Cherry Bomb Goat's Yoghurt Ice Creams

Every year it always feels like Summer and Christmas and all things happiness when cherries start to appear in the shops. The little, pretty red balls are such a refreshing dash of flavour and colour.

And nothing makes it feel quite like Summertime than beautiful ice cream.

This year my first new ice cream recipe for the Summery, Christmas season involved not just cherries but an ingredient that flavour wise matched them perfectly, a beautiful, creamy yoghurt I had not tried before CapriLac Goat Yoghurt.

This yoghurt is lovely and creamy and the natural flavour has just the right amount of tartness to make it a fantastic ingredient to work with. Goat yoghurt is said to be much better tolerated by a lot of people in regards to digestion as a healthy alternative that is easy to digest and can reduce tummy bloating (and all girls want that in the Summertime!).
It has the beneficial live and active cultures and the CapriLac brand is preservative free and naturally A2 and gluten free.
Found in Coles and Woolworths makes it readily available for families and it turned out to be popular with my kids too!

Cherry Bomb Goat Yoghurt Ice-creams

Ingredients
1 x 500 gm tub CapriLac Goat Yoghurt

1 & 1/2 cups cherries pitted. (Can use frozen too)

1/4 frozen cherries.

2 tablespoons raw honey
2 teaspoons organic vanilla paste
paddle pop sticks (food quality)

Method

• Divide the yoghurt in half.
• Prepare mold suitable for ice creams, (even plastic cups are fine)
• In a blender combine one half the yoghurt with the honey and vanilla. Blend well, set aside.
• Blend the other half the yoghurt with the cherries.
• In  the molds pour a layer of the dark yoghurt mixture and drop some frozen cherry pieces in.
• Top with the opposing coloured layer and keep going until the container is full.
• Use the pop stick to very gently swirl the two colours lightly together - only just!
• Freeze covered with cling wrap or a cover like 4Myearth until frozen.
• About 10 minutes in or when just starting to freeze add the pop sticks in, (they should stand up ok in the mixture by themselves).
• Run under warm water on the outside to loosen, remove and enjoy!

Notes

• To get a more jazzy and defined look freeze the separate colours one at a time and store the mixtures in the fridge. This will take some time but does look fantastic.
• You can add sweetener to taste for either layer as desired like raw honey, stevia, maple syrup, rice malt syrup.
• Try and add frozen cherry pieces in as well as they give a lovely texture contrast.

Toddler Tips

• Adjust to your child's preferred sweetness tastes. I find with little kids that the less sweeteners you use when young the less they need, give them a chance to taste sweet and tart foods with little added sweetener and then adjust from there as needed.

One of Bek's professional recipe creations. (c)2015RebeccaMugridge
Note: This was a sponsored post with Caprilac Yoghurt

Triple Chocolate Icecreams. Refined Sugar Free

There is some things that just never get old, like creamy, chocolate ice creams.
Just before our school holidays started and the gorgeous Sunshine Coast Spring weather hit, I started to play around with some different healthy ice-cream ideas for my kids.
They have already had so many times my Mango, Macadamia Honey Ice-Creams, Dairy Free Blissed Out Banana Splits, my smoothie icy poles and my many versions of banana ice creams.
So I wanted to do something different, new and exciting for them these holidays.
My oldest does not take to sugar well at all, in fact when she has some it takes her at least half a day to recover and she literally becomes like Hammy from over the hedge!

Image Source

So sugar, is not her friend. And for me, on a healing journey of my own, its not my friend either so bringing together elements of things I already make and cook I put together these triple chocolate ice creams - and made many of them complete with a hard choc top too, and they are soooooo good!

And being on my own healing journey - a major part is living refined sugar free, as cane sugar is very inflammatory for everybody - mummy might have been seen on occasion not just having one with the kids in a family fun moment of an afternoon but also sneaking one of these out of the freezer to enjoy in a quiet moment in the garden too shhhh hehe ;)
They are really lovely - give them a go. Trust me Xxxx

Triple Chocolate Ice Creams

(refined sugar free)

Ingredients
Note: These ice creams have three components - I promise, all are easy and pretty quick to do. I got all three ready at the same time with a bowl and whisk, blender and a saucepan. X
Chocolate ice cream
3 cups of a good cream (here on the sunshine coast I use Maleny Dairies)
1 teaspoon organic vanilla paste
2 teaspoons cocoa (I used dutch processed but you could use normal, cacao or even carob)

2 tablespoons stevia (or coconut sugar or raw honey if your prefer)

Choc fudge flavour layer

2 bananas

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons nut butter (I use nut butters from my local health food shop, supermarket ones will contain sugar)

1 tablespoon stevia (or honey)

1 tablespoon cocoa (see earlier note)

Hard choc

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup cocoa

Tiny pink Himalayan salt

1/4 cup rice malt syrup

ice cream moulds

paddle pop sticks (food grade)

ALSO - see notes!

