hours until completely frozen.Run the molds under warm water for 5-10 seconds for clean lift off.

Health Nut Challenge 6 : I Scream for Ice Cream : Join in the celebration of healthy frozen treats.Send in your best recipe before June 31st,find details here..

Silk's Pure Almond Iced Cocoa Mocha and a Giveaway

Mr.Healthnut helping himself a glass of mighty almond goodness.

A nutritious addition in our diet,velvety smooth ,light and incredibly yum,Silk's new Pure Almond Milk has taken an honorable space in our refrigerator,since introduced to me by the kind folks at Silk.

Topping in the list of Nature's best foods,almonds are attributed as a nut with most fiber,protein and load of essential anti oxidant(Vitamin E).Naturally low in fat and free of cholesterol,the almonds help in lowering bad cholesterol and raising the good cholesterol.Silk Pure Almond™ almond milk is an excellent way to get more of these healthy almonds into your everyday routine.The calorie smart Silk's Pure Almond Milk is just 60 calories for a serving of Original flavor, and 90 for a glass of Vanilla.One can enjoy the almond milk in all the recipes were milk is used.I prefer it chilled from fridge,as is or in bowl of cereal or milk shakes.


Hello Summer! the heat is starting to pick its momentum and the body desires chilled drinks more than ever.The cool refreshing anti-oxidant rich Iced Cocoa Mocha has the light flavor of Silk's vanilla Almond milk intensified with cocoa powder and coffee,a fantastic shake,you'd want to sip every single hot summer's day.

Recipe :Pure Almond Iced Cocoa Mocha
Ingredients
serves 2
2 cups Silk's Pure Almond Milk Vanilla
1/2 cup strong espresso coffee
1 tablespoon 100% cocoa powder
1 tablespoon agave nectar
few ice cubes

Method
Blend all the ingredients(except ice) at high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately in a tall, cold glass with ice cubes.


Silk Pure Almond Giveaway!

For a chance to win Silk's Pure Almond milk ,please leave a comment about ,"Your favorite anti oxidant food(s)?" by end of the week(June 8th).
3 winners will be chosen to receive a free coupon of the product,and one
lucky winner would receive a Silk Pure Almond branded ChicoBag in addition
to the coupon.

Update June 10th : The winners have been choose : SassyAgapi,Becca and Kiran.Congrats!
Please contact me in next 4 days at my email address YasmeenHealthNut@gmail.com
Enjoy!

Raspberry Tofu Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Tofu does not get any applause in my family.So I have to think of sneaking in this wonder protein in the most unsuspecting places.Like in the ice cream ,the silken tofu married so well with the intense berry flavor,leaving the picky eaters totally clueless about the disliked ingredient in it.


The cake was specially made in jubilation of Nabeel's seventh birth day.Yes,another healthfully blessed year.His asthma has shown significant improvement as he is growing.Watching the diet for low sugar ,low fat foods ,wholesome fruits,vegetables and grains immensely helped in improving his condition.My efforts to get him to eat the best aren't always success,there are some foods he absolutely cannot stand, and tofu is one of those.But I can't give up , had to think harder to incorporate the bland food with lots of flavorful berries to create this delectable cake.


I had to disclose the secret ingredient to him after blissfully finishing the first slice,for it changed his mind about the food,that he had decided to hate till eternity.Now he is more willing to appreciate it,if presented in such decadent dishes.That also means,a thumbs up for my ,eating more tofu mission.The other dishes that got approval were tofu smoothie and parathas,haven't got the chance to post them yet,but will do,one fine day.

Recipe : Raspberry Tofu Ice Cream
8 ounce Soft Silken Tofu
1 cup Coconut milk or almond milk or soy milk
2 cups frozen Raspberries
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey or maple syrup

Method
Process tofu in a blender until smooth. Add the frozen berries,sweetener and process until well smooth.Now add the milk and process again until well blended. Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions or if you don't have an ice cream maker,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.
Serve as is or layer in the chocolate cake as follows.


