t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

1.02.2010

Mint Chocolate Chip Vegan Ice Cream


My mom gave me a great cookbook for Christmas called Everyday Raw by Matthew Kenney. He has this fabulous recipe for mint cacao chip ice cream. I contacted the publisher and they said I could post a few recipes on my blog. Hooray! This is the recipe I used for our New Years Eve snowballs. It was a hit with everyone.

Mint Chocolate Chip Vegan Ice Cream

1 cup cashews, soaked 1-2 hours
1/2 c young coconut meat*
1/2 c agave nectar
1 1/4 c water
1 T vanilla
1 vanilla bean scraped
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 c coconut oil
2 T spinach juice (opt)
2 T peppermint extract
1/4 c cacao nibs or 1/2 c chocolate pieces**

Blend all ingredients except chocolate in a high powered blender. Pour into ice cream maker, add cacoa nib or chocolate pieces and follow manufacturers instructions.

*Both times I have made this recipe I didn't have young coconut meat on hand, actually I have never bought it before but I am excited to try it. I substituted 1/2 c soaked coconut chips. They add some texture to the ice cream but it's not offensive.

**I prefer the chocolate pieces


Don't be afraid on the spinach juice. I just popped a handful or two in my juicer and that was plenty. There is isn't a hint of bitter spinach flavor, only a soft, subtle green so recognizable by this type of ice cream.

*An additional note on young coconut meat...What is it? This is what I had to figure out. I guess they are young coconuts, literally. The inside meat is more gelatinous, instead of hard like a mature coconut. These are also the coconuts with the coconut "water" inside of them which is so healthy.

We have taken to using coconut water instead for our electrolyte replacement. The water is very high in potassium and lower in sodium. A much better recovery balance drink for your body. The taste is mild and refreshing.

3 comments:

Jo Lynn said...

Thanks for sharing, I was curious with the color bring green...mm never would have though spinach juice. :)

Scott Ward said...

This looks SO good Rebecca, as soon as I am off the cleanse I will be making this for sure! Young thai coconuts you can get at the Asian market on state street, by Hancock Fabric. They are the best price their but you have to buy the case. Put the coconut water in your smoothies it gives it a good taste. The only downside is that you don't get a lot of meat from the coconuts

Scott Ward said...

sorry this is des I didn't realize scottie's account was signed in. The mysterious red devil is his dirt bike.