AvoCoco Ice Cream

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only coconutty lunatic who daydreams about quirky raw ice cream combos! Probably because I am. If you'd like to join me on my nice cream adventures, keep reading.

My top two favourite foods in the whole wide world are coconut and avocado, so you can imagine my overwhelming excitement when I realised I could make ice cream out of these terrific two! I used Ayam coconut cream this time, but I'm keen to make my own coconut cream in future - I have a coconut scraper that I got in Fiji sitting in a kitchen drawer just longing to get in on the action. 

This ice cream has a soft serve consistency that will appeal to even tiny tots. Make sure to add lots of coconut nectar if you have a sweet tooth. The carob adds some sweetness, but the avocado and coconut cream aren't exactly high in sugar. That's kind of why I used them, as I'm off all sugars (even fruit!) until January. 

Ingredients (makes 2 smallish bowls)

1 large avocado, diced and frozen overnight
1 can of Ayam coconut cream, poured into ice cube tray and frozen overnight
coconut flesh and coconut water from 1 fresh young coconut
juice of half a lemon
handful of coconut chips (preservative- and sulphite-free)
fresh avocado, diced
handful of raw carob kibbles
coconut nectar to taste (optional)

1. Blend frozen avocado, coconut cream ice cubes, coconut flesh and water, and lemon juice together in a high-speed food processor or blender. 
2. Serve with coconut chips, fresh avocado, and carob kibbles.

*This recipe isn't very sweet without coconut nectar and that's how I like it right now while on my anti-fungal livet. Add coconut nectar if you want it to be sweet.

Baked Rainbow Chips with Coconut Ginger Lemon Dip

If you grew up in the 90s like me, the word "cabbage" used to conjure thoughts of useless, overpriced dolls called "Cabbage Patch Kids", rather than vegetables. These days, my evangelism of vegetables has thoroughly increased my appreciation for these densely leafy plants and I can't sing their praises enough. So why are cabbages so cool?

1. They go well with everything - you can toss them in salads, soak them in soups, saute them in stir-fries...the possibilities are endless!
2. They help boost the immune system - their abundance of vitamins protects the body against disease. Cabbage is especially high in Vitamins C and E, both important immune-boosting vitamins.
3. Red cabbages are loaded with antioxidants - that beautiful bright colour isn't just for aesthetics' sake! The polyphenols in red cabbages work wonders, namely in eliminating toxins and fighting free radicals that could otherwise cause cancer.
4. They reduce inflammation - cabbages are packed with nutrients that can help prevent swelling in the body and therefore reduce chronic inflammation.
5. They boost heart health - cabbage binds with bile acids in your stomach, which means they're not absorbed into your body. This also means the cholesterol they contain leave the body through the intestines instead of being absorbed!

Not that I'm intending to neglect the other ingredients in this tasty recipe...I just really love cabbage! But let's get back on track. You may find it hard to believe how easy these chips were to make. I promise you I'm giving you the exact easy peasy recipe I used. All it takes is less than 10 ingredients altogether!

Cabbage Chips
10 red cabbage leaves
Celtic sea salt
oregano leaves

1. Tear the cabbage leaves into two or three pieces.
2. Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water then rinse under cold water.
3. Drain leaves and dry with paper towels.
4. Season with salt and oregano.
5. Bake at 100 C (fan-forced) for at least two hours - even more if you want them extra crispy.

Sweet Potato Chips
4 gold sweet potatoes, very finely sliced into rounds
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
Celtic sea salt
lemon myrtle

1. Combine oil, salt, and lemon myrtle in a bowl.
2. Toss sweet potato rounds in dressing until evenly coated.
3. Bake at 180 C (fan-forced) for at least half an hour, flipping regularly.

Kale Chips
10 kale leaves, washed, torn and dried thoroughly
2 tbsp coconut oil
Celtic sea salt

1. Combine oil and salt.
2. Toss kale thoroughly in oil until evenly coated.
3. Bake at 150 C (fan-forced) for 10 minutes until crisp.

Coconut Ginger Lemon Dip
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 tsp ground ginger
fresh juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp brazil nut butter
handful of activated raw pistachios

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender.
2. Top with chopped pistachios and hemp seeds.

*These are best eaten fresh and the recipe is easy enough that you can make them fresh all the time!