Avocado Mango Ice Cream (healthy green treat for St. Patrick's day)

St. Patrick's Day is this week and what better way to celebrate than by eating all things (naturally) green? In this post, I'm going to share with you one of our favorite (and simpliest) desserts - Avocado Mango Ice Cream! It's delicious and oh so nutritious - that's a lyric in a new song I'm writing. I'm kidding about the song but I'm serious about this treat. Full of healthy fats yet refreshing! Light yet satisfying! This recipe is perfect for Spring! And a great way to participate in all things green on St. Patrick's day.

 

 

 

It's fun to drizzle with honey (which hardens into a chewy, taffy-like topping on contact with the cold ice cream) or top with fresh fruit.

 

You'll need a high-speed blender (food processor will work but will take longer) to make this in less than 3 minutes.

 

Here my little one is showcasing it before he takes a big bite. Love my little helpers!

 

 

 

Avocado Mango Ice Cream (vegan, paleo)

2 cups frozen organic mango
1 ripe avocado (room temp or refridgerated)
2-4 TB coconut milk

Tiny splash lemon juice helps bring out sweetness

 

Blend all ingredients until completely incorporated. Enjoy, my sweet readers!
 

My instagram phone pictures shows I topped it with fresh blueberries. It is a pretty dessert!

 

Other green food ideas are:

Egg in a Clover

2 Ingredients Green Ice Cream (this goes great with chocolate)  

Potato Asparagus Soup

Shamrock Shake with Peppermint Herb

Greener than Grass Smoothie

 

I hope you enjoy this tasty ice cream! Do you like to make healthy desserts? What's your go-to recipe? I'd love to hear from you!

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Frosting

This is something a little new - up until now. I've spent hours creating one post - the pictures consuming most of the time. Pictures have always been my forte but I realized you sweet readers were missing out on some of my favorite recipes or tips simply because I couldn't make the time to take photos and edit them. Hence, the instagram picture... At first, I hesitated. Surely I was not going to inundate my blog with instagram pictures. But as a busy mom of two and taking on a new business with my husband, I realized the beauty of simplicity. Instagram can be really fun and really wonderful. Plus it makes it a little easier to get a post out there on the world wide web. I want to be able to share with you but sometimes I can't get my camera/spend time editing photos because the baby is fussy or my four year old needs help. Of course, I will continue to post my old-style (wonderfully edited photos and all) but I wanted to let you know, you might see a different kind/way of posting from this point forward - now being a great time to start since my computer is on the fritz and I can't get the post I originally photographed.

And now to the recipe, this is inspired by one of my favorite cookbooks - Nourishing Meals: Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for the Whole Family by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre. If you don't have this book, you seriously need to buy it. It helped me with introducing foods to my now four year old. It also describes the symptoms associated with gluten and dairy intolerance (wish I had known these growing up - would have made my life so much easier). Big Blue Eyes and I recently made the hazelnut gingersnap cookie dough recipe out of it and baked it with the cousins. Totally yummy!

Here is my version of her dairy-free cream cheese frosting. I love the orange of the sweet potatoes! It's so fun without any fake dyes!

Sweet Potato Frosting
2 Steamed sweet Potatoes (still warm)
6 TB coconut oil
2 tsp tapioca flour or arrowroot starch
1/2 cup maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Blend in blender and put in fridge to thicken. Then it can be spread over cakes or squeezed onto cupcakes (pictured here with my vanilla paleo cupcake - anyone interested?).

Enjoy!

And by the way there is a Book Promo on Amazon, use code HOLIDAY30 for 30% off one book shipped and sold by amazon. Ends Nov 30th.

Summer Veggie Egg Nests with Carrot, Zucchini and Summer Squash

One of my favorite breakfasts this summer. Wholesome, filling and starts the morning off right. It's paleo friendly, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and amazing to boot!

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The eggs are "baked" in their little veggie hash nests on the stovetop, making this a pretty easy breakfast. Just a little hand action on grating the vegetables! No need for potatoes. Carrots, zucchini and summer squash work just fine for our "hashbrowns" and each has its own flavor that adds warmth alongside the garlic.

