Blondie Brownies

I didn't grow up with Blondie Brownies......I know deprived huh! I don't remember trying them until my husband's family introduced me to them. Ummmmm yeah I liked them. And then well a lot of cookies and brownies and things took a back seat while I learned a healthier way to live.

I did slowly add treats I loved back in as I learned the art of "Healthifying" but for some reason there are a lot of things I kind of just forgot about or I don't know maybe just never worried about them. Most of the things I have healthified have been things that I was craving.

It's kind of funny how many things I just haven't craved or really even thought about. There was a time when I thought my life would end if I had to live without certain foods. Well guess they weren't really all that important now were they.  All I know is I have not ever felt deprived on this road to healthy whole foods.

Anyway we were sitting around visiting one evening and we were feeling like a treat. But I wanted to try something new. Like I have said before sometimes I just get bored of making the same things. So I asked Ryan if he wanted me to try Blondie Brownies. He was like, "Oh heck yeah!"

Plus our kids had never had them I wouldn't want them to be deprived like I was. It took a few tries but here they are and they are mighty tasty if I do say so myself!

Blondie Brownies

3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (ground soft white wheat)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Real Salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 dash almond extract (optional)
1 cup coconut oil, melted (add one heaping teaspoon ghee in place of some oil if desired)
3 cups Sucanat
2 organic free range eggs (or double next ingredient)
1 heaping Tablespoon egg replacer mixed with 1/2 cup water
carob chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix egg replacer and eggs together. In a separate bowl cream coconut oil (being sure it is not hot), Sucanat, vanilla and almond extracts together. Add egg mixture, stir in well. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth, should be the consistency of thick cake batter. Spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until crackly on top and toothpick comes out clean. If wanted sprinkle carob chips over blondies as soon as they are removed from oven. Let cool before cutting. Cut into squares and serve.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

This recipe has taken quite a bit of trial and error. When I first thought it would be fun to make ice cream sandwiches I was sure it was as simple as taking one of my cookie and ice cream recipes and making a sandwich out of them.

Nope! We tried that the first time and although they did get eaten they were not the grab out of the freezer and enjoy like the ones I remember.

They had to sit on the counter until the ice cream was almost melted for the cookie to be nice and chewy.....and then the cookie still wasn't nice and chewy. Again we ate them but the cookie was crunchy!

I found too that the ice cream needed to have a softer, creamier texture to really make the sandwiches good. That was easy we just added more fat. If you are looking for a fun way to get lots of medium chain fatty acids in your kids....I don't think you'll have any problem getting them to eat these.

Then once we got the right textures down we needed to work on how to easily fill each sandwich. I came up with putting ice cream in the solids end of a Pampered Chef Measure All Cup and freezing it that way. Then I could just pop the ice cream out and slice it.

That worked really well but I had more ice cream and cookies then one measure all cup was enough for. So I also found that freezing your cookies first and letting your ice cream soften our of the freezer for just a bit, made it fairly easy just to scoop ice cream onto the cookies. You still have to be careful to not break your cookies though.

But see now the trouble shooting is all done for you so it will be a cinch to make now right?........RIGHT!

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cookies:
5 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups Sucanat
1/4 cup carob powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Real Salt
1 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
egg replacer for 4 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in measuring cup (make sure they're blended well). Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Using hands, form dough into a big ball. (If it sticks together well, then its the right consistency. If it's kind of dry and crumbly then add a bit of water, 1 Tablespoon at a time and mix it well. If it's too wet you may add up to 1/2 cup more flour just add it a Tablespoon at a time. You want a sort of sticky dough but not wet just a little greasy you need to be able to roll it into a ball kind of like play dough.)DO NOT over mix or oil can separate out.

Form dough into ping pong size balls then gently press with the bottom of a 1/2 cup round measuring cup that is lightly greased with coconut oil. (use the leftovers from the dish you melted the coconut oil in) Press to the size needed or desired. Bake for 5-6 minutes in preheated oven. NO LONGER! You want the cookies not all the way cooked it makes them not so hard after being frozen. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Ice Cream:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight then drained
1 1/2 cup favorite herb tea just barely warm* (see options below)
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup Sucanat
1/4 teaspoon Real Salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla and/or the insides of 2 vanilla beans
Optional Spices* (see notes below)

Directions:
In blender blend drained cashews and herb tea until smooth. Add coconut milk, oil and the rest of the ingredients to the blender. Blend until just mixed and smooth. Churn and freeze in your ice cream machines according to manufacturers directions.

