




Mint Chocolate Chip Coconut Ice Cream
My sweet husband celebrated his birthday on Sunday. When asked what he wanted for his birthday dessert he declared, “Oh, your pumpkin brownies! and mint chocolate chip ice cream.”
Done and done my love.
His all-time favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. Our local Coop carries the coconut version and a few months ago I finally made my own batch. And I kick myself for waiting so long. It’s soooo easy to make and absolutely delicious.

- 2 cans coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- ⅓ cup grade B maple syrup or honey
- ½ cup shaved chocolate (any chocolate bar will do)
- Melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips makes a great chocolate drizzle
- Add coconut milk, vanilla, peppermint & maple syrup (or honey) to blender and blend until incorporated, add to ice cream maker.
- Check ice cream maker after about 15 minutes. When the mixture thickens up a bit and about to get super thick, add in chocolate shavings and continue mixing.
- Remove mixture from ice cream maker when a ball of ice cream forms
- Transfer ice cream to glass storage and place in freezer for a few hours
- Remove from freezer about 20 minutes before serving
- Melt remaining chocolate for drizzling when ready to serve





Vegan Persimmon Cranberry Coconut Pudding (no bake)
Health benefits of persimmon fruit
- The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.
- Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
- Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that plays a role in aging and various disease processes.
- zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent “Age related macular disease”(ARMD) in the elderly.
- The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide 80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
- The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin…etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
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Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI), and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
(above facts complied from this site)
Labels: ACD, dairy free, dessert, gluten free, nut free, pudding, vegan, xanthan gum free.





Cranberry Almond Honey Cookies
These cookies are a big deal for me because they are my first Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) cookie. And they are good…and they didn’t fall apart! I will be starting the SCD here shortly and until then I will be creating recipes for myself to eat during this adventure. My plan is to try the diet for 1 month. The SCD has shown to help folks like me who suffer from Crohn’s Disease (and other forms of IBD, Celiac & Autism). I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2004 and medication free up until a couple months ago. It’s hard for me to believe I just learned about the SCD like 2 months ago!! Geez, where have I been? Shirley over at gfe has been such a wonderful, loving support. Thank you Shirley! I’m sure I will be calling upon her for support and a pick-me-up here and there after I start this new food routine. I’m currently reading this book and I will be sharing what I’ve learned, and my new recipes here very soon.
- 1 cup dried cranberries, soaked in filtered water for about 2 hours (find unsweetened, or sweetened with only fruit juice, and always free of sulfur dioxide).
- 2 cups raw organic almonds (preferably soaked and dehydrated for optimal digestion)
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In food processor (fitted with S-blade) grind almonds until they release a bit of oil. Add coconut flour and blend into a light, fluffy flour. Add salt and baking soda. Blend.
- Strain cranberries and add to food processor and pulse, pulse, pulse, until the flour is incorporated with berries and forms a ball of dough.
- In separate bowl mix together melted oil, honey, and vanilla.
- With hands mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients. To create cookie I recommend making a ball first, then with wet palms, press into little cookies.
- Bake 12-13 minutes. Take care to not overcook





Garlic: Why it’s a Powerful Immune Booster.
Garlic also comes with precautions, and these should be considered in full if you’re a frequent garlic user.
(Ahem…body odor and bad breath do not count as cautions in my opinion).
*Garlic may interact with some prescription medications. For example, take great caution in consuming large amounts of garlic if taking prescription blood thinners. Please consult your doctor or holistic practitioner before taking garlic supplements or eating garlic on a daily basis.
*Believe it or not, garlic allergies do exist (oh boy, I would take my peanut allergy over a garlic allergy any day).
Symptoms may include: skin rashes, mild fever, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Consult your doctor or holistic practitioner if you suspect a garlic allergy.
*Garlic can irritate your digestive tract and cause some disruption in digestive function. One key symptom is nausea. Other symptoms may include loose stools or diarrhea, even vomiting if you consume too much.
*I eat raw garlic when I feel a cold coming on and consume in small amounts until I start to feel better. However, I also eat roasted garlic quite regularly, so feeling sick or not, I usually have some on hand in the fridge. I smear it on gluten free bread, add it to soup, hummus, eggs. It’s such an easy way to get that delicious garlic flavor and without the very intense spiciness of garlic.
How To Roast Garlic





Flavorful Grain Free Quinoa Stuffing





What is Colloidal Oatmeal? And How Does it Help Eczema?
Thank you!
Simply speaking, colloidal oatmeal is very finely ground oatmeal. Pretty easy explanation right!
“Colloidal oatmeal is simply oats ground into an extremely fine powder. When added to bathwater, it creates a milky dispersion that prevents the oatmeal from settling rapidly. So the oatmeal stays in the water and doesn’t just sink to the bottom of the bath. When you get into the tub, the colloidal oatmeal feels silky, as it coats, moisturizes, softens, and protects your skin.”
“Run your bath with lukewarm water, and while the tub is filling, add a packet (two to three cups) of colloidal oatmeal under the faucet to help disperse the oatmeal. You may have the urge to take a hot bath, but this will only irritate the skin and remove moisture from your body, so a warm bath is preferable. Soak in the bath for ten to fifteen minutes. When you are ready to get out of the bath, BE CAREFUL. The bathtub will be slick from the oatmeal. When drying, don’t rub your skin since this can irritate the sore areas. Instead, pat yourself dry with a clean towel.”





The Skin Deep Cosmetic Database





Monthly Round-Up (November 2011)





The Perfect Base Hummus
- 2½ cups prepared garbanzo beans (soaked overnight or 24 hours and boiled in filtered water)
- ⅓ cup tahini
- Juice from 2 lemons
- 1½ teaspoons garlic granules (or ½ clove fresh garlic - fresh garlic will make your hummus very spicy, so take caution when making for children)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oil of choice (I use walnut oil)
- Filtered water as needed
- Add beans & tahini to food processor, pulse a few times
- Add lemon juice, salt, garlic and pulse
- Drizzle in oil while blending
- At this point you will have a very thick hummus and it will need some water for a creamy consistency, so add in ¼ cup of filtered water (at a time) until it's creamy and smooth to your liking





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