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Ginger, coffee, and walnut nice cream sweetened with dates

A rich, lightly spicy treat.

Ingredients

3 medium frozen bananas (about 2 cups)
1 shot espresso (short)
1t fresh ginger, grated and minced (or to taste)
1/4 cup dried, soft dates, pitted and chopped
1T walnuts chopped with 1t reserved for garnish

Optional: 1t maca powder.

Method

Blend everything but the garnish until smooth. Scoop out, garnish with the walnuts and serve. If your dates are hard, soften them in the coffee then blend.

 

 

Vanilla frozen dessert with salted whiskey, coffee and cashew fudge sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup whiskey (traditionally Irish — I used bourbon)*
1T coconut sugar
1 shot espresso (short)
1T cashew butter
1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
A pinch coarse sea salt
2 large frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4t vanilla extract
1/4 cup frozen cherries

Optional: 1t maca powder

Directions

In a small sauce pan with the lid handy, bring the whiskey to a light boil on medium high heat. Add the sugar and stir. Simmer for about 30 seconds, and then — carefully — light the pan. If the fire is too high, put the lid on. Otherwise, it should burn off the alcohol and caramelize the sugar a bit.

Reduce heat to medium low. Let the whiskey simmer and reduce to about 2T, add the espresso and the cashew butter. Stir to thoroughly dissolve the cashew butter, and then slowly whisk in the plant milk and sea salt. It should emulsify quickly into a thick, fluffy cream. If the mixture is too thick, add a more plant milk. If it seems thin, ensure the cashew butter is thoroughly dissolved. Chill if necessary.

Puree the banana with the vanilla until smooth. If using the maca, puree it with the banana. Spoon out the banana into an appropriate dish, garnish with the cream and the cherries and serve.

*The quality of the whiskey makes a difference to this dish. Also, it’s rare, but some whiskeys are still produced using animal products.

Garnished with cherries!

Orange, coffee and black cherry frozen dessert

Rich colours and flavours; use decaf if you prefer.

Ingredients

A shot of freshly brewed espresso (short), chilled
1-2T marmalade* (depending on how orange you want it)
2 large frozen bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4t vanilla extract
1 cup frozen dark cherries
Sweeten to taste

Option: 1t powdered maca

Directions

Make the espresso and chill in the freezer for 2 minutes.
Puree the banana, vanilla, espresso and marmalade until smooth. Add the maca if you’ll be using it.
Sweeten to taste, and spoon out into an appropriate dish
Puree the cherries until smooth (or leave it a little chunky if you prefer)
Sweeten to taste and top the bananas with the cherries.

*I use an organic brand to ensure the sugar isn’t bleached with animal bone charcoal.

Pistachio, ginger, and coffee frozen dessert

A rich breakfast or a light dessert. You can substitute a couple tablespoons of brewed coffee for the espresso, but the flavor won’t be as rich.

Ingredients

3 medium frozen bananas (about 2 – 2 1/2 cups)
1t fresh ginger, grated
1T and 1t chopped pistachios, separated, the 1t reserved for garnish
1/4t vanilla extract
A half shot of espresso (short)
Sweeten with stevia, maple syrup or agave nectar to taste

Optional: 1t maca powder

Directions

Puree everything except the 1t pistachios reserved. Add the maca if you’ll be using it. Sweeten to taste. Spoon out to an appropriate glass. Garnish with 1t chopped pistachios and serve.