Get Creative This Summer - Make Ice Cream!

So, as PUREmamas readers may know, I am always talking about Tomberlies ice cream. It is a staple at my house but unfortunately, it's not available everywhere and is expensive. {for good reason, it's handmade, very difficult to make and ingredients (nuts/coconut) are expensive to buy}.

Because of this, I have decided to CREATE and post my very own ice cream recipe for those of you who don't have access to Raw Vegan Ice cream and/or can't afford to buy it as often as they want to. 

I have been playing around with texture and flavors here at home, just so that you guys can keep a good stock in the fridge and start making some of my milk shakes, green shakes, etc. w/o having to buy ice cream. 

But before I share the recipe, let me clarify WHY I like raw vegan ice cream as a staple food. First of all the ingredients are healthy, organic and in the raw state. That is the best way to eat nuts and coconut and especially any kind of dessert!

Desserts are one of the worst foods to eat for many reasons - sugar, dairy, high fat, over-cooked and lacking in nutrients. Eating too many of those types of foods can lead to unwanted extra weight and cellulite and not to mention added calories that are of NO nutritional value. 

SO, instead, if you could replace dessert with a lesser evil why would you not? Right? This ice cream is not only a lesser evil it's actually a HEALTHY food that won't contribute to your waist line because it's a nutrient-dense food! If you look at the nutrition panel you'll see that it's not lacking in FAT content, but the fat is super healthy fat. {remember, fat doesn't make you fat!! and raw coconut fat is very healthy for our cells and internal lubrication - gross word, i know}.

Sound like the perfect food? Well, it ALMOST is. It does contain agave nectar {or sweetener of your choice} which isn't the PERFECT food, but instead a great alternative to sugar because it contains nutrients and is heated at a low temperature. PLEASE ignore the agave nectar scares online. Any sugar is YES a sugar {carbohydrate} so it's not like it's a supplement that you should be pill popping everyday, it's JUST an alternative to other sweeteners. OK? Get that part straight. 

Anyways...you might have to practice and adjust the recipe to your liking. But for now, let's start here {you will only be using this ice cream in smoothies and milkshakes, so don't feel bad about screwing up your batches}!

RECIPE

2c coconut meat {scrape from about 2-3 young coconuts from the store. ask the clerk to open them for you so you don't have to do it at home}
1.5c raw cashews {soak for an hour}
¾c agave nectar {OR yacon syrup}
¾c water {or if you want, use the coconut water from the coconut}
1 vanilla bean {scrape out insides}
pinch of sea salt

Add all of the ingredients in a VitaMix until very smooth, as smooth as you can get it. Add water slowly. If you add too much water, it will crystalize in the freezer {which isn't the end of the world, just won't be as creamy} so just keep it at a minimum. THEN, put in the freezer overnight or for 10 hours. 

Take mixture out, let thaw a few minutes, and throw BACK into the VitaMix and blend with whichever flavors you like -- or if you have an ice cream maker use that -- I did a lime cliantro flavor {juice of two limes, a tad more agave and a handful of cilantro}. I know that seems weird, and it sort of was, but it is perfect to add to my green smoothies.

I then poured the new mixture into ice cube trays and will store them that way. So every time I want a few scoops, I don't have to wait for the entire container to thaw {smart, right?}

Using 3 cubes of ice cream I made a WONDERFUL green smoothie: 

I added -

2 cups liquid {orange or coconut water or almond milk}
½c frozen mango or pineapple
2 handfuls parsley
1 handful cilantro
flax oil
probiotic powder
sweeten to taste with stevia OR agave nectar

Blend and YUM. My kids love it too.