I talk about our ideas for easiest assembly of the ice cream sandwiches in my ramblings above. So if you didn't read those you may want to reference them now. ;) Basically just make ice cream sandwiches out of them obviously store in the freezer. They are best taken out of the freezer 5 minutes before eating.

*Here are a few fun flavor ideas that will change depending on the type of tea you use. Be sure to make a good strong tea. If you are using teabags use 5-6 of them.

Peppermint: dried peppermint leaves made into a good strong tea. (pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over about 3 heaping Tablespoons of dried peppermint leaf. Let cool some, strain out leaf use the 1 1/2 cups in the ice cream) You could add carob or chocolate chips to this ice cream when it is almost done churning if you would like mint chip.

Mormon Mocha: Dandy Blend(No Coffee for this girl), Carob and/or Cocoa Powder. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling over 2 heaping Tablespoons Dandy Blend and 1 Tablespoon carob powder. Stir until well combined let cool till just warm use in making the ice cream.

Chai: Roastaroma blend and/or Rooibos type tea.(again nothing from the Tea plant so no green or black tea for me) Make a strong tea with 1 1/2 cups boiling water, strain off herbs or remove tea bags. Use in making the ice cream also add these spices.
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
May adjust seasonings to taste.

Nutty Vanilla: Just cut up some vanilla beans and make a strong tea with that. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over beans let steep for longer than the other teas. Strain, use this in making the ice cream, you may want to add more vanilla too.
recipe inspired by the minimalist baker

Mint Chip Ice Cream

Not sure why this recipe took me so long to perfect but it was worth it! Way back in the day when Ryan and I first started dating, I thought it was pretty cool that his Mom always made sure there was ice cream in their freezer. One day she asked me what my favorite kind was and I remember telling her mint chip.

Now I'm not sure why I told her that because really most any kind of ice cream I liked. Back then I think I would have even ate that blue bubble gum kind with gum balls in it. (Does anyone else remember that and do they still have it? YUCK!) I think it must have been before cookie dough ice cream though so mint chip probably was my favorite at that time.

Anyway a few months ago I was thinking if that was my favorite way back then....how come I haven't come up with a heathified recipe for it yet? Well I have been working on that recipe ever since and it took me quite a few tries. I wanted it to be just the right texture and flavor. And honestly I wanted to make it honey sweetened but not too sweet.

I also added quite a bit of vanilla because I didn't want an overly strong mint flavor. I also think next time I make it I will use my version of Magic Shell (leaving out the peanut butter) and drizzle is through the ice cream for the "chips" instead. I think that will be really good and Ryan agrees. ;)

Note that you can make it in an ice cream maker or not. Most of the times I tried the recipe I didn't use my ice cream maker. It will work well either way. I hope you enjoy this recipe I worked really hard on it.

Mint Chip Ice Cream

1 cup raw cashews soaked in
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
2 cans coconut milk
1 small handful spinach
1/2 teaspoon Real Salt
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
5-8 drops peppermint essential oil
1/2 teaspoon guar gum (optional)
1/2 - 1 cup carob chips (may coarsely chop)

Soak cashews in water for at least 2 hours or more. To your blender add the cashews WITH the water, the coconut oil, and honey. Blend until smooth. Add the coconut milk, spinach, salt, vanilla, peppermint and guar gum. Blend on low until smooth for not more then 2 minutes. (If you blend too long or too fast the coconut milk will separate so be aware.) As soon as it is well blended pour it into a cake pan with a lid (I like my glass pyrex one for this) and put into the freezer.....Set your timer for one hour then stir in the carob chips. Then let finish freezing at least another hour or more. After frozen solid you will want to sit it out for about 20 minutes before scooping it up and serving.

You can also freeze this in an ice cream freezer just follow directions for your ice cream maker. ENJOY!

Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

Before I get into recipe talk you may have noticed a bit of a slow down in posts around here. I'm still creating recipes and the finished products will be posted here but more frequent updates and goings on are happening over at Instagram if you would like to join me there!

Some of you may not know this but I don't really love spending a lot of time in the kitchen. I love good food and family meal time.....but large messes and fancy gourmet food that takes a million steps and dirties a bazillion pans....that's just not for me.

I struggle with having a meal take much longer to make then it does to eat. ;) A few times a year for really special holidays I'll make a few exceptions but most of the time I want to be in and out and onto the more enjoyable things like gathering around the table and nourishing body, mind and soul.

I have always loved the idea of ice cream cake and thought they looked super tasty and like lots of fun. But whenever I would look at recipes it just seemed like too many steps and so much time. Remember I'm all about SIMPLE!

So I put off making one......until Curt started saying he wanted one for his Birthday.....I thought about just spending the time to make a real fancy one but then there was a funeral that I found out about the day before and other holidays right in the mix. So I had to just go with it and by design I just had to keep it as simple as possible. It turned out surprisingly good for being so simple. No fancy crust just a layer of Strawberries. When I make it again though I will go all out and add a layer of strawberries in the middle just for a pretty effect. ;)

Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

Ice Cream Ingredients:
4 cans coconut milk
1 cup almond milk
1/2 lb. strawberries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup pure maple syrup (adjust to desired sweetness depending on how sweet strawberries are)
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon real salt
1 teaspoon guar gum (optional)

Other Ingredients:
1/2 lb strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 recipe hardening chocolate sauce (will have extra for adding to individual slices)

In blender blend ice cream ingredients until smooth, you may need to blend for 2 or 3 cycles just be sure to blend on low and not more then three cycles as over-blending can separate coconut milk. Now freeze in ice cream maker. (Makes enough ice cream for two cakes or one cake and extra ice cream for the freezer.....the ice cream is super tasty all on it's own)

While ice cream is churning, line the bottom of a spring form pan with sliced strawberries.  Once ice cream is froze but still soft spread into pan (may fill half way and add more sliced strawberries or just fill to top and then "decorate" however you want with the rest of the sliced berries) Then freeze in freezer.....may make a few days ahead if needed.

About an hour before serving remove cake from freezer, make sauce. Remove band from spring form pan (I set the cake on a platter). Then drizzle sauce over cake and let harden then serve. May add extra sauce to individual slices.

Fruit and Creamsicles

Oh goodness I certainly haven't done very much blogging this summer.....it's been full of lots of other exciting things that I hope to post about soon...ish! But before the last of the heat was gone (which is always too soon for me) I wanted to be sure to post these super yummy popsicles that we have enjoyed a lot this Summer.

I have loved how simple they are and that lots of fruit are super tasty with them.  We have tried cherry, peach and strawberry. But I also think blueberry, raspberry, orange, pineapple and other fruits would be super good too.

Fruit and Creamsicles

Fruit Part:
4 cups of favorite fresh fruit (frozen works too just mostly thaw first)
1/4 cup water
1-2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey (optional)

Blend ingredients in blender till smooth.

Cream Part:
2 cups coconut cream (I use the thick stuff from the top of chilled canned coconut milk more info here)
1-2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of Real Salt

Mix or whip together.

To popsicle molds add a spoonful of cream and then some fruit. Layer or marble however you would like until molds are full. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

Mango Pudding and Berry Parfait

I just had a friend message me asking if this recipe was still on the blog......and I couldn't find it! So I went searching and noticed that it had been moved to draft.  It has been in drafts now for a few years don't ask why I have no idea why it was saved as a draft on not still posted here on the blog. It's one of my very favorite recipes! Trust me if you like mango even a little you will find this recipe Heavenly.

So I am re-posting it and putting it here front and center because I'm sure there are many of you who have not tried this really heavenly dessert. And those of you who have I'm sure would love to make it again. Like my friend who just messaged me.....Kristi this is for you thanks for making me aware that it was missing from the blog.

