vegan icecream – Nat's Ladle

Vegan Chocolate Soft Serve

Published on March 30, 2015 by nathaliejasmin2019Leave a comment

What is this? It tastes luxuriously like soft serve icecream, but doesn’t contain an ounce of dairy. It is vegan yet full of protein. It is sugar-free and will quench any sugar cravings. It is paleo and vegan at the same time. So – WHAT IS IT? Hint: A vegan chocolate soft serve.

Yes, I used to be one of those kids. While I was never much into the burgers and fries, the big M was always synonymous with – soft serve! Those were happy, oblivious days, shovelling down bucket loads of soft serve for just half a buck – sugar, processed oils, pasteurised dairy, and loads of fillers and chemicals included, not to mention that innocent-looking, glutenated cone the whole concoction was (and presumably still is!) in. I really preferred that darn soft serve to a much nicer homemade gelati (even the burgers and fries don’t look that bad compared to it). But who could blame the money-savvy, but sweet-toothed student that I was?

While intolerances and digestive distress make your life more complicated, a whole lot of good comes out of the situation as you get to actually think of what you are putting into your bod, in fact you have to. You will study the web and the literature and come across the gluten free diet, the vegan diet, the paleo diet, the I Quit Sugar diet, and they all smell suspiciously of deprivation. But you totally can have it all, and that is where my blog comes into play.

This magic potion here happened more or less by accident, but then many of the world’s greatest inventions came about that way (think of the slinky, for example). It tastes freakishly like chocolate soft serve, but will fill you up for a looong time. And you have total control over what you put in it! Fancy a cherry ripe? Whip some cherries or red fruit in? Feel hipster-ish? Get the kale out! (But make sure not to overdo it as too much raw greens can really muck up your thyroid, but that’s a different story.) You could even add some coffee if you need a little pick-me-up. Go wild.

So what is this thing? It’s a healthy, vegan, paleo, soy free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, high protein, yummy soft serve. I have it for breakfast. But it’s a totally valid dinner option, too.

Vegan Chocolate Soft Serve

Makes 1 very large serving.

half cup nut milk of choice (or more according to the desired thickness)
one scoop vegan protein powder (if using a plain protein powder, add stevia and vanilla)
1 frozen banana
half avocado
1 tbsp. almond meal
1 tbsp. tahin
1 tbsp. raw organic cocoa
stevia to taste

Mix all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processer and…

Enjoy!

Easy Dairy Free Maple Bourbon Icecream (Vegan) AKA Homemade Bailey’s!

Published on June 12, 2014 by nathaliejasmin2019Leave a comment

Who said vegan icecream can't be decadent? — Who said vegan icecream can’t be decadent?

I have mentioned before that I am an absolute icecream addict. And yes, you can be dairy intolerant and an icecream addict! See here, here, and here. And now HERE. My husband is a great whisky and bourbon lover, and on the occasion of his recent birthday, I wanted to create a dessert we could both thoroughly enjoy. Born was my vegan maple bourbon infused icecream based on coconut milk! For all you sceptics out there, the end product doesn’t taste anything like coconut, but everything like decadence and creamy deliciousness! This icecream goes extraordinarily well with my decadent flourless chocolate mud cake and actually tastes like Bailey’s, only better! Pretty cool, ay?

You could replace the maple syrup with honey, and that would work just as well, but I reckon the maple syrup in combination with the Bourbon is sublime and takes the whole thing to a new level. Put some “Tiger Rag” on, and you are right in New Orleans! I mean, seriously. I am already thinking of adding maple glazed chipotle pecans, but let’s take it easy this time and start churning this three-ingredient icecream! Okay okay, it’s six ingredients, but the vanilla, molasses, and sea salt are totally optional – albeit highly recommended! By the way, you don’t need an icecream maker for this. If you don’t have one or forgot to chill the churner, you can pour the coconut-bourbon-mass into a shallow container, freeze it, and stir every hour or so until the desired consistency is reached. Thanks to the coconut milk, the booze, and the liquid maple syrup, this icecream gets nice and creamy, just as it should be. You don’t need to cook anything here, all you need to do is to chill the tins of coconut milk in the fridge over night before you get started.

