Mexican Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

I love chocolate ice cream, but I love it even more when it has something a little bit special going on. Like peppermint. Or peanut butter. Or cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

The spices in this ice cream make it a perfect winter treat; despite its iciness, you will feel oddly warmed after eating it. It's not too spicy, but has a nice, subtle, slow burn from the cayenne, and a sweet tingle from the cinnamon.

The consistency is divine, thanks to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home, which has the best homemade ice cream recipes EVER. (Forgive the superlative: it's true.) I alter Jeni's recipes quite a bit, as I outlined in my series on the book here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Basically, I've done by best to make the healthiest and most delicious ice cream imaginable. Yeah, it's that good.

And oh yeah, Valentine's Day. Make this for your sweetheart! It's not pink or heart-shaped, but what better way to say I love you than with homemade ice cream?!

Ingredient notes:

• For information on where to find healthy chocolate & my chocolate eating rules, see this post: Ingredient Spotlight: Chocolate. I used some Lindt Chocolate, which doesn't follow my rules but was certainly delicious!
• I used whole raw milk, and vat-pasteurized, grass-fed cream from a local farm (since I don't want to give up too much of the cream from my weekly raw milk share).
• I used coconut sugar in this recipe, but sucanat would also work well. These are the healthiest options for granulated sweeteners. Feel free to mess around with the sweetness to your liking: I reduced the quantities significantly from the original recipe, but it tastes plenty sweet to us.

Now on to the recipe!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Ice Cream 

(inspired by Queen City Cayenne Ice Cream, from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home)
Yield: About 1 Quart

Ingredients:

(Chocolate Paste)
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. coconut sugar or sucanat
1/3 c. filtered water
1 1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (55%-70% cocoa), finely chopped

(Ice Cream)
2 c. whole milk
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. coconut sugar or sucanat
2 T. honey
1 T. + 1 t. arrowroot
3 T. cream cheese, softened
1/8. t. unrefined sea salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (mine is very hot so I used a little less than that)

Directions

1. Make the chocolate paste by combining the cocoa, 1/4 c. sweetener and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring, and boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, and stir to melt.
2. Measure the cream and milk in a glass measuring cup. Pour into a large saucepan, leaving about 2 T. in the measuring cup.
3. Add the honey and 1/3 c. sweetener to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat to bring to a gentle simmer.
4. Meanwhile, add the arrowroot to the measuring cup with the remaining milk and whisk to combine.
5. In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk the chocolate paste, cream cheese, and salt until smooth.
6. When the cream mixture is gently boiling, whisk in the arrowroot/milk mixture. Continue to heat, stirring with a heat-proof spatula, until it thickens slightly. If you're not sure if it thickened, taste some with a spoon (blow on it first!). Your tongue will know.
7. Whisk the cream mixture into the chocolate mixture. Add the cinnamon and cayenne and stir well.
8. Put a lid on the bowl, and chill either in a sink full of ice water or in the fridge. (It's okay to leave it in the fridge overnight if you run out of time!)
9. Churn in your ice cream maker. When it is cold and creamy and looks like ice cream, transfer it to a container. (Jeni says it takes about 25 minutes.)
10. Place in the freezer to chill for at least four hours before eating. 

 Part of the following link-ups: Keep It Real Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Tasty Traditions

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Need a Last Minute Christmas Treat? Make this Simple, Healthy Fudge!

If you have a Christmas party or event to go to, and you don't know what to bring, whip up this super easy and surprisingly nutritious fudge! Plain ol' fudge not your thing? I've got peppermint and peanut butter variations, too! And did you see my Toasted Coconut & Orange Zest version over at Modern Alternative Kitchen last week? Seriously, this fudge is so much fun. And all you have to do is a put a few ingredients in the blender. It will take you five minutes, tops. Here's the basic recipe:

Simple, Healthy Fudge

Ingredients: 
1/2 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. cocoa powder (preferably organic & raw)
1/4-1/2 c. raw, local honey (start with 1/4, taste and add more if desired)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
pinch of unrefined sea salt

Directions:
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until combined. If you do not have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix or Blend-tec, you may want to gently melt half the coconut oil before blending. (You don't want it hot, so you may want to melt it and then let it cool.)

If you overmix, the fudge may become stretchy. It still tastes great, though!

Pour the blended mixture into a muffin pan lined with paper muffin liners (fill each cup about halfway), or into a loaf pan lined with parchment. Chill until firm (at least an hour, but more is better.)