 

Method

• Have some clean ice-cream moulds or plastic cups ready to go and clear a good space in the freezer.
• In a large bowl whip the cream with the stevia, cocoa and vanilla until nice and fluffy and whipped, set aside.
• In a blender place all the choc fudge layer ingredients and process until nice and smooth, depending on size and ripeness of bananas you may want to use a little more or less water to get a nice consistency.
• To make the hard choc you need melted coconut oil, so either your lucky and its warm enough that it is already runny or you will need to gently melt some like you would chocolate.
• I like my coconut oil to be melty but slightly still a little whipped looking, so from runny coconut oil I place it in the fridge for a little while until it is still runny but very lightly crystallised around the edges, it just seems to blend better for chocolate like that and you need the coconut oil cool to touch for the ice cream creating step as well.
• Mix your (cool) coconut oil with the rice malt syrup and cocoa and salt very well. It needs to be well blended.

• In your moulds arrange the 3 components in layers as desired. My kids loved the ones I made that had a hard choc bottom, for these I just started with a small amount of the hard choc, then choc ice cream, then choc fudge then hard choc for a surprise centre then topped with choc cream. But you could do as many layers in any pattern you like, have fun with it!.
• Cover the exposed tops with aluminium foil or cling wrap or similar.
• Freeze until completely set.
• To serve run the bases under warm water or sit briefly in a bowl of war, water until they are easy to remove.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• With some I also used a butter knife to mix the layers just slightly, running the knife back and forth through the mixture just a little.
• TIP to make the ice creams look really pretty, make sure after each layer you wipe down the sides so once frozen you get a very defined layered look.
• If you wish you can also alternatively simply use a good quality melted bought dark chocolate for the hard chocolate parts of these ice-creams.

Tiddler Tips

• I would probably use less cocoa and a mild, organic one and not something as strong as cacao or dutch processed cocoa personally. You could also try carob versions.

Eat beautiful. Live Well. Be Happy. Stay Calm.
Bek XXX
PS if you make these - I would love to know! So please share your picture with me on facebook, twitter, Instagram or simply hashtag on social media #cookingwithbek or #beautifulfoodwithbekRecipe and food photography copyright RebeccaMugridge2014

Mango Macadamia Honey Ice Cream and a visit to Maleny Dairies

Nestled in the green mountains of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland is a beautful local producer and farm, Maleny Dairies

A family run farm with strong ethics and care for their animals and a factory that is at the heart of its community. They believe in what they do and in quality products. As a cook I have never used a cream as real, rich and thick as the Maleny Dairies cream.

It is so natural it is almost yellow and it whips in seconds.

It truly makes the best ice cream, my kids know if they see Maleny Dairies cream in the fridge there is a good chance ice - cream is on the menu!

Coffee Ice Cream

Chocolate Macadamia Ice Cream

And my latest creation!

Mango, Macadamia & Honey Ice-cream!

Ingredients

• 1 x 600ml container of cream, (I always use Maleny Dairies rich and natural cream)
• 2 ripe mangoes
• 2 tabelspoons raw honey (or to taste)
• 2 droppers of sweat leaf vanila stevia drops ( you can get these from most health food shops and many supermarkets, I know the Maleny IGA stocks them OR use a good vanilla paste in its place and increase your honey to taste if needed.
• 2 teaspoons dark coconut sugar (optional you could also you raw cane sugar) 
• 1/2 cup raw macadamia's

Method

• Pour the cream into a large bowl, add the honey, liquid stevia drops ( or vanilla paste/essence), coconut sugar.
• Carefully whip the cream, making sure not to over-whip it.
• Taste it for sweetness. Drizzle carefully with some extra honey.
• In a blend blend both mangoes worth of flesh until it smooth and runny.
• Arrange some ice-cream moulds, plastic cups or a tub for your ice-cream on a bench.
• Pour into each mould a layer of the cream.
• Drop in some loose macadamia's.
• Top with a layer of mango, then  more cream, nuts and mango again etc until containers are filled.
• You can now either freeze as is OR use a paddle pop type stick to swirl the flavours together a bit for effect and flavour.
• Place a paddle stick into each one.
• Freezer covered with cling wrap or similar for at least 4 hours.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• You can also make this tub style and pour the ingredients into a tub on top of each other and then use a spoon to swirl them into each other and top with a drizzle of honey and macadamias.
• If you have a dairy allergy but still want to make these swap the cream for:
  the equivalent in Coyo coconut yoghurt (do not whip), Sanitarium vanilla ice-cream (allow to soften slightly at room temperature so easier to work and do not whip) or with a tin of full fat organic coconut cream (yum) - still absolutely delicious, may take a little longer to set, still give a light hand whip and chill in the fridge for 2 hours before using. 

Visiting Maleny Dairies.
I have always believed it to be very important that kids get to know where all foods come from that they are going to eat, so whatever your chosen diet for your children they should become familiar with where everything they put into their bodies comes from, I think it gives them a more down to earth appreciation for food and their bodies.
I recently took the kids for a fun filled day out to the dairy to do their farm tour.

 The kids had the best time! What a fantastic day out and so much for kids to do. They get to feed baby animals, ride the toy animals, see the cows coming in from the field to be milked, see all the amazing machines filling the milk bottles and even watch a hilarious Moovie!

