The Most Delicious Non-dairy Ice Cream!

Two new yummy words: ASHTA and MASTIC GUM.

Ashta is the creamy foundation of many Lebanese Desserts. It is made with either dry milk, or for a richer flavor half and half. It is used as a filling in shredded phyllo desserts, and in pastry. It is also served as a dessert with nuts, or frozen.

Lebanese Ice Cream

Lebanese ice cream contains mastic gum, which lends it a gelato-like texture. It comes in a myriad of flavors and is served in narrow cones.

Mastic Gum

This is a resin made from the pistacia lentiscus tree. The mastic plant originated in the Mediterranean nations in the south of Europe, northern portions of Africa, and the Middle East. The gum has a variety of uses in cooking, art, and alternative medicine.

For cooking, mastic gum requires boiling in hot water or another liquid, because the hardened resin will not dissolve in cold water. It comes in 'crystals' and can be crushed into a powder to add to puddings.

mastic gum

• 1 pint organic Vanilla Plant-based Ice Cream

• 1/4 c. Orange Blossom water

• 1/4 c. Rose water

• 1 c. finely chopped Pistachios

• 1/2 tsp. crushed Mastic gum

Crush the Mastic gum in a mortar and pestle till it becomes very fine (powdery).

Transfer ice cream to a bowl.  Add the flavored waters, mastic and 3/4 of the pistachios.

Mix well, but quickly so as not to melt the ice cream.

Transfer to a glass baking dish. Sprinkle remaining pistachios on top. Cover with wax paper and freeze for 2 hours or overnight.

You may cut into squares and store in a freezable container. 

Lime Coconut Cream for Citrus Almond Cake

Make 1 recipe of the Almond Citrus Cake, and bake in a 9" Spring-form pan.

While it cools, make the topping.

Lime Coconut Cream

• 1 15oz. can Coconut Cream (not milk)

• 1-1/2 Tbs. Lime juice or 1 tsp. organic Lime zest (optional)

• 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla extract (2 tsp. if you don't use Lime)

• 2 Tbs. Pure Maple Syrup

• 1/4 c. toasted Cashews or Hazelnuts, crushed

Refrigerate can of Coconut Cream upside-down, for at least 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to use... flip can back upright, and open. Any liquid should be floating on top. Drain the liquid carefully using the lid, so you don't lose any cream.

1. In a dry metal bowl, beat cream with mixer for about 3-4 minutes or until it thickens and holds soft peaks.

2. Add the lime juice and extract and beat another minute.

3. Add maple syrup and beat again, until the consistency is what you desire.

4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.  The cream will thicken considerable when chilled.

5. Spread on cake and garnish with nuts and/or fruit of your choice.

If you have leftover cream:

1. Use to top fresh fruit, or in cocoa, or oatmeal

2. Mix in chopped fruit and chocolate chips and freeze for a summer treat!

Black Beauty

Just had to reblog this! Please substitute Maltitol syrup for honey, and Xylitol for the sugar to conform to our Anti-Cancer diet. I am about to try these!

Let me know if you do, and how you like them.

Chia Chocolate Cupcakes - GF & Vegan

For an extra smudge of goodness: Melt 10 oz. 75 - 80% dark chocolate in a double boiler, add 1 Tbs. almond or coconut milk and 1 packet Stevia. Stir well and smear on the cupcakes as they reach room temperature.

Recipe

• 3/4 rounded c. Sorghum flour

• 3/4 rounded c. Potato starch or tapioca starch

• 1/2 c. unsweetened raw Cocoa Powder

• 1/4 c. Chia seeds

• 1 Tbs. ground Flax seeds

• 3/4 c. Birch Xylitol (or 3 packets pure Stevia)

• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1 tsp. Psyllium Husk Powder

• 1 tsp. Baking Powder

• 1 tsp. Baking Soda

• 1 Pasture-Raised Egg (or 2 Tbs. freshly ground Flaxseed for Vegan)

• 3 Tbs. virgin Olive Oil

• 2 tsp. Vanilla

• 1/2 tsp. Distilled Vinegar

• 1 c. warm Water, Green Tea or Decaf Coffee

Line a 12-c. cupcake pan with paper or silicon liners. Preheat oven to 350º F.

Whisk together the dry ingredients.

Add in the warm water (or tea or coffee), egg, chia seeds, oil, vanilla, and vinegar and beat until smooth. Beat for 2-3 minutes.

Scoop the batter into the 12 lined muffin tin cups.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely.

cupcake

~To Your Health! ♥

My Favourite Fruit Crisp

Peaches and Blueberries have a Glycemic Index of 30 per average peach and 33 per cup of blueberries, they're well below the 55 threshold.  There isn't quite anything like cooked sweet peaches served hot with cinnamon. 

Blueberry-Peach Crisp

• 6 -7  ripe organic Peaches or Nectarines, sliced                                       

• 1 c. organic Blueberries

• 2-3 Tbs. Arrowroot Starch                     

• 1/2 c. organic Rolled Oats

• 1/3 c. Sorghum flour (or Brown rice flour)             

• 1/2 c. Almond flour

• 1/2 c. Xylitol (3 tsp. Stevia or 1/8 tsp. Monk Fruit powder)

• 1 tsp. organic Cinnamon                                       

• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder                                          

• 6 Tbs. cold Coconut Oil

• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract                                              

• 1 - 2 Tbs Lemon Juice

• 1/2 c. pecans (opt.)

  Preheat oven to 350º (175º C).

Mix the vanilla and lemon juice into the peaches (use less if the peaches are very juicy) and place in a glass baking dish. Mix in arrowroot starch to thicken a bit and set aside.

Mix together the sugars, oats, flours, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and blend well with a whisk or fork.

Add the cold coconut oil and work with your hands to until it's crumbly.

Add nuts and mix. Sprinkle this mixture liberally over the peaches. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes until the juices firm up. Enjoy warm with a scoop of non-dairy ice cream!

~ Bon Apetit! ♥

Decadent Dairy-Free Mousse - Vegan + Sugar Free

Minted Chocolate Tofu Mousse

I love the combination of mint and chocolate.  If you don't, you can substitute orange zest or Rum extract for the mint.

• 10 oz. (1-1/4 c.) organic Silken Tofu

• 1 c.  Dark Chocolate, in pieces (I used 75% dark)

• 1/4 c. organic raw Cocoa powder

• 1/4 c. Green tea or Water

• 1 Tbs. Almond extract

• 1/2 c. Birch Xylitol or 4-5 packets Stevia

• 1/4 c. fresh organic Mint leaves, chopped  ( or 1 tsp. dry mint)

Place chocolate, cocoa, water, extract and sweetener in pot over medium-low heat (or in a double-boiler over simmering water). Stir until chocolate pieces melt and mixture is blended.

Remove from heat.

In a food processor, whip tofu until smooth.

Add chocolate mixture and process until shiny and well blended. Add mint leaves and pulse 4 - 5 times just until mixed.

Scoop into dessert cups or bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Your mousse will be thick, rich and oh-so-good!  Sprinkle additional chopped mint on top for garnish.

~ Bon Apetit! ♥