Mango Pudding and Berry Parfait

3-5 Cups Fresh Mangoes
2 Heaping Tablespoons Melted Coconut Oil (more if using more mango)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Zest of one small lime
Juice of one small lime
1/2 Cup Agave or Pure Maple Syrup
Pinch of Salt
1 Cup fresh berries (I used strawberries can use any mixture of fresh berries you want)

Blend all ingredients except for the Berries and some of the mango (if you want it in with your layers of fruit) in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.  I slowly added the melted coconut oil while blender was running so it would mix in well before it started setting up.  After it is all mixed and creamy, transfer to a bowl and then Chill it in the fridge for at least 1-2hrs or overnight. Fill the cups with a layer of the pudding, a layer of fruit, then another layer of the pudding, doing as many layers as you want until full.  Top with a layer of fruit and fresh mint leaves.

This is so good an instant favorite!

Caramel Apple Rolls

Months ago it was Missy's dishes day and Ryan made a deal with her. He said, "I'll do you dishes for you if you make me some cinnamon rolls!" So she made the deal with him but since part of the deal wasn't to make them that night she put it off.

I think Ryan expected them within the next day or so but being the busy teen that she is......they didn't come and they didn't come. I think Miss was hoping Dad had forgot about it all.

But then just a week or so ago he started bringing it up again! Missy decided she better deliver on her part of the deal. Since caramel apple is just part of the season right now I told her I would help he make a different kind of cinnamon roll.

So this past Monday afternoon we put these together and they were such a fun twist on the traditional cinnamon roll we thought we would share! My biggest problem was the fact that they where so sweet it actually made me tired to eat them and although I wanted more one was all my body wanted or actually I think it maybe was mad at me for eating a whole one. It's funny how we have slowly gone from healthified treats a few times a week to one or two times a week to once or twice a month.

It's been a really slow gradual process but even the kids just don't really crave the sweets. A piece of fruit is usually ample. I quit sweetening our smoothies with anything but fruit a long time ago. Honestly I have been surprised at how my kids will drink up a very unsweet smoothie without a complaint. It's been a process but when it comes to sweets less is more......but your family will love to splurge on these for a Halloween treat especially if they aren't going to eat all that crazy candy.

Caramel Apple Rolls

whole grain bread dough for 1 loaf
4-5 large apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 batch caramel sauce

For the bread we used The Best Yet Whole Wheat Bread Recipe and make dinner rolls out of the rest of the dough.

With one loaf worth of dough, roll out into a rectangle about the size of an average cookie sheet. Spread the coconut oil on top of the dough then sprinkle on the Sucanat and the apple. Roll from the long way just like you would cinnamon rolls. Slice into about 1 inch rolls I like to use thread or floss for this. Then place just touching on a cookie sheet. Place in a warm spot to raise until about double. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until nice and golden brown.

While the rolls are rising whip up a batch of caramel sauce. When rolls are done baking you can drizzle immediately with the caramel sauce or you can serve them up individually on plate and then drizzle with the sauce.

Mango Soft Serve Ice Cream

I cannot really take credit for this recipe because I totally got the idea from Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers.  Thanks Laura!  Her Pineapple flavor is really good too but Costco hasn't had their organic frozen pineapple lately (at least not the one we shop at). But they have the mango!

Ryan says he likes the mango best because it is so creamy but you could use other kinds of frozen fruit too. We want to try apricot, peach, raspberry and I know Laura tried strawberry also and it went over well.

Just to let you know this is thick stuff and blending in a regular blender may prove a bit frustrating. I think a food processor (a fairly large nice one) would probably work best. But since I don't have one right now I used my Blendtec with the large Wildside jar. It works really well but does take a little patience.

I have to stop and stir a few times before it really blends well. It still takes me less than 5 minutes though. Using my twister jar would actually work better but I would have to half the recipe and blend it in two batches and this way is just faster. But if I was only needing one or two servings I wouldn't hesitate to half the recipe and use that twister jar. It is the perfect thing for really thick blends.

Mango Soft Serve Ice Cream

1 can coconut milk, chilled  (I tend to always keep a couple cans in the fridge)
1 pinch of Real Salt
4 cups frozen mango
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
3-5 drops liquid stevia (optional, don't really need mango is nice a sweet but if you like it sweeter)

Place all ingredients into food processor or powerful blender. Blend until smooth (not higher than speed 3 if using a high speed blender, too high of a speed can potentially separate coconut milk and make it grainy). Also remember it is thick you will have to stop and stir a few times until the machine can pull it down.

