Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Ingredients

1 400ml can organic coconut milk

1 banana (could replace this with a large ripe avocado)

2 Dessert spoons Organic Cacao Powder

1 tspn vanilla extract

2 Tblspn raw local honey (to taste)

Method

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn for 40-50 minutes
• Remove to a freezer proof container and freeze for a further 1-2 hours
• ENJOY!

This is a totally delicious ice-cream.  I found using the ingredients in the quantities above gave a really delicate flavour and it is so refreshing and healthy too!. My kids loved it!

- the coconut milk provides you with healthy fats that are immediately converted to energy and used for fuel in your cells.
- the banana provides you with the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6 which are co-factors for  serotonin - our happy hormone. It is high in fibre and also helps protect against heartburn, improves digestion and is soothing to the digestive tract.
- the cacao powder is rich in magnesium, iron, tryptophan, antioxidants and chromium (excellent for regulating blood sugar levels)
- raw local honey is protective of your immune system and regular consumption can lessen your risk to developing hay-fever if you are a sufferer.

 Variations

• You could add chopped dates and/or goji berries to add texture and more sweetness.
• You could use xylitol instead of the honey to sweeten. Xylitol is a natural plant sugar that does not affect your blood sugar levels in the way normal sugar does.
• Grate organic dark chocolate and add a couple of dessert spoons through the feeder of the ice-cream maker towards the end of the churning.

Ice-cream machine

You don't need to have an ice-cream machine to make this ice-cream. Just place the blended ingredients in a freezer proof container and whisk every 30 minutes until desired consistency is achieved. The ice-cream machine I have was a very reasonably priced 'special buy' I bought from Aldi or Lidl. It was around the 20euro mark and it does the job perfectly.  I would highly recommend getting one if you haven't already got one

Coconut Cacao Energy Balls

Coconut Cacao Energy Balls

What you need:

1 handful of almonds (1/2 cup)
8 Brazil nuts
2 dessert spoons flax seeds
2 dessert spoons pumpkin seeds
2 dessert spoons sunflower seeds
2 dessert spoons goji berries
8 dates (stones removed)
1/2 heaped teaspoon cacao powder
2 dessert spoons coconut oil (melted)
Desiccated coconut for dusting

What to do:

Grind together the flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Chop up the dates and Brazil nuts roughly.
Place all ingredients in a food processor (except for the desiccated coconut) and process until you have a smooth consistency.
The mixture should stick together when rolled into balls. If not, add water a few drops at a time until it does.
Roll into 10 (approx) balls and coat with desiccated coconut.
Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to  'set'.

Totally delicious and cram packed with healthy fats and antioxidants, these are a great snack and a guilt free healthy treat to keep your energy balanced and your cells happy! Instead of grinding the seeds yourself you could use a ready made blend or just throw everything in the processor.

Nutrition at a glance:

Almonds - In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E (antioxidant), a quarter-cup of almonds contains 62 mg of magnesium plus 162 mg of potassium. Magnesium is a super mineral needed for over 300 reactions in the body.  It’s a muscle relaxer, bone strengthener and it helps to make our happy hormones – to name a few.  Potassium is an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart. It is also essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function.

Brazil Nuts – A good source of B vitamins which help with energy and metabolism, and also help support the body’s stress response, Brazil nuts are high in selenium, an antioxidant and vital component to proper thyroid function. Just 3 of these nuts satisfies our daily selenium requirement.  They contain good levels of other mineral too such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc

Ground Flax Seeds – Healthy fats! The antioxidant benefits of flaxseeds have long been associated with prevention of cardiovascular diseases and have recently also been tied to decreased insulin resistance.

Pumpkin Seeds – contain a wide variety of nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper, protein and zinc. Pumpkin seeds may benefit your heart, liver and immune system, help fight diabetes, and offer unique benefits for men’s prostate health and women’s relief of menopause symptoms as well.

Sunflower Seeds – contain healthy fats and are an excellent source of vitamin E - the fat soluble antioxidant.  They also contain significant amounts of selenium and magnesium.

Goji Berries - Goji berries are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids such as beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. One of zeaxanthin's key roles is to protect the retina of the eye by absorbing blue light and acting as an antioxidant.

Dates – Full of dietary fibre which helps to move waste out of your body and stops reabsorption of harmful hormones and bacteria. They are full of minerals and B vitamins and also contain vitamin A, which helps protect the eyes, maintain a healthy skin and mucous membranes, and vitamin K, vital for blood clotting and bone health.

Cacao – Super antioxidant, helping to scavenge free radicals which damage our cells. High mineral content including magnesium and iron.

Coconut Oil – benefits too numerous to mention here! Supportive of brain health, and gut health and also provides us with an instant energy boost into our cells.

References:

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/brazil-nuts.html

http://www.whfoods.com

http://articles.mercola.com

http://altmedicine.about.com

http://foodfacts.mercola.com/dates.html