Have you had coconut milk ice cream yet? If your answer is anything other than “hell ya”, go out and get some right now! Specifically the brand Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss because it has the cleanest ingredients. It’s like the Hagen Daaz of dairy-free ice cream. Rich, creamy, and lots of great flavours (can you say dairy-free salted caramel & chocolate??). It’s amazing (I don’t work for them I swear, I just love the stuff). Other than a little bit of guar gum and their use of agave as sweetener, there’s nothing super sketchy about their ingredients. The only problem? It’s a little pricey and what do you do if you don’t have a store near you which carries them? Or what if you’re like me and you really have to be careful with the amount of guar gum you eat?
That’s where this recipe comes in!! This Summer Berry Ice Cream rivals anything that you can buy – and I’m not just saying that. Give it a try – I promise you won’t be disappointment.
This is a fairly quick ice cream recipe (with a little planning in advance) and the best part is it doesn’t require an ice cream maker (cause I don’t have one…hint hint family).
Summery Berry Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 can of Aroy D coconut milk (400ml)
100 ml maple syrup (it doesn’t have to be exact, you’re trying to get to a total of 500ml or 2 cups of combined coconut milk/syrup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen blackberries
Directions:
1. Combine coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt. Stir well.
2. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
3. Once frozen, pop out of trays and dump into your high powered blender with 2 cups of frozen fruit. If you have a Blendtec like me, blend on “ice cream” mode. You might need to pause and scrape down the sides once or twice. (a Vitamix or food processor will work too, just be careful not to over blend!)
Scoop out and enjoy!
If you don’t serve it all up at once, you can put it back in the freezer for later. If it’s too hard, pull it out 5-10 minutes before you want it, to let it soften.
So tell me, what flavour of ice cream should I make next?
BBQ sauces are loaded with junky ingredients – sugar, vegetable oils, weird texturizers/emulsifiers etc. – which is why I like to make my own. To be fair, homemade BBQ sauces are definitely more work than buying one at the health food store (which are often cleaner than the regular grocery store, but still contain all sorts of gums which give me migraines), but the flavour is totally worth it!
When I go to the effort of making homemade sauces I make sure to make as large a batch as my soup pot can handle. Then I freeze in 2-3 cup portions so I have sauce on hand for the next few times I want it!
This classic-style BBQ sauce is going on a huge pork shoulder for Saturday night at the cottage this weekend (see my directions for Slowcooker Pulled Pork). I have also used it on BBQ chicken wings – simply season the wings with sea salt and pepper, then grill. Toss in a bowl with some heated BBQ sauce before serving. Easy and delicious! I can guarantee that this would be amazing on ribs as well, although I haven’t made ribs yet this summer. Stay tuned!
NOTE: If you are currently avoiding nightshades, check out this recipe for a nightshade-free BBQ sauce.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
2015-07-16 11:54:34
Easy homemade BBQ sauce. Make in large batches and store in the freezer!
One of the processed foods I really caution my clients against is pre-made salad dressings. The reason for this is multi-factorial:
The oil is always a vegetable oil. Even if it says “made with olive oil”. Check the ingredients list, olive oil will be listed after an industrial seed oil such as canola or soybean. This is true even for the “healthy” or “organic” salad dressings. I don’t care of canola oil is organic, it is still not suitable for human consumption, since it is an unstable, damaged oil that causes high levels of inflammation and free radicals in the body.
It always contains at least one form of sugar, and often as many as 4 or 5. Sugar, brown rice syrup, brown rice syrup solids, corn syrup, honey, fruit concentrates, barley malt syrup or just malt syrup (note: also gluten), dextrose, maltodextrin… why so many types? Because ingredients are listed in order of highest amount to lowest. Better to list 5 low amounts of sugar, which show up at the end the list, than use just one type and have it be the first ingredient.
It is thickened and stabilized with fake foods. Things like xantham gum and maltodextrin (derived from GMO corn).
Weird ingredients are added for flavour and texture. Things like autolyzed yeast extract, corn syrup and caramel colour pop up regularly.
Natural flavour (which is just chemically synthesized from real food, often GMO foods) and artificial flavours are common ingredients.
They are notorious for containing major allergens – specifically dairy, corn, gluten, soy and egg.
I hate to break it to you, but store-bought salad dressings are simply sugary, chemical-filled, inflammatory flavour boosters. So you can see why I take all of my clients off it right? Interestingly, it’s something that I get a lot of resistance to. For some reason people are scared to make their own salad dressings, or they have no idea where to start. Little do they know that it’s super easy and way less expensive too!