Coconut Berry-Caramel Ice Cream

So I came up with this soft serve coconut ice cream that you don't need to have an ice cream maker for! (You will need a blender.) Oh boy it's super yummy....especially when you add berry syrup and caramel sauce and some chopped nuts......and anything else you think would be good.

I'm sharing this recipe as a guest post over at Live Simply. Also you will read a little story of me back in the day of my soft serve frozen yogurt cravings.

So go check it out and while your there look at some of the other great recipes she has. And oh those photos! I wish I could take food photos like that..... actually scratch that I wish I had someone like Kristin to take photos of my food for me. ;)

I'm the type of person that really can appreciate a well done photo because I know it isn't a matter of simply point and shoot. I keep trying but mostly it's not something I really enjoy or that I'm very good at.

I do love spending time over at Live Simply just looking at her amazing pictures. Not to mention any of the recipes of hers I have tried have always been way good!

Hop on over there and give this recipe a try then let me know what you think.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

This recipe has been around before you could buy coconut milk ice cream at the store. When we first made this we knew that our Simple Healthy Lifestyle could be sustained and that we wouldn't EVER feel deprived! It's been a lot of years since then and we have made this recipe plenty of times.

This recipe and many other tasty sweets can be found in my ebook,

Simple. Healthy. Tasty. ~ Sweets

Pumpkin Pie "Ice Cream"

2 Cans coconut milk (not light)
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon nutmeg or to taste
1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 quart of Rice milk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon guar gum (optional)
2 cups raw sugar or sucanat
ice cream machine
ice cream salt
1 bag of ice

Mix first 9 ingredients all together till smooth if the coconut milk is very think you may want to blend ingredients in blender first so it is well blended. Put into your ice cream maker container. Follow the instructions on your ice cream machine. Mighty Tasty! 

Angel Food Cake

So I have this friend who is learning to cook and trying to eat healthy. Can I just say I do a happy dance when young mothers decide they want to feed their family healthy and are even willing to learn to cook if they don't know how.  Anyway she is doing awesome and I'm so proud of her!

Well you know how we all have our very favorite foods that are a family tradition that you don't want to give up?  Angel Food Cake happens to be one of their family favorites that her husband loves to make. 

I have to admit I really enjoyed angel food cake back in the day and you know I even was fooled into thinking that it could be part of a healthy diet because well it is fat free. (yeah I know better now and if you read my blog much I hope you do too)

To be honest though I had not had angel food cake for years.....I mean years like at LEAST 12 and I had never ever made the homemade kind it was always store bought. So this was a new experience for me.  Thus the reason it isn't as pretty as it could be.  Maybe with practice.

I also think it wouldn't be too hard to make it gluten free by replacing the 1 cup of flour for a gluten free cake flour mix or something like that.  I haven't tried it, but I think it would work.

Still not the epitome of health as it's really quite sweet. But it tasted JUST like I remember angel food cake tasting! So for special occasions or once in a while I say ENJOY!

Angel Food Cake.....as healthy as it gets

1 cup whole wheat flour, I grind hard white wheat
1 1/2 cup Sucanat (powdered fine in blender)
Egg Whites from 12 Organic, free range eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 cup dehydrated cane juice crystals
1/4 teaspoon Real Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375°
• Mix flour and powdered Sucanat
• Beat egg whites and cream of tarter until foamy
• Beat in the cane juice crystals on high 2 Tablespoons at a time until stiff and glossy
• Add salt and extracts with last of cane juice crystals
• Sprinkle flour and powdered Sucanat mix 1/4 cup at a time (don't beat, but fold in)
• Pour batter into ungreased angel food cake pan
• Push spatula into pan to make air bubbles go away
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until dry and crackly
• Remove from oven and turn upside down on bottle to cool

Peach Raspberry and Orange Sticks........Two Trifle Recipes

Trifles are lots of fun to make, really quite simple (especially if ingredients are made ahead of time) and they always impress.  My kids ask to have them on their birthdays from time to time so I have made a few. 

