Archive for the ‘Summer’ Category

Sugar-free Dairy-free Chocolate Ice Cream

Posted 25 Apr, 2010 in Dessert, Recipes, Summer [ 5 Comments ]

I’ve been having major cravings for ice cream. Maybe it’s because summer is on its way out and I’m trying to hold onto the last bits of summer in denial of winter’s arrival. I bought an ice cream maker earlier this year and have tried a few recipes but without much success. I posted a recipe here, which tastes good but still requires a whole cup of sugar.

I’m not interested in the traditional ice cream recipes where I have to create a custard using egg yolks and cream as it’s just too time consuming. This recipe for a Sugar-free Dairy-free Chocolate Ice Cream is super easy to make and completely natural. It uses full fat coconut milk for the custard and frozen bananas with a bit of stevia as a substitute for sugar. Bananas are naturally high in sugar and although it’s not ideal to consume too much fructose, I think this recipe is a nice compromise for satisfying my ice cream cravings in a less processed manner than commercially manufactured ice creams.

I always keep a supply of frozen peeled bananas along with my ice cream maker’s freezer bowl in the freezer which makes it easy to whip up a quick batch of ice cream whenever I’m in the mood.

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Sugar-free Dairy-free Chocolate Ice Cream

2.5 cups full fat coconut milk chilled
2 frozen bananas chopped
3 tbs cocoa powder
1 tsp real vanilla extract
5 drops of stevia (more or less to your liking)
1 tbs vodka

  1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.
  2. Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers’ instructions.

Makes 4 servings.

Chocolate Avocado Smoothie with Coconut

Posted 20 Mar, 2010 in Beverages, Recipes, Summer [ 8 Comments ]

I have been crazy busy at work during the last few weeks.  So busy that I haven’t had much time to take a break or even leave the office.  My job can be quite consuming and I know it’s important for me to take a break to balance myself.  But I don’t always get the opportunity to do this.

When I do work long hours without taking a proper break, I find that I have very little desire to come home and make dinner.  I just want to eat something quick and filling.  Rather than going out for take aways or fast food, I’ve been making myself this Chocolate Avocado Smoothie with Coconut for dinner.

It’s not ideal replacing a sit down meal with a smoothie but sometimes you just don’t have the energy or the time for a proper meal.  This smoothie is a great meal replacement as it is satisfying and healthy.  The frozen avocado and banana gives the smoothie a thick and creamy consistency without the addition of milk. The coconut gives it a nutty taste.

The smoothie also contains chocolate whey protein powder which isn’t whole food but is a good supplement to boost your protein intake.  You can get a good overview on choosing the right whey protein and how it is made at the following links:

I punched in the numbers in Calorieking and it comes out at 334 calories, 18 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrate and 3.9 grams of fiber.

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Chocolate Avocado Smoothie with Coconut

2 cups cold water
1/2 cup ice
1/2 avocado- ripe, peeled, and frozen
1/2 banana- ripe, peeled and frozen
30 grams chocolate whey protein powder
1 tbs cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs unsweetened dessicated coconut

  1. Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender.
  2. Sprinkle coconut and enjoy.

Makes ~3 cups of a very filling smoothie.

Smashed Tofu and Broccoli Salad

Posted 11 Mar, 2010 in Recipes, Salads, Summer, Vegetables [ 2 Comments ]

I randomly picked up the this book on Ayurveda from the library over the weekend.  I have heard about Ayurveda before but did not know very much about it. Teach Yourself Ayurveda is an excellent summary of the basic principles of Ayurveda, the world’s oldest holistic healthcare system.

I’m a huge fan of the term “holistic” in relation to health and wellbeing as I firmly believe that being well involves the mind, body, and its surroundings.  Ayurveda is “the art of living in harmony with nature.” One of the ways to do this is to eat a balanced diet which is dictated by your “dosha” or your mind-body type.  You can take a quiz here to determine your dosha.

I took the quiz and I am a classic Pitta whose qualities are hot, sharp, slightly oily, quick, sour and pungent. To translate this into personalities, a Pitta is your classic high achiever with a competitive nature and short temper.

The idea is to identify your dosha and follow a diet that will balance it as any imbalances in the dosha results in health problems. Pitta types are advised to eat foods with sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes.  This includes sweet fruits such as pears and ripe berries and bitter vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus.  It also recommends that Pitta types avoid eating meat as meat-eating encourages aggression and irritability.

I can’t say that I am going to be a vegetarian overnight as per the Ayurvedic recommendations, but I do like the idea of trying to eat and live my life to achieve harmony with nature. The following recipe is inspired by the Ayurvedic recommendations for balancing my dosha.  The bitter broccoli, gently flavored tofu with a dash of tamari and olive oil and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds.  A perfect meal to balance the Pitta type.

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Smashed Tofu and Broccoli Salad

1/2 cup firm tofu
2 tsp tamari
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbs pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup broccoli

  1. Plunge broccoli in boiling water until it turns bright green.  Remove and plunge in ice cold water.
  2. Smash the tofu with a fork so it is more like the consistency of cottage cheese.
  3. Add olive oil and tamari to the tofu and mix well.
  4. Chop broccoli into thin slices and mix well with the smashed tofu mix.
  5. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds.

Serves 1

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