Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice CreamHappy Ice Cream Day!

I realize my last recipe post was about fudgesicles but I can’t miss an opportunity to share my Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream recipe ? .

Brandon and I have an ongoing joke that we make the best ice cream. Okay, so we aren’t actually joking when we say this. We really do make the best ice cream.

 

Homemade ice cream trumps store bought ice cream any day.

Not that ice cream is something we should be eating all the time but the more affordable brands are full of unnecessary ingredients.

Blue Bunny label

Exhibit A. Blue Bunny Chocolate Ice Cream Label

 

There is definitely a good reason to look at ingredient labels and spend a little more money for a higher quality product.

Haagen Dazs labelExhibit B. Haagen Dazs Chocolate Ice Cream Label

 

Did you know that carrageenan is a thickener derived from seaweed? Sounds harmless, right? Well, some animal studies have linked exposure to carrageenan to stomach ulcers and GI cancer. Other peer reviewed studies show that it causes inflammation, which is the root cause of many serious diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.

 

So, if you want to drop $5 on a pint of ice cream feel free to do so, otherwise make your own and save a bundle ?

 

Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 C milk
  • 2 C heavy cream
  • ¾ C cane sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ C cocoa powder
  • ½ C roasted almonds, chopped
Instructions
  1. Make sure ice cream bowl is in the freezer at least 24 hours before making ice cream.
  2. Pour milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk until well combined.
  3. Set up ice cream maker and pull ice cream bowl out of the freezer. Pour ice cream mixture into bowl and turn oil.
  4. Let the machine run for about 15 minutes until soft serve consistency.
  5. Add chopped almonds and run for another 2-3 minutes.
  6. Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze until solid. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Sugar – cane sugar, beet sugar, blonde coconut sugar, brown coconut sugar would be great with chocolate ice cream!
Milk/Cream – full fat coconut milk
Cocoa – carob powder – or leave it out for vanilla ice cream!

 


Products we use:

Here is a great dairy-free recipe to make with this product: Honeydew sorbet


What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Enjoy!

Homemade fudgesicles

Dairy Free Fudgesicles – customize your own!

Homemade fudgesicles

Now that its summer we all want ice cream, right?

I always thought I hated chocolate ice cream but one thing I love is fudgesicles in the summer time! Who am I kidding, how could I hate chocolate ice cream?

Brandon and I keep hearing the ice cream truck pass by our house but I swear it makes sure that we are not outside because we are usually outside most days of the week and he never drives by when we want him too!

This weekend I got creative and tailored a standard fudgesicle recipe to my food sensitivity results and then I got to thinking. How can I make this even more customize-able!? I want everyone to be able to eat fudgesicles if their heart desires.

what your heart desires

And fudgesicles make me happy.

 

But I guess, I do like other desserts too – like this sorbet 🙂

Dairy Free Fudgesicles
 
These fudgesicles are super chocolaty and perfect for a hot summer day!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • ½ C cocoa powder or carob powder
  • ¾ C allowed granulated sweetener
  • 2 Tbsp allowed liquid sweetener
  • 1 tsp flavor extract
  • 2 C allowed milk
Instructions
  1. In a pot, whisk together the granulated sugar and cocoa or carob powder.
  2. Add the liquid sweetener and flavor of your choice.
  3. Turn the stove on medium heat and pour in your milk.
  4. Whisk until chocolate and sugar are dissolved. The mixture does not have to boil but the heat helps it dissolve better.
  5. Pour into popsicle molds.
  6. Place in freezer until solid.
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Milk: whole fat coconut milk or 2% or whole cow’s milk – you need some fat!
Granulated sweetener: cane sugar, blonde coconut sugar, beet sugar
Liquid sweetener: corn syrup, brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup, cassava syrup, coconut nectar, homemade simple syrup – I use this recipe to make my simple syrup
Chocolate: you can also use carob powder for a caffeine free version!
Flavor Extract: vanilla, almond, mint would all be great flavors – I would use ½ tsp if you use mint because it is strong.


Products:


Enjoy!

fudgesicle

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip CookiesWe have finally arrived in sunny Arizona! Here is a picture that I took on our drive. Wegrain-free, egg-free choc chip cookies took a wrong turn and ended up on 50+ miles of switchback road through the mountains. It was getting dark so this was not a fun part! We made a short stop to let our cars cool down and this was the view that we had :).

Isn’t it pretty!

Yesterday I put my kitchen gadgets away and got organized so naturally the first thing I did this morning was bake chocolate chip cookies (isn’t that what anyone else would do?).
 
This drive was not easy – 27 hours total! We split it up over 3 days but sitting for so long really tested my patience… and my hip flexors. I brought a couple healthy snacks like pistachios, dried apricots and corn nuts.
Side note: Yes, I know corn nuts are not healthy. 

https://feelgoodrd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Safe-Snacks-for-road-trip.png


Meals were difficult because on road trips you’re expected to eat fast food, right? I brought food with me but that only lasted so long. I tried to pick the best foods for me which consisted of hamburgers, French fries and unsweetened ice tea. Based on my food sensitivities, that was the best option. I know that I can handle bread, beef and potatoes. The frying oil was questionable but all went well!
 