It is a fun and also peaceful day out and after your tour everyone gets to taste some dairy deliciousness, buy goodies farm direct and relax on tables and chairs while the kids run around on the green, green grass with happy chooks cruising around, a giant chess set and toy animals they all race to ride.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Christmas Ice Cream Cake

Last year as part of the Maleny IGA's Local Product Local Recipe - recipe card series I created the below festive Ice-Cream cake recipe using gorgeous local products so you can have something amazing at your Christmas event that some of your guest who may be gluten free or dairy free can still all enjoy/\.

Gluten Free Soya Ice Cream Christmas Cake

Celebrating Christmas with a beautiful dairy and gluten free dessert flavoured with Buderim Ginger Cordial and using Zehnder Gluten Free cake at its base. 

Ingredients
2 litres soya vanilla ice cream (or coconut ice-cream)
1 cup frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons undiluted Buderim Ginger Cordial
1 Zehnder Gluten free cake
¾ cup mixed dried fruit (like sultanas, raisins, cranberries, currents)
1 cup glace fruit, chopped, like cherries, orange slices, kiwifruit, pears and ginger
Extra raspberries to serve
Silver cachous
Pudding basin

Method

·         Line a pudding basin with two layers of cling wrap, leaving plenty of overhang

·         Allow ice-cream to soften slightly at room temperature

·         Mix glace/dried fruit mixture with ginger cordial

·         Fold gently through ice cream

·         Very gently add and fold through raspberries

·         Pour mixture into prepared pudding bowl

·         Pat down leaving a few centimetres from the top, cover with plastic cling wrap

·         Freeze for 30 minutes

·         Cut Zehnder gluten free cake so it will fit on top, completely covering it, making a base

·         Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours

·         Fill sink with warm water and warm the outside of the pudding basin for around 1 minute to soften ice cream edges slightly

·         Turn out onto a serving plate, top with extra raspberries and silver cashous, drizzle with raspberry juices from bag, serve immediately

Notes

·         Use brandy or liqueur in place of the ginger cordial for adult version

·         Optionally Serve with a berry syrup and dairy free white chocolates

       You can of course use dairy ice cream if desired and a non gluten free cake base if your family are allergy  free.

Toddler Tips

·         Serve theirs with lots of fresh raspberries

       Make them their own smaller version using small basins and leave out glace ginger. If no dairy allergies  you could include red and green miniature m&m’s for a festive look

Recipe (c) Rebecca Mugridge 2012
This recipe  is one of Bek's commercial recipe creation work portfolio.

Blissed Out - Banana Split with Coconut Ice-Cream and Guilt Free Chocolate sauce!

This is my delicious banana split with a healthy twist I created for one of my all time favourite magazines

Holistic Bliss

What a magazine of gorgeousness it is!
If you haven't come across this magazine, jump on to their facebook page to find out more about them.
In their Spring issue
You will find my banana split recipe on page 12
So if you can get hold of the magazine you can have a copy of the recipe to keep and easily reference too!

    Coconut love banana split

With delicious, smooth coconut ice-cream, coconut, cacao chocolate sauce and the crunch of walnuts these dairy free, sugar fee, gluten free banana splits are a healthy & happy treat that look incredible!

Ingredients

·         1 banana per person

·         Chopped walnuts to serve

·         Desiccated coconut to serve

Coconut Ice-cream:

·         1 tin coconut cream

·         1 tin coconut milk

·         2 bananas

·         Vanilla paste

Chocolate sauce

·         ½ cup coconut oil

·         ½ cup cacao powder

·         ¼ cup stevia, xylitol, norbu (monk fruit powder), or another alternative.

·         1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Method

·         Make the ice-cream the night before so it can set overnight.
·         To make the ice-cream, pour both tins of coconut into a deep blender, add in the chopped banana and vanilla paste.
·         Blend together until smooth.
·         Pour into a sealable container and place in the freezer overnight.
·         Make the chocolate sauce by melting the coconut oil in a saucepan, once melted add in the cacao powder, vanilla and stevia, mix together over a low heat until it is all well combined. Taste for your level of sweetness, adjust if needed.
·         Remove from heat.
·         Remove ice-cream from freezer. Allow it to soften at room temperature.
·         Slice a banana in half per person.
·         Arrange on a plate or bowl.
·         Top with 3 scoops of the coconut ice-cream.
·         Drizzle with the chocolate sauce.
·         Sprinkle with the walnuts and a light sprinkling of desiccated coconut.
·         Serve!

Notes

·         This ice-cream recipes is also beautiful spiced up by adding a tablespoon (or to taste) cold strained strong chai tea at the coconut milk blending stage.

·         This chocolate sauce will harden when made ahead; warm it slightly in a saucepan just before serving for ease of use.

Toddler Tips

·         This is a fantastic sweet dessert for kids without all the preservatives and additives in many sweet treats.

·         The chocolate sauce will harden over cold ice-cream after a couple of minutes which is very appealing to kids.

Recipe and photography (c) RebeccaMugridge2013