Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chunks

 

Maybe it's not quite the season for ice cream, but sometimes it's the best thing even though it's cold outside! I've been known to eat ice cream in -6 degree weather, so I'm always ready!

 

A few weeks ago, I was really in the mood for some good chocolate ice cream. Rather than venture out into the cold, I made my own! It was everything I wanted - creamy & chocolatey with cookie crumbles & a fudge sauce. Yum!

 

 

The leftovers didn't last long! :-) I bet yours won't either.

Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chunks

Adapted from Minimalist Baker, Edible Perspective, PB Fingers, & Top With Cinnamon Serves 6-8

 

Ice Cream

2 (14 oz) cans light coconut milk

2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 c coconut sugar

1 T arrowroot starch

1 T vodka

 

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until super smooth. Pour into a large container and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or until completely chilled through. Proceed with making the pb oatmeal balls and the fudge sauce.

 

Hint: No need to rinse out the blender yet. You can use it for the fudge sauce, too.

PB Oatmeal Balls

1 c old fashioned oats

1/2 c ground flaxseed

1 T chia seeds

3 T almond butter

5 T peanut butter

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 T honey

1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

 

Combine everything except the chocolate chips in a bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips. Roll mixture by the tablespoon into balls. If it is too crumbly, add a touch more honey. If too wet, add a small amount of oats. Place balls on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

2/3 c pitted dates

1 c almond milk (I used Silk Unsweeted Original)

3 T cocoa powder

 

Blend dates and almond milk in a blender until super smooth. Pour mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Mixture will thicken as it cooks. Once it thickens, remove from heat and vigorously stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Place in an airtight container and allow to cool. Refrigerate to store until time to assemble the ice cream.

After the ice cream mixture has chilled through completely, place it into your ice cream machine (I use the KitchenAid attachment) and churn according to machine's instructions. While it churns, get out a 9"x9" baking pan (preferably metal), your pb oatmeal balls, and the fudge sauce. Crumble 3-4 pb oatmeal balls in the bottom of the pan.

 

Once the ice cream is done, spread half of it over the crumble balls in the pan. Top with more crumbled balls and a thick layer of fudge sauce. Spread the remaining ice cream on top, sprinkle with more balls, and smooth out the top into an even layer. Press a sheet of plastic wrap across the top of the ice cream. Cover the baking pan and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

Ice cream is best the day it is made. In the following days (if it lasts that long!), make sure to remove it from the freezer 30 minutes or so before you plan to eat it so that it softens.

 

Top with remaining fudge sauce when serving, if desired. (It's the perfect final touch!)

Tasty Tidbits

 

Last weekend we went to the cabin. So much snow! I thought we had a lot here, especially after last week's Thursday craziness, but they have so much more there.

 

 

We did some cross-country skiing, which was lots of fun. The first time we went out, it snowed the whole time. It was so pretty.

 

This is the view from inside the cabin, right next to the fireplace. That's the best spot to be!

 

In the afternoon, we baked cookies. Mom & I made these Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies that we made every Valentine's Day when I was growing up. We turned a few into a linzer version by stuffing them with chocolate glaze. Yum!

 

Dad & W made pizzelles, which always requires wine. :-)  They made 2 kinds: anise & peach schnapps. Both were delicious.

 

When we got home on Sunday, we did some shoveling & then took Tink out to explore a bit. She's always right at the door when we come in, trying to sneak out. Apparently she didn't mind the wet, cold snow under her paws, because she was wandering around the patio.

