Dairy-Free Cold Treats

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Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!  Thanks for the comments on yesterday’s post about what items do double-duty for ya and for the yoga kudos.  Since it’s hot as a mutha, I figured the timing was right for some cold treats.

About 6 months ago I started trying to make “ice cream” for Scott because he was severely addicted to ice cream.  I don’t use that word lightly and here’s why…When we digest milk protein, a protein fragment called casomorphin results. Casomorphins have a morphine-like effect on the brain, which actually addicts someone to milk and dairy products.  I wanted to break the dairy addiction in this house.  Aside from Skylar who eats a little yogurt, we’re dairy free in this crib.  

What to do about the sweet tooth for ice cream?  Enter, Coconut Milk “Ice Cream”
Coconut Ice Cream in white round bowl

I keep it simple.  I use 2-3 previously chunked and frozen bananas and a can of coconut milk.
Sliced bananas in clear container and can of Light Coconut Milk
Put the nanners in a Vita-Mix or other food processor and break em down a little. This part is reminiscent of Gena’s Banana Soft Serve.
Bananas in high powered blender
Then,
*Add coconut milk 
*Add sweetener of your choice.   Suggestions would be agave, honey, stevia, cane sugar, date sugar, palm sugar
*Blend

Next I add a lil Vanilla.  If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, try peppermint extract with some carob or raw cocoa nibs.

Banana blended with coconut milk and sweetener in high powered blender Pour off whatever you plan to use as your “vanilla ice cream” into a container and freeze.  If you have an ice-cream maker, awesome.  Run this mixture through that.  But I don’t, and I just put it in the freezer and it’s fine. 

For chocolate ice cream, add cocoa powder.  I’d start with 1/4 c.  I’ve  also added coffee extract.
Cocoa powder added to coconut milk ice cream in blenderThese are my 2 containers ready to be frozen. Plan ahead because it takes a little longer than you think it may take to freeze really solid.  Or, if you have the memory cells left, you can go to the freezer and stir your mixture every hour or so and it will reduce the crystal effect.

Clear containers filled with regular coconut milk ice cream and chocolate coconut milk ice cream

Coconut Milk, done.  

Next up, Almond Milk “Ice Cream”
The input for this batch was:
*4 nanners
*Vanilla Almond Milk, about 2 c
*TJ’s Bourbon Vanilla
*1 heaping Tsp of Bob’s Red Mill Xanthum GumEasily omittable if you don’t have a $12 bag of gum just layin’ around
*Sweetener (cane sugar, dates, date sugar, palm sugar, agave, honey, molasses, stevia)
*Blend
Xanthum gum, almond milk, vanilla and bananas on countertop
Then, same as with the coconut milk variety, pour the portion you wanna keep as vanilla into a container and freeze.  Go stir it in the freeze every hour or so if you can remember…if not, no worries.
Blended coconut mixture in a clear container
Or add cocoa for a chocolate batch of almond milk cold yumminess.
Chocolate coconut milk mixture in clear container
You’re Done!  Here’s a scoop of the vanilla almond milk icy goodness about 24 hours later.  A little crystal-ey but not a biggie for us. 
Scoop of vanilla coconut almond milk ice cream close up
Does anyone else make “ice cream”?  What’s your method?  I’d love to hear what your ratios are and if you use an ice cream maker or not.

After all that ice cream, yoga kinda went…SPLAT!!!!  Sleeping turtle, aka supta kurmasana.

Woman doing supta kurmasana yoga pose



:)

Averie

Tip of the Day: When you’re trying to do something new in life such as making dietary changes, you don’t have to be all or nothing. You can have shades of gray.  Gena talks about the all or nothing phenomenon and how it’s a setup for failure for her clients trying to go all raw too quickly. Take it slowly and in shades of gray, friends.  Not just in food, but in everything in life.

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Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. Congrats to the new house and going in and making it your own (via decor and such). We like nuts and sunflower seeds for road trips.

  2. Welcome to AZ!

    I live in Scottsdale & have for the past 6 years and love it =)

    The heat is a little ridiculous and will be a huge change for you from your SoCal weather.

    You will love it here and so will your daughter =)

  3. You ladies all rock and are so amazing!!!!! I was reading these comments from my crackberry yesterday and was so happy to feel so loved. Much love to you all!! xoxo Averie

  4. Congratulations on the move!! Your house, even unfinished, looks beautiful!!

    Can't see what you make in your new kitchen!

  5. Congrats on the new house!!! So exciting. Travel safe… you look pretty well stocked in the snack dept! I try to keep whole fruit, trail mix, nut butters, etc. around to nosh on while I drive.

  6. Congratulations Averie!!! I'm so happy for you guys! Moving is always very exciting, especially when it's a brand new house! I love your kitchen and can't wait to see more pics.

    As always, your yoga pictures amaze me. I look forward to taking another class tomorrow! :)

  7. Oh how exciting!!! I LOVE AZ! All of my family on my dad's side live there. There's nothing like the smell of rain on the desert:) I wonder, will you be semi-close to Kristen? I'm jealous! Have a safe trip!!!

    Yummy treats for the long haul!

  8. Major Congrats on your new home purchase and move!!!!

    AZ is beautiful! I adore desert landscape!

    don't over do it in this heat! I doubt it's any cooler in AZ.

    I guess well see you when you are settled in!

  9. Averie! So many things to say!
    1) Zillion congrats on the move to the desert- it can be so magical there!

    2)Thanks for the shout-out re. SB…Agreed- sun butter is for DRIZZLING, not eating in hunks. Here's a thought… next time you're at TJs pick up another bottle, open it, pour some out (like into your gullet)- maybe an inch? Stuff up a mound of paper towels inside jar. Close jar. Turn upside down. Come back in a few days and it should be drier. You can even replace the towels every day to soak up more oil (darn you might have to lick what sticks to the old towels.) Note: I've done this with AB and PB when I was scared of fats (no longer) but not yet with SB. Lemme know if this works.
    3) so cute you and mini-me have matching outfits!
    4)LOVE LOVE LOVE cacao nibs. crazy love.

    Good luck with the move and enjoy your days off if you need to take them. we'll still be here when you get back :-)

  10. Congratulations on your move and new home! I hope the trip across the desert goes/went well. We drove the #8 (I think ~ via Imperial & Yuma) this July and it was a long drive, but we loved AZ once we got there! Enjoy all that sunshine and the beautiful lightning storms ~ and, of course, setting up the kitchen of your dreams :)

  11. HELL FREAKING YES!!! I'm so beyond excited for you – good luck and enjoy the move!!

    TJ's sunflower seed butter = awesome stuff.

  12. ah congrats on the move, love! I couldn't be more excited for you :) Safe travels and I can't wait to see the new place!

    Namaste, love :)

  13. OMG!! Congrats on the house and the move!! I bet you are SOOO excited! I would LOVE to move to new house:)

    Sunbutter is my fave!!! I can't eat nuts, so I have found my new love in sunbutter:) It is to die for on Medjool dates!