Double Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Swirls!

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup whole milk

1/2cup + 1/8 cup sugar

pinch of salt

6 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup natural peanut butter + a pinch of salt, room temperature

Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Warm 1 cup of the cream with cocoa powder in medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to boil then reduce heat and gently simmer for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate, scraping the saucepan clean as much as possible. Let stand for about 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add in the remaining cup of cream and mix well. Place a mesh strainer atop the bowl and set aside.

Warm the milk, sugar and salt in the same saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks until they are a light yellow color. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking lightly but constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, making sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan. Stir until the mixture thickens and reaches nappe consistency (the custard should coat the back of the spoon).

Pour custard through the strainer into the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth, then add in the vanilla. Continue to stir over an ice bath until cool. Refrigerate the mixture to cool thoroughly. Place the mixture in your ice cream maker and follow manufactures instructions.

When you ice cream is about halfway frozen--not all the way done, but firm enough the the peanut butter won't disappear into a chocolate abyss, take a spoon and drizzle ribbons of peanut butter onto ice cream. Turn machine on and let it mix a few times, and open it up and add more peanut butter. Repeat until your pb is gone. Let ice cream continue to mix and freeze until the machine has run it's course, and you have delicious, heart stopping ice cream.

Sunshine In A Bowl!

This is the BEST salad dressing! 

1 T. tahini

2 T. water

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 t. chili powder

1-2 t. minced garlic

1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar or stevia

Mix it all together and pour it over any salad!!

Banana (and then some) Bread!

1 stick butter (1/2c)

1/2 c sugar

1-2TBS honey

2 eggs

3-4 very ripe bananas

2 large carrots, shredded

1/2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2c whole wheat flour

1/2 c whole oats (not instant)

1/4 c ground flax seed

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

in separate bowl mix together flour, oats, flax, baking soda, and salt, set aside.

mix butter, sugar and honey.

add eggs, one at a time until mixed in.

add vanilla, bananas, carrots, and milk until well mixed.

slowly add in flour mixture, mix just until blended.

spoon batter into greased 9" loaf pan

sprinkle top with chopped pecans and oats

place on bottom rack in oven and bake at 350° 75-90 minutes (if the top starts to get too brown, cover withfoil

Strawberry Peach Coconut Popsicles

These are definitely my new favorite summer treat!!  Also, the first time i've made homemade popsicles!  I like knowing that i'm just eating fruit, not all the fake flavoring and stuff!  Plus, coconut is my favorite thing ever!
Recipe from Family Fresh Cooking
INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces chopped Strawberries
• 1 Peach, roughly chopped
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) light unsweetened Coconut Milk
• Stevia drops or your favorite natural sweetener to taste
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Coconut Flake

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate Chips: Dark, Milk or White
• a dash of ground Ginger

METHOD

Put strawberries and peach in a small sauce pan over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to a boil, partially cover pot & then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes until fruit is soft, stir occasionally. Remove from heat & let mixture cool. Mix fruit with coconut milk and purée in blender or food processor until smooth.  Fill popsicle molds, or dixie cups and let them freeze!

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

I made this Sunday after church, just before dinner, but you're still so hungry that you just want to eat! It was perfect, and not too filling!  Serve it with veggies, or homemade tortilla chips!  I think I want to make some kind of dip every sunday just to snack on!  They're kind of fun!           

INGREDIENTS

• 1 15 ounce can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1/4 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup Tahini Paste
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• Sea Salt to taste (about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon)
• Smoked Paprika to taste
• Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas (or your favorite tortillas)
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

METHOD
Put chickpeas, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tahini, tomato paste, some salt and smoked paprika in a food processor or blender and process until well combined and smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add more oil, lemon juice or tomato paste if needed. Serve with a drizzle of oil and diced sun-dried tomatoes on the top.
For the Chips
Pre-heat broiler on low heat with the rack in the middle of the oven. Trim tortillas into wedge shapes. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer and lightly spray with oil, sprinkle with salt. Broil about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned and crispy. Sprinkle with some smoked paprika, or your favorite spices. 

Quinoa Porridge with Strawberries and Pecans

I know this is more of a fall breakfast, nice and hot!  But, as soon as I saw it, I had to try it!  It's originally made with blueberries, but all I had were strawberries!  Whatever works!  This recipe makes one serving!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 dash cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 tablespoon peacans, toasted and coarsley chopped

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix in the blueberries, remove from heat and top with the peacans.

Phyllo Fruit Tart

This is a fun, light summer dessert!  Really easy to throw together, and really pretty!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 8 sheets phyllo dough (14 x 9)
• 1 pkg. (8 oz) FF cream cheese
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup Cool Whip Free
• 1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
• 4 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• 1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 oz white baking chocolate, melted

In a small bowl, combine butter and oil. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a baking sheet. Brush with butter mixture. Repeat with remaining sheets. Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes or until browned. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar. Beat well. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cooled phyllo. Top with fruit. Melt chocolate in microwave and drizzle over fruit.