Recipe :Raspberry Tofu Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
For Dark Chocolate Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Organic eggs
2 tablespoon Fat free Sour cream
1/4 cup agave nectar or 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon Organic butter or Virgin pressed coconut oil,melted and divided
1/2 cup reduced fat Organic milk

3 cups of Raspberry Tofu Ice cream(as in recipe above)

Method
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil and the semisweet chocolate chips in a bowl(glass or steel) placed over saucepan with gently simmering water(double broiler).Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth.Set the bowl aside.

Preheat Oven to 375F.Line the bottom of a 8x8 round baking pan with parchment paper.

Sift all the dry ingredients(flours,salt and powders) in large mixing bowl.
In another mixing bowl whisk together melted butter and sugar or agave ,Crack the eggs and whisk until combined.Add the prepared chocolate ganache, stir in milk ,sour cream and combine until mixture comes together. Now add the dry mixture slowly in to the wet mixture while stirring it.

Pour the mixture in to the prepared baking pan.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the center of cake come out clean on an inserted toothpick.Cool the cake for at least 30 minutes.Flip in to plate.Remove the parchment at the bottom of the cake.

Assembling the Cake
Thaw the Raspberry Tofu Ice cream for 30 minutes until soft enough to handle.
Line the same baking pan with a plastic wrap,put the cake back in the pan.Scoop the ice cream and spread over the cupcakes just until the pan is full.Cover and freeze for 2-3 hours before unmolding.When set,flip the pan on to a plate,remove the plastic wrap,flip again in to another serving plate to have the Ice cream layer on top.Garnish with some fresh raspberries.To slice,warm a sharp knife under running hot water for an easier cut.
For more fruity finish,prepare some raspberry syrup and pour over each slice.



Health Nut Challenge 6 : I Scream for Ice Cream : Join in the celebration of healthy frozen treats.Send in your best recipe,find details here..

Kumquat Ice Cream - I Scream For Ice Cream Challenge.And Ice Dream Cook Book Give Away

Been yearning to taste this delight ever since bookmarked last summer.With right ingredients in hand and the ambiance warm enough,finally got the chance to contain the desire.



Eralda's original recipe of the ice cream follows David lebovitz's approach ,while my recreation here is influenced by the by Rachel Albert-Matesz's dairy free recipes from her latest book, The Ice Dream Cookbook ,replacing heavy cream with coconut milk.Smitten by the superb benefits of coconut,all of my home made ice creams now incorporate coconut milk for dairy cream.


Besides the coconut milk,the other supreme element in the ice cream are Kumquats.I always keep an eye out for unusually healthy foods,glad I noticed kumquats in a market here.Kumquats are like the concentrated mini oranges or clementines with edible peel.But if these tangy little morsels are not in your reach,you could still make the ice cream,simply substitute them with some fresh orange zest and orange juice instead.

Recipe : Dairy free Kumquat Ice cream ,inspired by Eralda's recipe at 5 star foodie and Rachel Albert-Matesz as in Ice Dream Cookbook.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
5-6 kumquats,seeded and chopped(or use 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest and 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice)
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt
Kumquat syrup and Caramelized kumquats for garnish(recipe follows)

Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process the kumquat in a food processor or vitamix until finely chopped,the add the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.

Kumquat Syrup with caramelized Kumquats
Ingredients
8-10 kumquats,seeded,sliced or chopped(2 tablespoon fresh orange zest)
1/4 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon virgin pressed coconut oil
Method
In a small pan,heat the oil and add the kumquats(or zest),let soften and caramelized,about 3-4 minutes.Now add the honey or agave and warm,let heat up on low heat,when bubbles start to emerge,3-4 minutes.Turn off the heat.Cool for few minutes and serve over the ice cream.



Health Nut Challenge 6 - I Scream For Ice Cream!

Nothing can beat the summer's scorching heat like the frosty treat.Gearing up for the heat,I invite my creative foodies to scream for the summer's best refreshment,take the next Health Nut challenge of creating one fresh ,healthy and home made frozen treat.

Homemade Ice creams are far superior than store bought,for one can customize it for sweetness , flavors ,calories without any need for preservatives or artificial colors.Also the home made quality ice cream costs less.Even if you don't treasure an ice cream machine,just following the method in my recipes to closely match the texture of machine made.