Note that the fudge becomes soft at room temperature, so it is best to keep it refrigerated and remove just before serving. I like to cut the muffin-sized fudge pieces into quarters because they are so rich. Mini-muffin sized would be great, too!

Variation: Peppermint Fudge

In addition to the above ingredients, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (start with 1/4 t., taste, and add more if desired). Reduce vanilla to 1/4 teaspoon.

Variation: Peanut Butter Fudge

In addition to basic recipe, add 1/2 c. natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky. Omit salt if peanut butter is salted. If desired, garnish fudge with peanut halves after chilling.

I take no credit for this idea. I originally found the basic idea for these recipes here.

Need more ideas for easy, healthy holiday treats? Try the Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and Traditional Buckeyes from Festive Traditions: a Real Food Guide to the Holidays!

What are your favorite easy holiday treats?

 This is part of Keep It Real Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Modern Alternative Kitchen

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Minty Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Freckles

I brought this ice cream to a party recently. I was glad to share it with good friends; I've eaten a ridiculous amount of my homemade ice cream at home, by myself, after the kids are in bed. And food is for sharing!

I think the ice cream was a hit. A friend friend brought Beet Brownies to the party (awesome way to sneak vegetables in desserts!), and they were the perfect accompaniment.

This recipe is based on the methods in Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. If you want to know more about this book, read the series I recently wrote about it. Here's Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Easy Change #9: Make Desserts Less Sweet

Don't forget about the Sale on Simply Summer today through Saturday! ENDOFSEASON at checkout will get you 50% percent off of this great real food resource!

This is part of my Easy Changes series. Want to take a small step toward better health? Check them out and make an easy change today!

Ever since my road to healthier eating started a few years ago, I've been trying to train my taste buds to be satisfied with less sugar. 

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home, Part 3: Basil & Pine-Nut Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl

This is Part 3 of my series on Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. In Part 1 I told you what I love about the book. In Part 2 I told you what I don't like, where I'll compromise, and how I tweak the recipes. And now, what you've been waiting for: a recipe!

This is a perfect early fall ice cream, when basil and blackberries can still be found at the farmer's market.

I know, I know. It sounds weird. Basil and pine nuts in my ice cream? Isn't that what pesto is made of?

Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected. I never would have thought this up on my own; I've got Jeni to thank for the creativity behind this ice cream. Except...the blackberry sauce was my idea. And it was a really good idea.

Healthy Cookie Dough Bites

 
Mmmmm cookie dough. Full of sugar and raw eggs and indigestible flour.

I've been in need of snacks that are high in protein and easy to grab and eat. You know, for middle of the night "oh crap I'm hungry!" attacks. And I've had a sweet tooth that I'm trying to indulge healthfully. :) So I was pretty pumped when I found this recipe for cookie dough sans white flour and loads of sugar. I adapted it to make it even healthier, and all I can say is...next time I'm making a double batch.

I made these using soaked and dried nuts and oats, which are lower in phytic acid and therefore have more available nutrients.

It may seem like a lot of work to soak and dry the nuts and oats. If you were doing it just for this recipe, then it would be a lot of work. I prefer to soak and dry nuts and oats in large batches (perhaps 8 cups or so) to keep on hand whenever I need them (for baking, snacking, granola bars, etc.). If you already have them prepped, this recipe is very quick to put together.


Healthy Cookie Dough Bites
ingredients:

2/3 c. crispy almonds
2/3 c. crispy walnuts
2/3 c. soaked and dried oats
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8. t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 T. coconut oil
2 T. honey
3 T. dark chocolate chips (I want to try making homemade ones!)

method:
Grind nuts, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor to make a meal. (My food processor isn't very powerful, so mine wasn't quite a "meal." But they still taste great and have a nice crunch.)

Add vanilla, oil, and honey and pulse until it comes together. Add chocolate chips and pulse again to distribute.

Roll into balls (a cookie scoop and wet hands are useful), and place on a piece of parchment on a plate or cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator or freezer until firm (an hour or so). Move the cookie dough bites to an airtight container in fridge or freezer. Try not to eat them all right away.

What's your go-to protein-packed slightly indulgent snack?

This is part of Monday Mania, Weekend Gourmet, Fat Tuesday, and Whole Foods Wednesday.