Here's what we've been eating in the last week:

Breakfasts

• Mom's blueberry buckwheat pancakes
• Top with Cinnamon's Whole Grain Banana Bread Waffles
• Jenna's Elvis Granola
• Quinoa with cinnamon & strawberries
• Baked oatmeal with vanilla cashew butter
• Bananas + pb

Lunches

• Classic hummus
• Eating Well's Quinoa Mushroom Soup - This was perfect for lunches during the week. The flavors improved each day!
• Tomato Basil Soup (from the freezer) with dipping bread
• Eating Well's Quinoa Peanut Soup
• Sandwiches
• Leftovers
• Grapefruit, oranges, apples & clementines

Dinners

Saturday:

• Black bean, zucchini, & kale enchiladas
• Green salad

Sunday:

• Once Upon a Cutting Board's Buffalo Chickpea Quinoa Burgers on oatmeal whole wheat buns
• Roasted sweet potato & red potato wedges
• Green salad

Monday:

• Sweet potato & bean chili with Popcorners dipping chips
• Green salad

Tuesday:

• Polenta with roasted broccoli & coconut "bacon"
• Green salad

Wednesday:

• Tortilla pizzas - brown rice tortillas topped with bbq sauce, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, & raw milk smoked cheddar cheese
• Green salad

Thursday:

• Brown rice fusilli with kale, white beans, onions, & mushrooms

Friday:

• Leftovers
• Green salad

Treats

• Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
• Anise & peach schnapps pizzelles
• Chocolate cake (from the freezer)
• Trader Joe's Sipping Chocolate
• Angela's Peanut Better Balls

Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon

 

Have you tried coconut bacon? Cause you should. No, I won't try to convince you that it's exactly like bacon, but whether you eat meat or not, I think you'll love it. We've been putting it on lots of things, but I think this is my new favorite way to use it (aside from eating it by itself!). My second favorite thing to put it on is potato soup.

 

 

Tuesday was National Wine Day. Did you know? So of course we had to celebrate. :-)

 

This meal came together in about 40 minutes, most of which was time spent letting the polenta cook & the broccoli roast. A perfect weeknight meal for a winter night, it was warming & comforting. We paired it with a green salad to add some extra veggies.

 

I hope you try it! We'll definitely be having it again soon.

 

 

 

Polenta with Roasted Broccoli & Coconut Bacon

Serves 4-6

 

6 c water

1½ c polenta

1½ tsp sea salt (divided)

3 small heads of broccoli

2 c large unsweetened flaked coconut (I used this: Bob's Red Mill Flaked Coconut Unsweetened)

1½ T Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari)

1 T honey (or maple syrup to make this vegan)

½ T liquid smoke

½ tsp smoked paprika

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.

 

Bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon sea salt to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Make sure the pot is deep enough that when you cook the polenta, it doesn't bubble over.

 

While the water is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli stems & florets into small pieces. Spread pieces onto one of the prepared baking sheets, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and   place in hot oven to roast.

 

Once the water comes to a boil, add the polenta slowly, stirring to combine it with the water. It should get thick pretty quickly, at which point you can let it cook, just stirring it periodically to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep the heat at about medium to allow it to simmer for 30 minutes.

 

In a medium bowl, combine the Braggs liquid aminos, honey, liquid smoke, and smoked paprika. Add the coconut flakes to the mixture and stir to coat. Spread coconut evenly on the remaining prepared baking sheet. Place in oven with the broccoli and bake for 5 minutes. Stir, return to oven, and bake another 5 minutes before stirring again. (Don't forget to stir the polenta once in awhile!)

 

The second time you take out the coconut to stir it, also stir the broccoli to promote even roasting. Return both the coconut and broccoli to the oven. Set a timer for the broccoli for 10 minutes, at which point it should be done. Watch the coconut closely, checking it every 2-3 minutes, until it is browned & feels slightly crispy. Once the coconut is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool, at which time it will continue to crisp to a nice crunchy texture.

 

Once the polenta and broccoli are also done, put a few spoonfuls of polenta on a plate. Top with roasted broccoli and a handful of coconut bacon. Enjoy!

 

NOTE: Coconut bacon can be made in advance. Store it in a sealed container so that it stays crunchy.

 

 

 

Coconut bacon recipe adapted from Eating Bird Food