Some may ask why didn’t I get a salad? And the answer is that I have a lot of foods that cause my IBS to flare up, several of them are the proverbial “healthy” foods. There are so many ingredients in a salad, not to mention the dressing. At a minimum there is lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots. Then you add salad dressing, which is an oil, vinegar, and a boat load of spices – which typically includes garlic. In this short list, I am sensitive to tomato, carrots and garlic. These are some of my biggest triggers so I went the safe route and ate a hamburger and French fries.
 
Now back to cookies!
Our pantry is sparse right now but I managed to alter a recipe from The Food Fanatic to meet my food sensitivities as well as my clients.

Grain-free, Egg-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • ¼ C coconut oil (solid)
  • ¼ C allowed liquid sweetener
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 5 Tbsp coconut flour
  • ¼ C almond flour
  • ¼ allowed chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together solid coconut oil, allowed liquid sweetener, vanilla and salt.
  3. Add baking soda, coconut flour, almond flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.
  4. Let cookie dough sit for 5-10 minutes so that coconut flour can absorb the moisture.
  5. Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet in 1.5-2 tsp portions. Using your finger, spread out the cookie dough (they don’t spread like traditional cookies)
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. These cookies will be soft right out but as they cool they become chewy and delicious.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Allowed liquid sweetener – honey, maple syrup, rice bran syrup, tapioca syrup, corn syrup
Almond flour – try cassava flour or make your own sunflower seed flour


Products:


What is your favorite sensitivity-friendly cookie recipe?

Enjoy!

Maple Almond Fudge

Maple Almond Fudge

Maple Almond FudgeWell as much as I tried I couldn’t hold on to fall very long. Leaves are covering the street and its been nasty cold lately (like 60’s and rainy cold)! Being in Chicago it will only get worse but I was enjoying the nice summer we had. Come Fall I always think of hot beverages (I mostly drink hot water… I know, weird.) I do have a weakness for fudge – the nerd in me wants to call it my kryptonite – but maybe that’s because I just finished binge watching Supergirl on Netflix.

Anyhow, I came across a fudge recipe the other day and just had to make it! This fudge recipe called for coconut oil, cashew butter and honey which sounded amazing but because of my sensitivity to fructose that was not going to happen. Honey is 100% fructose! So, I modified it! I love having an understanding of food and being comfortable changing ingredients because it opens up the world of food! You can make pretty much anything you want 🙂

Well, through my modifications I came up with Maple Almond Fudge – yumm!

Maple Almond Fudge
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup almond butter
Instructions
  1. Melt coconut oil on low heat in a small pot.
  2. Add maple syrup and almond butter.
  3. Stir until smooth and all incorporated.
  4. Pour into small pan or individual cups and place in refrigerator to solidify.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

 

Alternatives:
Nut butter – any allowed nut butter can be used!
Sweetener – maple syrup, honey, or brown rice syrup can be used to sweeten these babies 🙂

**Coconut oil is an important ingredient – this is what keeps the fudge solid. You can use coconut butter in its place if you have it on hand!


Products:


Did you make any variations? We would love to know what you tried!

Enjoy!

Honeydew Sorbet

Honeydew Sorbet

Honeydew SorbetLeaves are changing quickly and every morning it has been getting cooler… I’m so not ready for fall yet! This summer went by so quickly, we didn’t even get to a waterpark!

In a last ditch effort to bring back summer I thought I would make a light, refreshing summer-y dessert 🙂 Ice cream is always a go to during the summer but for those of us who are lactose intolerant, ice cream isn’t always a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, I crave (and eat) ice cream occasionally but its nice to eat dessert without feeling sick or having to run to the bathroom.

My honeydew sorbet is made with 3 ingredients (+ water… does that count?) and can be modified to meet your specific needs.

Honeydew Sorbet
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: ½ gallon
Ingredients
  • 5 C honeydew, diced and chilled
  • ¾ C cane sugar
  • ¾ C water
  • 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
  1. Create a simple syrup by heating sugar and water in a sauce pan. Pour the simple syrup in a container and refrigerate to cool. You can freeze to speed up the process - make sure not to freeze the syrup.
  2. Combine the chilled honey dew and simple syrup in a blender, add juice from 1 lemon and blend until smooth.
  3. Pour the contents of the blender into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions.
  4. Freeze sorbet until solid. Before serving, take sorbet out of the freezer about 5 minutes in advance.
Notes
Nutrition information is not provided due alterations that can be made to accommodate food sensitivities.

Making sorbet

Alternatives:
Fruit – Try using cantaloupe or watermelon to make the same different versions of this sorbet.
Sweetener – you can use honey in place of cane sugar in the same quantity. Be careful if you are sensitive to fructose! Honey is 100% fructose and so is fruit 🙂 You can also try an alternative sweetener (i.e. stevia) for a low calorie version of this refreshing dessert!

 

Also try our Diary-Free Fudgesicles for another delicious summer dessert!

 


Products:

Here is another great recipe to make with this product: Roasted Almond Chocolate Ice Cream


Let us know if you tried this with a different fruit!

Enjoy!