2 420 ml tins of full-cream coconut milk, chilled over night
1 tsp vanilla extrace
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp Bourbon whisky
1 Tbsp molases
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Whisk the creamy part of the coconut milk, vanilla, maple syrup, bourbon, molasses, and salt until homogenic. ~~Pour into a glass on ice and enjoy your homemade Bailey’s!~~ Get your icecream maker going and pour the mixture in while churning. Then let your favourite kitchen device do its work according to manufacturer’s instructions. After 20 to 25 minutes, the icecream has a soft serve consistency. Pour into a container and freeze a bit more until firm. Enjoy on its own or serve alongside a rich chocolate dessert.

Enjoy!

Almost Calorie Free Vanilla Almond Sorbetto

Published on January 1, 2014 by nathaliejasmin20191 Comment

As I have made icecream in pre-dairy free days, I knew that you needed to add some sort of sugar to achieve a consistency anyone would actually like to delve into – I was wrong.

In fact, you can make sugar-free icecream. This is obviously not your usual Sara Lee dessert – but the lack of sugar, fat and calories is worth the slightly more solid texture of this creation. You shouldn’t compare this to the industrialised icecream which has bucket loads of creepies, but as a dessert in its own right, which is easy, quick, inexpensive and very refreshing – perfect for those Aussie summer days when the mercury climbs over 35 ° C. Just to think that you can have ICECREAM without sending your blood sugar through the roof and making your pancreas work overtime?

It is possible, after all.

500 ml almond milk
2 tbsp stevia or erythritol
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients in a tupperware dish, then freeze until hard, break up and whip in your food processor until smooth.

Enjoy!

Vegan, Sugar Free, Paleo After Eight (Mint Chocolate Chip) Icecream

Published on December 15, 2013 by nathaliejasmin20193 Comments

It’s summer in Australia! And which foodstuff screams “summer” like no other? Icecreeeeeeeaaaaaam!!!! (Although I have it all year round…don’t judge). Well, I have mentioned before that I am a total icecream junkie – an obsession which was slightly compromised by the diagnosis of dairy intolerance. nevertheless, I have showed in the past that it is possible – and, in fact, delicious – to make healthy homemade dairy free (i.e. vegan) icecream.

I have become a little bit tired of coconut-based dairy-free icecreams, however. I have heard of avocado-based icecreams, but forgot about it, since I thought avocado in an icecream was pretty close to spinach in an icecream – it just doesn’t work. The other day, though, when I – after a long, avocado-less time – devoured a creamy, luscious, decadent Hass avocado, I just thought “there must be something to avocado icecream” – it is just soooo creamy and full-bodied, and it doesn’t have a strong flavour on its own, which makes it PERFECT for icecream. Most vegan icecreams are based on coconut and/or banana, but neither of these ingredients has a very neutral flavour. Avocado has. The only problem is – unlike banana and coconut, avocado has a VERY gaudy colour, so unfortunately, you ar epretty much confined to doing “green” icecream with it. This is not a problem though, as I have always been a huge fan of “after eight” or mint chocolate icecreams. I wanted to give it a try.

This is by far the best and creamiest icecream I have ever made, and the best thing is, this one really IS sugar free (just a bit of lovely honey). As the avocado is rather fatty, you don’t need any refined sugars to create this oh-so-good creamy icecream taste. It just tastes like your regular icecream from the shop! It also needs only five minutes of churning (you probably don’t even need an icecream maker), and you can serve it instantly or freeze it – it won’t affect the texture.

I was sceptical at first whether I should try creating an avocado-based icecream, as I didn’t want to waste my lovely avocados on a recipe which potentially wouldn’t work. Am I happy I did give it a shot! You cannot go wrong with this. Trust me.

I used regular chocolate chips for this (shhhh—-don’t tell anyone!), but you can buy paleo approved ones or make your own – so you can deffo make this a paleo icecream! Oh, and I call it an “After Eight” icecream, as that’s what “dinner mints” are called in Europe – you ought to have this cutie at any time of the day though! Hm…yum yum! Better get started right away!

Makes 1 small tub (500 ml) (for 2 gluttons like my hubbs and me or 4 normal people)

2 ripe Hass avocados (~200 g)
130 ml almond milk
3 tbsp raw honey
peppermint aroma/edible peppermint oil (to taste)
chocolate chips to taste (approx. 60-70 g)
optional: a few fresh peppermint leaves

Blend everything until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least six hours or overnight. Churn in icecream maker for approx. 5 minutes (not the usual 20 minutes). Enjoy chocolate peppermint bliss.

Enjoy!