Please read the following rule carefully before submitting your recipe for the "I Scream For Ice Cream!" Challenge:

1.Delight your family with a home made frozen treat on a sizzling hot day - Ice cream,Frozen yogurt,Sorbet,Juice pop,Ice cream sandwich or cone,gelato,kulfi or any other chilled dessert or snack.Refer to Health nut recipes to get the idea.

2.Make it a healthier ice cream,use a healthier substitute for heavy cream like the coconut milk,also using nut butters like cashew cream or peanut butter or almond butter are simply wonderful for making creamy healthy ice creams.Or use light cream along with whole milk ,almond milk or soy milk.

3.Keep the sweetness in moderation.Again using substitutes like honey ,agave nectar or maple syrup are much better than plain white sugar.


4.Flavor up them with fresh fruits ,berries,nuts ,cocoa or dark chocolate.For sorbets one can also use fresh herbs like basil.

5.Limit to one entry per participant.Send me your creative frozen treat using the convenient form below, by June 31st.And please do not forget to link your post to this announcement page.


Health Nut Challenge Form

Your Name
Your Email Address
Blog Name
Recipe Name
Recipe URL
Picture of the dish(300 pixels wide)
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Ice Dream Cook Book Give Away!

Rachel Albert-Matesz,author of Ice Dream Cookbook, has been kind enough to give a copy of her Ice Dream Cookbook,as reward for one unique recipe submitted to the Health Nut Ice Cream Challenge ,that closely abides by the rules of the challenge.

I totally love the book for introducing the healthier alternatives in home made ice creams,clear and descriptive recipes with fabulous variety of flavors.I've been using her recipes to make most of my Ice creams ever since I did the review.The cookbook is a best buy for any diet-conscious ,Ice-cream aficionados and those on restricted diets(low-sugar,gluten-free,dairy-free).You can read my complete review here.
ORDER YOUR COPY of The Ice Dream Cookbook: Dairy-Free Ice Cream Alternatives with Gluten-Free Cookies, Compotes & Sauces by Rachel Albert-Matesz at Rachel's blog or at Amazon.com .

Peanut Butter and Plum Jelly Ice Dream.And NutButter Giveaway.

Nut Butters(Almond and Peanut),are staple spreads on my everyday sandwiches that I absolutely cannot do without.Recently a representative of MaraNatha Nut Butters contacted me to try and talk about their Peanut Butter.I was shipped 2 free sample Jars of All-natural MaraNatha Peanut Butter.Creamy and smooth,the nutty butter did not last long,my family is big on nut butters,one of the Jars was licked clean in few days,mostly on lunch box sandwiches.With the second Jar,I had to try something different,something that celebrates the warmth of the season.Racheal's Dairy-free Ice Dream with PB seemed fitting,time was right to revive the frozen treats in her cookbook,some of them I totally enjoyed last season.


Recipe : Peanut Butter and Plum Jelly, adapted from Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup Peanut Butter(I use MaraNatha,can also use Almond Butter or Cashew Butter )
1/2 cup low-sugar fruit Jelly(I use homemade Plum jelly)
1 3/4 cups (one 14 ounce can) unsweetened lite coconut milk (preservative-free).
1 medium-size ripe banana, peeled
1 tablespoon virgin-pressed coconut oil or palm shortening
2 tablespoon honey or agave syrup or maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt

Method
1-Gently melt coconut or palm oil in a small saucepan over low heat.Add the sliced banana and brown sugar.Let caramelize for 2-3 minutes.Turn off heat and cool.


2-Transfer the banana mixture into a blender, vita-mix or food processor. Add the honey, peanut butter,sea salt, and coconut milk. Blend until smooth.

3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.Meanwhile ,stir 1-2 teaspoon of water in the fruit jelly to loosen it up.cover and refrigerate.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5-When done,spoon 1/4 of the forzen dessert in to freezer-safe container.Spoon a layer of diluted fruit jelly evenly over the Ice Dream.Top with another layer of Ice Dream.Continue layering Ice Dream and fruit jelly in the same way,ending with a layer of Ice Dream.Cover and freeze for atleast 3 hours,until firm ,before serving.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Without the Ice cream machine method
If you don't have an Ice cream machine.After the step 4,transfer the Ice Dream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Proceed from Step 5 above.