Rhubarb Coffeecake: a soaked whole grain recipe

When the farmer's market opens in the spring it's pretty much just asparagus and rhubarb. And plants. Lots of plants. I buy asparagus every Wednesday and Saturday until it's gone, since this is the only time of year it's in season! I roast it, steam it, put it in quiches, eat it with pasta...I could eat it every day and not get sick of it.

But rhubarb is a little trickier. I love its bright, tangy flavor, but I don't always know how to best use it. It's often combined with strawberries, but those haven't quite appeared yet (they're coming soon!) and I don't have any in the freezer from last year, so my rhubarb has to stand alone. We've been enjoying it in two ways this year: rhubarb compote, and rhubarb coffeecake.

The compote is easy enough: chop a few stalks, put it in a small saucepan with a splash of water, add a little sweetener and cinnamon, and cook until it softens. Eat it by itself, in your oatmeal, on your pancakes, or on top of vanilla ice cream.

And this coffeecake is a cinch, too. I've made it twice in the last week and that's probably not the last we'll see of it this season. :) Even better, the batter is soaked to provide better absorption of nutrients. Don't be intimidated by that step - you can do this!

Recipe notes:

• Start this the day before you want to bake it. Be sure to plan ahead!
• You are welcome to try it with all whole grain flour, but I haven't tried it yet. I think the texture is perfect with the 1/2 c. of all-purpose flour added, and I don't freak out about it since we eat mostly whole grains. If you do use all whole grain flour, add it all to the soaking step.
• Make sure whatever dairy you use is cultured. If it isn't, add 1 T. of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to the soaking step.
• Chop the rhubarb coarsely if you want noticeable chunks, or finely if you want it to have more of a vague rhubarb flavor. I like chunks.

 

Soaked Rhubarb Coffeecake

Soaking step:

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 c. buttermilk, sour milk, yogurt, or kefir

The next day:

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. unrefined sea salt

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/4 c. sucanat (an unrefined cane sugar)

1 large egg

1 1/2 t. vanilla

2 c. chopped rhubarb

Topping:

2 T. butter, softened

1/3 c. sucanat

1 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. cinnamon

Directions:

1. To soak the flour, combine with the cultured dairy in a stand mixer (or mix by hand) until evenly moistened. Cover with a damp towel and a plate and put in a warm place for 7-24 hours.
2. When you are ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 350 and grease two 9-inch cake pans or one 9x13-inch pan.
3. Chop your rhubarb and set aside.
4. Stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
5. Remove the soaked dough from your mixing bowl (you can place it on the plate you used to cover your bowl). Cream together the butter and sucanat. This will take a little longer than you're used to with regular sugar, but be patient and keep mixing until it is evenly combined (you'll still see little pieces of sugar, that's ok).
6. Add the egg and beat to combine.
7. Add the soaked dough back in and mix until there are no chunks of dough left. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
8. Add the vanilla, and then the dry ingredients, then the rhubarb, mixing after each addition. Mix just until combined. Spread into the prepared pan (it may not reach the sides, but it will spread out as it bakes).
9. Prepare your topping: Mix together the butter, sucanat, flour, and cinnamon until evenly combined. Sprinkle over the batter.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes for rounds, or 30-35 for 9x13, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes or so before serving.

If you want to take it to the next level, serve with rhubarb compote on top!

What's your favorite way to eat rhubarb?

(This post is part of Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, and Sweets for Saturday.)

This is now also a part of the Seasonal Recipe Round-up at GNOWFGLINS.

Carob-Coconut Bites

I've been looking for EASY snack recipes lately. There are all sorts of power bar and lara bar recipes out there (there are a bunch of great ones in Kitchen Stewardship's e-book Healthy Snacks to Go), but they require the use of a food processor. I have a food processor, but it's not very good at grinding nuts, and it's really loud. Often I'm making snacks while Caedmon is sleeping, so that's not really an option. That's why my favorite recipe from Katie's e-book is the Peanut Butter Kisses. You just mix together a few ingredients, form into balls, and put in the fridge until firm.

I need more recipes like that.

So I went looking here, thinking there must be something that falls into that category, and this is what I found! They were called "coconut balls" but I'm calling my adaptation Carob Coconut Bites. They are delicious, toddler friendly (no caffeine since it's carob instead of cocoa, no chunky nuts to choke on, and just slightly sweet so I don't feel guilty letting him eat it), and EASY. I mean, seriously easy.