Real salad dressing, made with real ingredients, are not only more delicious than these junky store-bought ones, but can have major health benefits as well! By using quality, nourishing oils and natural ingredients such as vinegars, herbs and spices, you can enjoy your salad for both the flavour and the nutrition it’s providing you. And you don’t have to do that silly old “diet trick” of dipping your fork into the salad dressing first before spearing some salad, so you get the taste without all the calories. With real salad dressing you’re going to want those calories because they contain all sorts of awesome nutrition and/or they help deliver the nutrition found in vegetables to your body.
So, how do you make your own salad dressing? It’s a lot easier than you think it is, I promise. Here’s how.
Homemade Salad Dressings
Choose 1 or 2 from each list:
Nourishing Oils
olive oil
avocado oil
MCT oil
bacon fat
sesame oil
Acid
vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, white wine, red wine, raspberry wine, champagne etc.)
citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
pineapple juice
Flavour
sea salt (always include this!)
herbs such as cilantro, parsley, dill, oregano, basil, thyme, mint, tarragon (herbs can be fresh or dry)
spices such as cumin, chili, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, black pepper, paprika, coriander, mustard powder, ginger (omit nightshades and seed-based spices if AIP)
aromatic vegetables such as minced garlic, diced onion/shallot/chives
other flavours like anchovies (caesar), nutritional yeast (vegan/paleo cheesy flavour), tamari sauce or soy-free coconut seasoning (aka coconut aminos in the USA), citrus zest
Optional Add-Ins
mustard or egg yolk, for flavour and as an emulsifier
mashed raspberries or strawberries (fresh, or thawed from frozen) or a bit of organic jam
raw honey, real maple syrup or pomegranate molasses to add a bit of sweetness
Directions for Making Salad Dressing
In a measuring cup, glass or small bowl, whisk together all of your ingredients except the oil. This might just be your acid and spices, or it might include mayo, egg yolk, mustard, honey etc.
Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Slowly drizzle in oil of choice, until the desired flavour and consistency is achieved.
Tweak ingredients as needed – add more salt, vinegar, spices etc. until your dressing tastes
Additional Tips
When it comes to the ratio of acid to vinegar, it really is a personal choice. I recommend starting at a 1:1 ratio, and tweaking it based on your palate.
If you want it creamy, but don’t want to use avocado/mayo, use a small food processor or immersion blender instead. Combine all ingredients and blend well. Drizzle in oil while blending to achieve a creamier consistency.
Keep it simple! Start with one oil, one vinegar/citrus, sea salt and one or two herbs. Make the dressing and taste it. Do you like it? Why or why not? Too simple, add more spices. Too vinegary but you can already taste the oil? Maybe add some mustard, honey or fruit. Play around!
Keep the volume of each ingredient small when you first start out so you can toss creations that go awry. You will be more likely to be creative and adventurous, if you aren’t stressed about wasting 2 cups of oil!
My Favourite Salad Dressings
Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
sea salt
black pepper
¼ cup olive oil, whisked in at the end
Raspberry Vinaigrette
2 tbsp mashed raspberries
¼ cup white wine vinegar
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp raw honey
¼ cup olive oil, whisked in at the end
Chili Lime Vinaigrette
3 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
pinch of sea salt
¼ cup avocado oil, whisked in at the end
Salad Dressing Round Up
Sweet Kale Salad (copycat of the beloved Costco salad!) from Paleo Parents
So am I missing a DIY version of your favourite dressing on this list? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to find a great homemade alternative for you!!
Have you had coconut milk ice cream yet? If your answer is anything other than “hell ya”, go out and get some right now! Specifically the brand Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss because it has the cleanest ingredients. It’s like the Hagen Daaz of dairy-free ice cream. Rich, creamy, and lots of great flavours (can you say dairy-free salted caramel & chocolate??). It’s amazing (I don’t work for them I swear, I just love the stuff). Other than a little bit of guar gum and their use of agave as sweetener, there’s nothing super sketchy about their ingredients. The only problem? It’s a little pricey and what do you do if you don’t have a store near you which carries them? Or what if you’re like me and you really have to be careful with the amount of guar gum you eat?
BBQ sauces are loaded with junky ingredients – sugar, vegetable oils, weird texturizers/emulsifiers etc. – which is why I like to make my own. To be fair, homemade BBQ sauces are definitely more work than buying one at the health food store (which are often cleaner than the regular grocery store, but still contain all sorts of gums which give me migraines), but the flavour is totally worth it! 
One of the processed foods I really caution my clients against is pre-made salad dressings. The reason for this is multi-factorial:
