Raw Vegan Recipe: Chocolate Ice Cream (with Chocolate Sauce)

Today is my mum's birthday, and her favorite food is ice cream, so of course I had to make her some. I personally didn't eat any, after just completing a 5 day smoothie challenge, but hopefully she'll save me some, though I wouldn't count on it :P

Chocolate Ice Cream

10-15 medjool dates

1T unhulled tahini

1T sunflower/cashew butter (either)

2T honey

1 banana

1/3c coconut butter

3c water or whatever milk is on hand (preferably not cow's though haha)

1/4c cacao powder

(I know what you're thinking, "Tahini + Dessert?!" Bear with me here)

Blend the dates in the milk/water. If you don't have a great blender (like me) add water gradually, so it will sort of be like a paste.

Melt the coconut butter, tahini, sunflower butter. I boil the kettle and put the water in a big bowl and the ingredients in a smaller bowl. Continue to add the milk and/or water.

Finally mix all the ingredients together in the blender. (Or if you have a good blender you could have done this in the beginning). The right texture shouldn't be too thin, and should be more on the creamy side.

Freeze, or put in the ice cream maker. If you freeze it, take it out of the freezer first for 10 minutes before you eat it so it will be softer.

Note: I always make this recipe for me and my mum's taste, and we don't like things to be so sweet. If you think it needs more honey, dates, bananas, or anything else ADD THEM. Also, these are estimates, I hardly ever follow recipes and just add till things are 'good enough'.

I also don't have an exact recipe with the sauce, I used honey (even though I'd been warned against it, though it worked this time), cacao butter, and cacao powder.

Peace,

Felic x

Raw Vegan Ice Cream Bars

Back in the 'old days' (and I mean the real old days) me and my mum would often have choc bars, which I think are normally called Ice Cream Bars. They are ice creams, with chocolate coating.

I got the recipe from Nina, who runs the blog called Veggie Wedgie. I really admire her recipes, photography, and just her in general. My try wasn't exactly perfect. I didn't want to use agave, so instead I used Raw Manuka Honey, NEXT TIME I would definitely use liquid honey. The chocolate coating was all lumpy! But apart from the funny bumps all over the shell it was absolutely delicious. Also, it was my first time ever using Cacao Butter, so if anyone has any tips about it they would be hugely appreciated, cos I had no idea what I was doing...

I definitely want to try it again, and get it perfect this time :D

Felic eats a Raw Italian Feast

My beautiful friend Meredith A.K.A. Padmapani Little Sky asked me to try some of her recipes from her new eBook 'Raw Italian Feast'.

They all looked SOOO good! I had a difficult time choosing just a few! Her eBook at a glance is exquisite. I have always loved her photographs, and her recipes are always exceptional. The great thing was that when I was looking through the eBook, I realized that I wouldn't actually need to buy too many ingredients, we already had a lot of them, which is always a fantastic bonus :D

So I planned a Raw Italian Feast with:

Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms

Al Dente Zucchini Pasta, with Mama Meat-less Meat Sauce

Pizzelle Ice Cream

The first item on the menu was the entrée of Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms.

Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms with Zesty Italian Cheese

These are so incredibly easy to make, and the taste... oh the taste. I was trying to figure out why they were so amazing when I was eating them. Was it the soft warm mushroom, the savory cream... or the crumbled sausage on top. I couldn't figure it out. In the end I concluded that it was 'all of it'. Three completely different textures harmonize perfectly, and this is coming from someone who used to hate mushrooms - I am now converted!

I could see these being the hit of a party as well. They are so unsuspecting... but when you take that first bite, you will never look back.

Fresh outta the dehydrator!

The next item on the menu was the Al Dente Zucchini Pasta, with Mama Meat-less Meat Sauce.

Al Dente Zucchini Pasta, with Mama Meat-less Meat Sauce

I really love these recipes, because I find them SO EASY to prepare! This took me something like half an hour to make, and I have got to say, the taste was sensational. I followed Meredith's serving suggestion, and I served with some Zesty Italian Cheese on top. As well as looking impressive, this was also very filling.

Me becoming impatient and deciding to start eating

Whether you are new to raw or a seasoned pro, you have to taste this ice cream. It is completely indescribable - I can't even find words to explain the taste. Pure indulgence. I have tasted quite a few different ice creams in my time (raw and non raw) and I can actually say that this is the best ice cream in the whole wide world. Yes. I wasn't paid to say that, either, but I have to admit, I was gasping in shock as I ate it, it is that amazing. You will not be disappointed.

Pizzelle Ice Cream A.K.A The Best Ice Cream in the World

I am so impressed! I have truly had a feast, and the great thing is, these recipes are so easy (even for me with my terrible kitchen skills) with ingredients that don't cost the earth. They are so versatile that if you are missing one ingredient, it can often be very easily substituted. I am so eager to continue this feast and finish all the recipes in the book, and it is a possibility, because a lot of the recipes re-use other recipes in the book, verrry clever.

So what are you waiting for! If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the eBook which is only USD$11.11 (make a wish, haha), click here.

The Official Raw Vegan Ice Cream Cone

Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream with Chia Cone

I didn't invent this, sadly, my mother did! We had left over fruit pulp from juicing, so, using the power of water + chia seeds (anyone who has used chia seeds and water will know what happens...) + pulp = cone.

Even though I was the one who did the whole Ice Cream Week, but my mum's ice cream is truly the best I have ever tasted. Raw or otherwise! It is even good when put in the freezer, it is still creamy and melts in the mouth. I don't know how, I don't do chemistry, but somethin' happens and you just end up with a bowl of deliciousness.

Saturday: Purple Boysenberry Velvet Ice Cream

Purple Boysenberry Velvet Ice Cream

And that concludes Ice Cream Week. :(

I have had quite a few requests for some of the recipes... and the stupid thing is, when I was inventing them, I forgot to write down exact measurements... guess I'm gonna have to make them all again :D

No, seriously... I think I might make a free downloadable eBook sometime with the recipes in. It was so much fun inventing and creating! I find that these days when I make Raw Food, I'm always thinking about ways to improve or tweak the recipes to my liking. I'm also going to try and make the recipes more 'economical', without compromising taste. Stay tuned!

Now I have to make an ice cream wafer recipe to go with the ice cream...

Friday: Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream

Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream

This was SO decadent and chocolate-y, I could only eat one small bowl! Which was probably a good thing, too.

For some reason, cacao seems so amazingly rich and divine. As you can see I adorned the 'crown' of the ice cream with cacao bean chips. I ate it a few hours ago, but upon adding the pictures, I think I'm going to go and get some more... I mean, erm, take the dog for a walk.

I hope everyone is having as good a week as I am ;)

Peace and Raw Food,
Felic Pear x

Thursday: Kiwi Ice Cream

Kiwi Ice Cream

I never knew that Kiwi had more Vitamin C than Oranges! I just love it. I think it's one of the most beautiful fruits ever, and it makes a great looking and tasting ice cream, too.

Wednesday: Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Ice Cream

I cannot begin to express my love for strawberries.

That is all.

*snatches*

How is it possible to make the best ice cream in the world that has no milk, eggs, or refined sugar? I don't know, but it is.

Tuesday: Vanilla Cherimoya Ice Cream

Vanilla Cherimoya Ice Cream

I love Cherimoya, it is just ice cream in itself. It is so creamy and sweet, so I wasn't very surprised to find out that it was really good for me! (Actually I was).

Monday: Cacao Cashew Ice Cream

Cacao Cashew Ice Cream

Through my whole life I have loved Chocolate Ice Cream. Who doesn't? I love a lot of other flavors, but if there was only one I could have for the rest of my life, it would have to be this one.

Hmm... I don't really know about nutrition. I read the other day that 2 handfuls of cashews per day can decrease depression, I know cacao is a great antioxident, and I read that dates can have certain health benefits. But you know what? I don't care! This Ice Cream is Raw Vegan, tastes fantastic, so that's good enough for me!

I didn't invent this recipe, but I did edit it a little.

If you do the "I-eat-things-in-moderation" thing then that's great.

But I challenge you to eat this in moderation.

Sunday: Orange Cacao Bean Chip Ice Cream

Orange Cacao Bean Chip Ice Cream

When I was younger orange chocolate chip was probably one of my favorite ice cream flavors!

Of course, when I made it I had no high fructose corn syrup, emulsifier 198, guar gum, or soy lethicin on hand, so that meant I had to use raw vegan ingredients, but that's cool, because it turned out waaay better than anything I could have ever bought!

You may have heard me whining about the lack of cacao nibs where I live. Well, we managed to find cacao beans, so I simply took off the little skin and broke them up! Voila, chocolate drops!

My interesting discovery while making this was that surprisingly when you juice oranges, the juice isn't actually the bright orange colour of the peel! Who knew? I certainly didn't.

Ice Cream Week Announcement!

To mark the arrival of an Ice Cream Maker to my house, I have decided that in honor of "Creemy" (as it's known), to mark this week as Ice Cream Week.

Every single day from this Sunday through to Saturday I will post a new flavor of Ice Cream, invented, photographed, tried, tested, and tasted by me. Sigh, it's so difficult being Raw Vegan, I tell you...

All of the posts are below.

Sunday - Orange Cacao Bean Chip Ice Cream

Monday - Cacao Cashew Ice Cream

Tuesday - Vanilla Cherimoya Ice Cream

Wednesday - Strawberry Ice Cream

Thursday - Kiwi Ice Cream

Friday - Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream

Saturday - Purple Boysenberry Velvet Ice Cream

I also wanted to add that I WILL be publishing an Raw Ice Cream eBook in the future, featuring all of the above recipes, and more!

Freak Out D:

I'd thought I'd write this post just to show people that bad things CAN happen when you're a Raw Vegan. We all should know this anyway, because it's just what life does!

I'm not a Raw Food Expert, but I have managed to learn to listen to my body. All I am is a broke teenager in New Zealand trying (and mostly succeeding) to be 100% Raw Vegan all the time.

Anyway, so you know when things are great, but then (sometimes for no reason) things don't go so great? And you quickly find yourself freaking out...

I had one of those. And I'm not ashamed to admit it!

I was feeling very uninspired. My body wasn't responding well to Raw Food, and I now see it's because I was eating too much. I was wondering if I should quit Raw Food altogether. I felt so bad about all the money my mum had spent on my health (pre-Raw) and now my organic food. I'd been at home for about 5 days straight. We had guests staying on the living room floor. I had homework I had to do but didn't particularly want to. And to add insult to injury, it was raining!

Yes, I am a responsible, mature 15 year old, and it is high time my mum stopped coming and giving me a hug when I cried, but I'm not ashamed she did! She came and talked to me, confirmed that Raw Food was the path I should be on, that I could get my homework done, and that everything was going to 'be ok'. And in true style, we even made some ice cream :3

Can anyone guess what kind of Ice Cream it is?