This is how easy they are. I decided to make them in the midst of the busiest week I've had in a long time. I was STARVING due to lots of dancing, so I needed some filling snacks. I thought this would be a good choice since it has lots of healthy fat. But I got interrupted before I could form the mixture into balls, so it sat in the mixing bowl, covered with a cloth napkin, for two days. Periodically, I would dig in with a spoon and take a few bites. The ingredients are perfectly fine sitting out at room temperature, so if you don't get to it right away, it's totally ok! My kind of recipe!! The only downside was that when I did finally form them into balls, there were so few because I had eaten so much of it with a spoon! But it's so easy that I think I'll make them again soon.

If you're wondering what carob is, stay tuned for a "Word of the Day" post soon. I'll tell you all you need to know. :)

Now on to the recipe....

Carob-Coconut Bites

ingredients:

1/2 c. carob powder (or cocoa)

3 c. shredded unsweetened coconut

2 pinches of salt

3/4 c. coconut oil, at room temp

1/2 c. local honey, preferably raw

1 t. vanilla (I bet almond extract would be tasty, too, but start with less)

method:

With stand mixer or a spoon, mix together carob, coconut, and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. (I used a mixer but I'm sure a spoon and a strong arm would work, too.) Form into balls with a spoon or your hands. (I should have used my cookie scoop! Next time!) Refrigerate 3o minutes before eating, and store the fridge to keep firm.

Let me know if you try this, I'd love to hear some feedback. :)

This is part of Feed Me Tweet Me Follow Me Home Friday, Weekend Gourmet, and Monday Mania, and Real Food Wednesday, and Pennywise Platter Thursday. Check them all out for more real food recipes and ideas!

What's your favorite homemade snack recipe?

delicious quiche and a special leftover pie crust treat!

A good friend came over for breakfast a couple weeks ago. I decided to attempt a quiche in my brand new deep-dish pie plate that I bought at the Moynihan gallery in downtown Holland! I consider myself a pie-crust novice, but I managed to pull this one off. It had that melt-in-your mouth almost shortbready feeling that a buttery pie crust should have, and the filling was fluffy and flavorful, filled with sauteed mushrooms, swiss chard, and several kinds of cheese. :)

Recipe notes:

I managed to sneak a little sourdough starter into this recipe. It is a small amount, but with the fantastic properties that sourdough has for both flavor and digestion of grains, I figured it could only help! I will also show you the option of making the crust without sourdough starter, but if you are maintaining a starter, by all means, give it a go!

I did not let the dough "sour" at room temperature this time, but I plan to try that next time. Since the crust should be refrigerated before rolling out, I think I will leave it out for 8 hours or so, and then refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight. The original recipe (from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking) says to refrigerate overnight or up to three days.

I made the crust in my stand mixer, but it is definitely doable without one. You might need to knead it with your hands at the end to get it to hold together.

Final note: I know this looks complicated, but it's really not that bad! And the final product is TOTALLY worth all your hard work!

Swiss Chard and Mushroom Quiche with Sourdough (or not) Crust

Makes Two Quiches

Crust (start at least 1 day ahead):

1-1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. sucanat (unrefined sugar)

heaping 1/2 t. sea salt

1 c. (2 sticks) butter

1 egg

1-2 T. sourdough starter or milk

Whisk together the flours, sucanat, and salt. Work in the butter until crumbly, with a pastry cutter, mixer, or your fingers until the dough is unevenly crumbly. Add the egg and stir to incorporate. Add 1 T. of starter or milk and mix to form a cohesive dough. Add more starter or milk if necessary for the dough to hold together. Shape into two disks, each one inch thick. Roll the edge along a clean counter to smooth it. Refrigerate overnight or up to three days.

Remove the crusts from the fridge 10-15 minutes before you plan to roll them out. Preheat oven to 375. Now you can start preparing your filling. When the dough has warmed up slightly and is able to be worked, roll each round into a 12 inch circle, and transfer to pie pans. Crimp edges and trim if there is extra (but save it!). Place in fridge while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

Coconut oil for sauteing

1/2 c. chopped onion or some chives for milder flavor

1/2 a package of mushrooms (I used mini bellas), sliced

1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed (save them to throw in your broth!) and leaves chopped

8 Eggs

2-1/2 c. whole milk

a few ounces cream cheese or chevre (optional but delicious)

1/2 t. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1-1/2 cups (or so) other grated cheese, such as cheddar, swiss, parmesan, pecorino romano

a few pinches of nutmeg and thyme

Saute onion and mushrooms in coconut oil until cooked through ("don't crowd the pan!"). Set aside and add chard to pan. Cover and cook a few minutes until wilted, stirring occasionally.