PB and J Ice Dream Sandwiched between Rye Bread Crisps

MaraNatha Nut Butter Give Away !

MaraNatha makes a variety of protein rich, organic and natural nut and seed butters, including classic peanut butter, almond, cashew and macadamia butters and sesame tahini.Find them all here.

To get everyone excited to try healthy nut butters in 2010, MaraNatha has launched a new promotion to help save on their products. Simply visit http://offers.maranathafoods.com/ and sign up for the e-newsletter and you’ll receive a coupon for $1.00 off any MaraNatha product. By spreading the word to three or more friends, you can receive a $2.00 off coupon.
Thoroughly satisfied with the quality and taste of the sample peanut butter,I bought more of MaraNatha Nut butter from a retail store near me(Costco).You could also order them Online.

As for the exciting giveaway,MaraNatha is also offering Coupons for 4 free MaraNatha Nut Butter jars, $20 value!,to one lucky winner .To be eligible for this delicious offer,just leave a comment below about "Your favorite spread on Sandwiches or Crackers".Winner will be selected on April 10th.Good luck!

Coconut Peach Cranberry Freeze

Despite the frosty weather I do fancy a frozen treat once in a while.I had this can of coconut milk waiting too long to be devoured,some frozen fruits too cold to crunch and a little left over rice.And with a recipe(in a cookbook courtesy of Vitamix) matching all the ingredient,it just took minutes to assemble the freeze.The original recipe called for just peaches for fruit,I add an extra layer of cranberries to intensity the yum factor of the dessert.
I use Thai kitchen coconut milk that's free of preservatives.The light coconut milk has lesser fat calories.The fat in coconut milk is believed to be a healthier when compared to dairy cream(heavy whipping cream)commonly used in desserts.Learn more about the goodness of coconut.
Recipe :Coconut Peach Cranberry Freeze
1 1/2 cup light coconut milk,cold
1 cup frozen cranberries
2 cups sliced frozen peaches
1/2 cup cooked white rice,cooled
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon agave nectar or honey

Method
Blend the peach layer
Put 1 cup coconut milk ,cinnamon and rice in a heavy duty blender(Vitamix),blend for few seconds until rice is mashed.Now add the frozen peaches and sweetener,then blend another 30-60 seconds until the mixture is smooth yet cold.Arrange in serving glasses as the bottom layer.
Blend the cranberry layer
Blend the remaining half cup coconut milk with the frozen cranberries for 30-60 seconds,until smooth.Pour a little of this cranberry mixture over each of the peach layers.Serve immediately or if serving later, keep cold in fridge.


Variation

You could also make the freeze with just peaches or use pineapples or mangoes instead.


The freeze is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #219 ,hosted this week by Simona of Briciole

Juicy and Nutty:Watermelon-Strawberry-Almond Salad

I'm a disaster at selecting water melons.The ones I pick always turn out to be either unripe or not so juicy.How do you select a perfect water melon,one that's ripe red and juicy?Here is a simple tip from Mr.HealthNut- a melon that's heavy,with nice and green sheen and a yellowish-white spot at the bottom.We never miss buying them every week in summer,He is more of an expert than me when it comes to picking the right melon.He finds them the most rejuvenating food after the workouts,I totally agree.

The sweet water melon and strawberries with mint and nutty almonds make a refreshing salad for the sweltering hot days.Not mention the salad is loaded with much needed anti-oxidants.

Recipe
Ingredients
Quarter of a large water melon ,rind removed and cubed
1/2 pint strawberries,hulled and quartered
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1 cup Romain lettuce,chopped

For dressing
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice,freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon pepper,freshly ground
1 tablespoon fresh mint,chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Prepare the dressing,whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl.Pour over melon,berries and almonds in large salad bowl.Gently toss to mix.Keep cool in fridge until its time to serve.



The thirst-quenching Melon salad is off to Meeta's Monthly Mingle :Marvelous Melons ,hosted this week by Chew On That .

Interesting Read!
**Water Melon : A Natural Viagra?
**Water Melon Health Benefits