There are lots of possibilities by just changing up the kind of cake, pudding and fruit you use.  We really liked this one and since it's peach time we thought we would share it. 

Our other favorite was one we like to call Orange Sticks Trifle that we made a few years back.  You will find that version just below this recipe. (Sorry I don't have a good picture this was a few years back and for some reason I didn't have one without a kid or their fingers in it. ;)

I've been thinking that this German Chocolate Cake Recipe would also be a good one to use in some kind of trifle.  Without the frosting of course.

I'm sure most of you will be able to make your look much prettier than mine.  I'm usually about throwing things together and not so focused on presentation.

Ryan (my husband) is actually better at making food look nice.  I'm all about making it taste good.  We make a pretty good team.......but he's not very often available to help in the Kitchen.  So we settle for taste.

Peach Raspberry Trifle

1 recipe "Yellow Type Cake" made in a bar pan
1 recipe "Banana Creme Pie" JUST the pudding filling made
1 package fresh raspberries
5-6 large fresh peaches, sliced and skins removed
Caramel Sauce

In a trifle bowl layer cake, pudding, fruit and caramel sauce in that order.  Takes about 4-6 layers just be sure to end with a drizzle of caramel sauce on top. 

NOTE: With an Banana Creme Pie filling you will want to be sure to leave out any banana flavor.  And obviously you won't need the pie crust or the bananas.  Oh but bananas would be good in a trifle maybe with strawberries.......Oh yeah could be good!

Orange Sticks Trifle

1 recipe "Yellow Type Cake" made in a bar pan
1 recipe "Chocolate Mousse" made with the orange extract
1 recipe "My Favorite Whipped Creme"
2-4 cans Mandarin oranges in 100% juice

In a trifle bowl layer cake, pudding, whipped creme and oranges in that order.  Takes about 4-6 layers just be sure to end with the oranges on top.

 

Strawberry Lemonade Snow Cone Syrup

This is a really fun basic recipe.  Your flavors and colors are endless and you certainly wont need artificial ANYTHING!  Try mango, pineapple, orange, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, etc.  Use individual fruits or mix up combinations. So fun and so Tasty!

Strawberry Lemonade Snow Cone Syrup

6 Strawberries, stems removed
Juice of one Lemon
2-4 Tablespoons Agave Syrup (depending on how tangy you like it)

Blend ingredients together in blender.  Pour into a squeeze bottle, may strain if you don't want the strawberry seeds.  Pour over shaved ice just like a snow cone!  Yummy, lots of fun and has real flavor!  You won't taste the color red cause it isn't it there! ;)



We have had lots of fun making these this Summer!
We have used my Champion Juicer with the strainer removed so the crushed ice just falls out where the juice would, or my Pampered Chef Ice Shaver to shave the ice to snow cone texture!  We love this flavor and the wheels are turning thinking of more fun flavors.  Raspberry? Blueberry? Tropical?  Have fun see what you can come up with and be sure to share if it's a good one!

Tammie's Summer Slushy

Here's a great Summertime treat that I came up with years ago that put to good use my Pampered Chef Ice Shaver! It also helped my kids not feel so left out when they saw everyone standing in line at the snowie shacks.  But instead of tasting like the color Red (yep that is what that sugar syrup tastes like to me now might as well melt sweetened crayon and put on it ;) it actually has real flavor! 

Tammie's Summer Slushy

100% juice, frozen in ice cube trays or containers
Shave juice in ice shaver, or blend with a little juice in blender
Squeeze half a lime into each cup
That's it!
Very Refreshing!

Lemon Ice Cream

Tangy Lemon Sorbet meets Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!  MmmmMMmmmm it's creamy and sweet yet sour and.....well Lemony!  Perfect on warm Sunny afternoons. ENJOY!

Lemon Ice Cream

2 cans coconut milk
2-3 cups rice milk
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup agave (or more organic sugar)
a pinch of Real Salt
1 teaspoon guar gum (optional)
1 Tablespoon vanilla and/or the insides scraped from 2 vanilla beans
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 4 lemons

Whisk or blend all ingredients together well.  Freeze according to directions on your ice cream freezer.  Great with these cookies.