vegetarian

Toasted Pecan & Date Caramel Coconut Milk Ice Cream

May 30, 2014 By Courtney West 6 Comments

It’s been raining here every day this week and I’m one of the few people that really loves and embraces this type of weather. I overhead someone complaining the other day about it not being sunny. I wonder if that same person will be complaining when it’s 100 degrees in a few short weeks. I’ve been especially grateful for the rain this week because it’s been keeping the temperatures down and making a broken air conditioner in my apartment a little more bearable. Good thing I also had this tasty ice cream to help cool me down as well.

I guess technically it’s not ice cream since it’s made from coconut milk. I think the proper term is “non dairy frozen dessert”. But, that sounds ridiculous, so I’m just going to go with ice cream if that’s okay with you. I’ve been a little underwhelmed with the vegan ice cream options available to me locally so I decided to just bite the bullet and make some this past weekend. The resulting ice cream was an homage to a certain Texas company’s pecan pralines and cream. But, it’s healthier, made from whole food ingredients, and a lot tastier.

The ice cream does take a bit of planning ahead due to the chilling/freezing time, so keep that in mind if you want to make it. I ended up tossing the toasted pecans with a bit of vegan butter to give them a little more depth and flavor, but it’s definitely up to you. You can actually omit the caramel, replace the vodka with a GF-friendly bourbon, and you’ve got yourself a buttered pecan ice cream. But, I highly recommend giving this version a go first. Enjoy your weekend friends 🙂
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Big Ass Grain Salad With Herb-y Tofu Dressing

May 25, 2014 By Courtney West Leave a Comment

The sun is out, it’s a holiday weekend, and the dewberries are ripe for the picking. I didn’t really plan a whole lot this weekend so I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed. Sometimes I go crazy with the to-do lists and planning and I usually end up feeling overwhelmed when I can’t cross things off. So far today I’ve picked a good amount of dewberries, had a leisurely brunch, and have plans to perhaps make some coconut milk ice cream later to go with a rhubarb berry crumble I’ll most likely make tomorrow morning. So basically, it looks like all my plans are food-related, but that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that knows me.

Speaking of food, I made a big ass grain salad this past week. I find grain salads to be perfect for quick, healthy dinners because they don’t involve too much cooking, you can make a huge batch, and they keep well in the fridge. This version lasted me through several meals, but it could also be a great addition to a holiday gathering or dinner party.

I included some marinated tofu in this version because I was trying to use it up before it went bad, so you get a double dose of tofu along with the dressing. If that bothers you, replace the marinated tofu with another protein source or change up the dressing. I recommend using kale or another hearty green so that it can stand up to the dressing and not wilt. Oh, and don’t worry if you have leftover dressing. It makes a great sandwich spread, veggie dip, etc.

Have a happy holiday weekend friends 🙂

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