While veggies are cooking, whisk together the rest of the filling ingredients, reserving some cheese to sprinkle on top. (I used my stand mixer with whisk attachment to make it speedier.)

Take crusts out of fridge. Layer mushrooms and chard in bottom of crusts, dividing evenly between the two. Pour half of the filling mixture into each, and sprinkle with reserved cheese.

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes, covering the edges with foil after 20 minutes to prevent burning. Let rest a few minutes before cutting and serving.

Put leftover bits of crust to good use!

I had a little bit of pie crust leftover, so I rolled it out on a cookie sheet (floured to prevent too much sticking) and spread on some coconut oil, drizzled on some honey, sprinkled on some cinnamon, and scattered chunks of apple all over. Then I rolled it up (gently!), sliced it into 2 inch pieces, and baked it at 350 for about 25 minutes. And voila! Apple pie roll-ups! The only problem with these is that I wished I had more! Seriously good.

This is part of Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter Thursday, I'm Lovin' It Fridays, Friday Potluck, and Weekend Gourmet

Breakfast Brownies

Oh how I love local restaurants that use local food. One of my faves is The Biscuit, an adorable little breakfast and lunch place a few blocks away from us. Granola pancakes with house-made granola, Chicken Apple Hash with sharp cheddar cheese, Chorizo Omelette with locally made chorizo...and OH the potatoes! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside...and though I usually choose the whole-grain toast, I have to admit that the biscuits are out of this world. Obviously.

But this post is about Breakfast Brownies. Yes! Brownies for breakfast! When I saw these at The Biscuit in the bakery case, I was shocked and amazed and in love with them. Hearty, oatey, fudgey, chock-full of dried cherries and apricots. Just the right amount of sweet.

But we are on a seminary budget, which means we rarely eat out. Which means if I want a Breakfast Brownie more than once a year or so, I have to figure out a way to make it myself.

So that is what I did. I rummaged around the internet looking for a recipe that might slightly resemble these unique treats, and did not find much. So I took what I could get, and modified it heavily. I used whole grain flour that has been soaked overnight with the oats in yogurt - a process that helps break down and make use of the minerals present in the grains. I also used unrefined sugar, pastured butter and eggs, and unrefined sea salt. I still wouldn't recommend eating these for breakfast every day, but if you are looking for a nourishing, rich, hearty, chocolately treat for breakfast or anytime...this is it.

So here's the recipe. Don't forget to start them the day before you want to eat them!

Breakfast Brownies

ingredients:

1-1/4 c. rolled oats

3/4 c. whole wheat flour (amazingly, I've gotten the best results with traditional red whole wheat)

1/2 c. yogurt

1 c. butter, divided

1 c. sucanat (unrefined sugar)

1/4 c. honey

4 eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

3/4 c. cocoa powder

1 t. baking powder (aluminum free)

1 t. unrefined salt (such as Real Salt or celtic sea salt)

1 t. instant coffee or espresso powder

1 c. dark chocolate chips

1 c. chopped walnuts/pecans

1 c. dried fruit - tart cherries, apricots (chopped), cranberries, or something else!

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer, combine oats, flour, yogurt, and 1/2 c. butter. Make sure everything is evenly moistened. Let soak overnight, at least 7 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan. Melt 1/2 c. butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add sucanat and honey and stir. Heat until bubbling, then remove from heat and stir. Whisk in the cocoa, baking powder, salt, instant coffee, and vanilla.

3. Add the eggs to the soaked flour & oat mixture and mix thoroughly. Then add the contents of the saucepan. Mix just until thoroughly combined.

4. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts, and dried fruit.

5. Spread into 9x13 pan. Check after 25 minutes, and bake until the center feels firm (Do not over bake or they will be crumbly).

They make a great gift, too!

 

other variations...

I also think they would be great with some dried blueberries mixed in there [update: I tried it with dried blueberries and loved it...but the hubby didn't.]...and it might be fun to try them as muffins! You could also try it in a smaller pan to get a thicker brownie (perhaps a round cake pan cut into wedges?); then it would be more like The Biscuit's version. :) In that case, I'm sure it would take a bit longer to bake. Experiment - have fun!

This is part of "Is Your Flour Wet?" a free eBook put together by many Real Bloggers, full of soaked, sprouted, and sourdough whole grain recipes. Download it here!

What's your favorite treat to have for breakfast?