My Proven Method to Satisfy Your Ice Cream Craving

When people ask me what my favorite food vices are, there are always two; a good quality dark chocolate and ice cream.  While the first one can actually be good for you if you read your ingredients carefully, as outlined in this post, the latter, well.......ice cream is ice cream.  Dairy, fat, and loads and loads of sugar. Yet, I LOVE IT.

We live down the road from one of the best home made ice cream shops in Massachusetts.  Voted Best of Boston a few years in a row, it is difficult to resist!  What makes it even more difficult is the fact that I drive by this place EVERY SINGLE WORK DAY.  Temptation ensues.

When the temperature gets really hot, and the ice cream craving strikes, I realize that what my body is really craving is the cooling sensation and texture of the ice cream rather than the actual product itself. With a quick do-it-yourself nourishing dessert, you can actually trick your body into thinking it's getting the real thing.  The key is in the texture and the temperature.

Home Made "Ice Cream"

You can make a home made soft serve "ice cream" with just a few simple ingredients and your food processor:

• 1 Frozen Banana per serving
• A splash of Almond or Coconut Milk (around a tablespoon)
• Toppings of Choice

Faux Ice Cream Base

It's very important that the banana you use is completely frozen, otherwise you will end up with mush .

• Place the frozen banana in the food processor.  
• Add a tablespoon of the almond or coconut milk. 
• Blend

That's it!  You'll want to keep checking to make sure that the banana has the consistency of soft serve.  If it appears too chunky, add a bit more of your almond or coconut milk and process until smooth.

I typically make mine with a tablespoon of raw cacao powder for a chocolate ice cream.  Or my other favorite choice is to top with dark chocolate chunks for a twist on chocolate chip.  Of course there are so many other things you can do such as add strawberries in the banana base or on top, the same with cherries or other fruit of choice to make it uniquely yours.  Optional:  for a decadent twist, try adding almond or other nut butter to the base.  I prefer walnut butter for this recipe.

Raw Chocolate "Ice Cream"

While I certainly indulge from time to time with a delicious home made ice cream from my favorite stand (and my kids do too!), I can satisfy my cravings for ice cream with a delicious impostor on the nights of the week where having an ice cream isn't an option.  I live by the belief that moderation is the key to healthy living.  That means all things healthy, and not so healthy too.

After all, summer wouldn't be summer without the experience of a treat from the ice cream stand every now and again to take in the warmth and joy that summer has to offer.  Wouldn't you agree?


Be well,

Janelle 

If you like this recipe and are interested in others, check out my Seasonal Nourishing Menu Plans.

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Decadent Chocolate Recipe

Home made Raw Chocolate

It is  no surprise that I love chocolate.  This is for sure my food weakness.  With Valentine's Day that just passed, chocolate was in an endless supply.  That said, chocolate itself is NOT the enemy, it is all of the processed sugars, oils, artificial colors and flavorings, and soy lechiten (used as an emulsifier and is a dangerous endocrine disruptor) that is. Once I discovered this, my relationship with chocolate took on a whole new level.  It went from unhealthy to healthy in just a matter of a few ingredients!

I've modified this recipe from one of my favorite raw food chefs, Ani Phyo.  Ani uses cacao butter as the base for her chocolate with raw cacao powder as the additive, however I find that using coconut oil works just as well (and is a more readily available ingredient in most grocery stores).  Raw cacao is a superfood, as described in detail in a previous post. Coconut oil, although a saturated fat, contains essential lauric acid which has been proven to speed up weight loss, reduces the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, and stimulates thyroid function.  If you'd like to learn more about the benefit of coconut oil, here is a link to a fantastic article that speaks more to this perfect food.

Raw Chocolate made with Coconut Oil

Easy Raw Chocolate Recipe:

1. Melt 1 cup unrefined coconut oil over low heat
2. Mix in 1/2 cup of cacao powder
3. Add in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
4. Whisk and remove from heat

That's it!!

There are so many options you can do with this raw, superfood chocolate.  You can spread it in a pan and make raw chocolate bark with raisins and nuts.  You can put it in little molds and make solid raw chocolates. Add a little coconut cream in the middle and you have a delicious coconut truffle!  Or you can dip with fruit and make chocolate covered strawberries, bananas, and the like. Whatever you decide, make sure you place your delicious chocolate concoction in the refrigerator to set, for at least one hour.

Voila - a delicious treat that not only avoids all of the chemicals, sugars, and preservatives, but is actually nourishing for your body.  The best part?  I can honestly say that after months of eating good quality chocolate, the cheap and processed stuff doesn't taste appealing any longer.  Win win!!

Raw Chocolate Bark

How do you think you will use this recipe?

Be well,

Janelle

Interested in learning more?  Please visit my website.