Also these nests are great served on seedy toast with a little mustard. That is the way my three year old likes them!

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Wondering what else to do with all that wonderful zucchini?
Try my Zucchini and Citrus Gazpacho (tomato free) and No Heat Creamy Turmeric Vegetable Noodles.

Summer Veggie Egg Nests
1 yellow summer squash (or another zucchini)
1 zucchini
2 large carrots
4 free-range eggs (for best taste)
1 garlic clove, minced (I've also used chopped garlic scapes)
2 TB coconut oil

1. Grate squash, zucchini and carrots.
2. Add coconut oil to non-stick pan or cast iron skillet (will need a lid). Let melt and add veggies (and garlic!). Cook on medium heat 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple minutes. Stick the lid on intermittently.
3. Make four wells in the veggie hash and crack an egg into each one. Put lid on and wait 5 minutes. The white should be firm to touch and the yolk clouded over.
Serve immediately with some good sea salt and pepper!

Autumn Fruit Salad with Fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing

This jeweled salad is sure to impress with its rainbow of color meaning it's rich in antioxidants, high in fiber and soaring in flavor. A great addition to any holiday dinner or brunch!

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Rarely do we ever associate Autumn and Fall produce with the words fresh. Normally we consume this seasonal produce roasted, steamed, blended into hot soups, or sautéed in oil. But this salad really is fresh and invigorating all thanks to the vibrant array of fresh fruit available in Autumn.

Because we so often want to warm our bodies with hot liquids, a cold or room-temperature salad may not seem appealing but once you catch a whiff of this majesty, you'll change your mind. Forget about cold fingers! The ginger and cinnamon in the dressing spice it up and aid your body's circulation. My tummy felt surprisingly warm after eating this and I couldn't wait to have a second serving with dinner.

The fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing can be doubled and half saved for a green salad. It's very yummy and I plan on making some in the future to have on a big plate of greens (maybe minus the vanilla bean). Feel free to double the spices if you want it spicier!

We keep cranberry extract in our health cabinet throughout the year but you can often find me taking it through these cold months. Cranberry is a natural antibiotic and it helps to prevent urinary tract infections, stomach ulcers, gum disease, heart disease, sinus infection, and hypertension. The berries are high in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. Also they lend to an incredible looking salad dressing as pictured below.

 

This salad also seems to be just as good the second day. I would not recommend leaving it longer as the fruit will brown and loose texture, flavor and antioxidants.

It was spectacular having this array of fresh fruit on my marble cutting board yesterday morning!

 

 

 

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If you have a mandolin slice like this one, you can slice all the persimmon, apple, and pear horizontally and make a very pretty layered salad.

The directions make the recipe look lengthy but I'm just be thorough in how to cut everything so less mess on your hands. This is actually one of the easiest fruit salads I've prepared.

Autumn Fruit Salad
2 Persimmons
1 Bartlett pear, ripe but not squishy
1 large granny smith apple
1 pomegranate
1/2 cup chopped and lightly toasted hazelnuts, optional
Juice of half lemon

Fresh Cranberry Orange Dressing
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled
1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, minced (I've used garlic press)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
2 glugs of maple syrup

1. Blend all ingredients in a high powered blender (I used my vitamix).
1. Rip the stem from persimmons by prying fingers under the leaves (if ripe they will pop off very nicely). Cut into quarters and slice those in half.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cup water and the lemon juice in a medium size bowl. Core, slice and then chop segments of the pear and apple and put in lemon water to prevent browning.
3. Slice pomegranate in half. Take a large bowl and hold your pomegranate cut-side-down in your hand over the bowl. Take a wooden spoon and whack the pomegranate so seeds will fall into the bowl. This is pretty mess-free and easy way of removing the seeds compared to other ways. You may need to peel back a little bit of the skin to remove all of them but not much.
4. Layer everything in a short bowl (or glass pie plate as I've used). Top with dressing and hazelnuts. Serve!

Find me and this recipe on pinterest.

I've really enjoyed this salad and I hope you do too, my sweet readers! Great with a cup of tea and a good conversation!