The first of so many batches to come!

For Christmas this year, I was given such a gift, the gift of making my own ice cream. Now, as anyone with a dairy allergy can attest to, alternative milk ice cream is over priced and limited in flavours. Those two reasons alone would turn anyone towards making their own creamy delight. But for me, there is a third reason, I want to know exactly what is going into my ice cream.

My own sweeteners, my own flavours, my own time.

This is my first batch. Adapted from the instruction manual 'slash' recipe book that came with the machine. Just a simple vanilla ice cream, and at the last moment I added a sprinkle of dark chocolate piece into the mix. My first attempt didn't work. The mix wasn't cold enough so the canister melted before it could make me ice cream. So i put the mix into the fridge for another day and the canister into the freezer. I also found some fantastic sounding recipes in The Veganomicon, which include silken tofu and coconut milk, Mmmmm can't wait to try those out!

Steve and I are still working on this batch of ice cream, sharing it with friends, talking about it at gatherings and letting the lite creamy delight melt in our mouths every evening.

$6.99 a pint at the market! $2.99 a pint in my kitchen, I like those numbers!

Basic Vanilla Ice cream

2 eggs
1/2 cup Xylitol
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup Almond Milk
2 cups Soy Creamer
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp chocolate extract

• Whisk eggs in small saucepan over medium/high heat, until they cook evenly into a creamy texture. Remove from heat and add Xylitol, stir until melted.
• Whisk remaining ingredients into egg mixture and refrigerate overnight, to chill.
• Once ingredients are chilled, continue on as you normally would to make ice cream.
• When ice cream is ready, I dropped in a handful of chocolate pieces which I kept chilled in the freezer.
• Pour finished ice cream into a plastic container and store in freezer.
  

This recipe makes an 'icy' lite ice cream. Since it is the 'fat' in the ice cream that makes it creamy. I'd say this is a 'low fat' ice cream.

Enjoy! and Stay Tuned for more icy adventures!

din din

Homemade coconut curry

Buckwheat "Soba" noodles

Silken Tofu

If you live near an Asian grocery store, and have never stepped inside you are missing out! A step into the unfamiliar, but isn't that what learning is all about? Almost all the labels have English on them and the nutritional guides are also shown on most products.

My local shop is called S&S located on Locke Street, Hamilton. The prices are the lowest around and the selection is unbeatable. Coconut milk, fish balls, dumplings, edamame, noodles, curry, soup bases, and fresh produce.

Since living in Taiwan the taste of Thai and Vietnamese food has never left my palate. There are times when I crave it, and nothing else will do. If I'm lazy its Take-out, but if I have the energy I do all the shopping and chopping myself. Its 2 pot cooking at its best.

Coconut milk is a little high in saturated fat, so it is an occasional meal, but well worth the indulgence.

Try something new this winter, and spice up your life!

Merry Christmas!

Steve surprised me with my very own glass Christmas Ball

Busted!
Oh 'tis the season for kitties to play in bags of paper

On the net, me at my computer

A poem for my kitchen

some people like to look in medicine cabinets
too see who you really are
i like looking into fridges
i like looking into sinks and on spice shelves

***
in my apartment
you may see my un-made bed and my pile of laundry
but if you did
you'd miss my clean kitchen counters and perfectly organized cook book shelf
if you were looking at all the cat hair on my couch
you'd be missing the funny magnets on my spotless stove
you see...
Like a free mind can wander without worry
my mind is at peace in my kitchen
if i have a funny quote it goes on the fridge
if i have a funny toy it goes on my spice shelf
pictures of friends and my love
little bottles of spice and salts
oils and acids
bottles and bowls
if you can tell alot about someone by their eyes
look into my kitchen and stare straight into my soul

Cocoa Haiku

Winters hot cocoa
Snow flakes and ice all around
My cocoa and I

to make * whisk almond milk * cocoa * xylitol * in a saucepan * over medium heat* stir often
if you have fire in your soul * add a few shakes of hot chili flakes

kitties are funny

He peers around the corner waiting for me to pass so he can swipe me as I pass, the sneaky monkey.

As I was writing he was biting the end of my pen... actually he was more gumming it. I think he liked the way it felt against his teeth.

But it was affecting my writing.

Oh kitties are funny.

Adele Bakes

I mean, I bake all the time. But lately I have been more open to trying new recipes rather than the old wrinkled ones I have up on my shelf, stuck together with batches of sticky finger prints.

This recipe I just got simple with and added chocolate chips and walnuts to, instead of making them like Milano cookies, dipping the cookies in melted chocolate and sticking them together.

They turned out Fantastic and light and chewy and soft. They are a thumbs up for sure!

If you have a diabetic friend or family member, why not bring these along for Christmas dinner, so everyone can enjoy a baked treat!




Chocolate chip walnut cookies
adapted from Vegan Milanos from The Post Punk Kitchen

1/3 cup almond milk (or rice or soy)
1/2 cup Xylitol
1/2 cup olive oil (or canola)
1 egg
2 cups whole spelt flour (or whole wheat)
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch ( or cornstarch)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cups broken-up walnuts

• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees Celsius

• Mix wet together

• Sift dry together

• Add wet to Dry

Batter will be very wet. Scoop with teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10-14 mins. Until the softness or firmness you desire is achieved.