GLOW

It's been in the 90's here for the past few weeks, and since we live in a 100 year old (+) home, we only have two rooms in the apartment air-conditioned with window units. The kitchen is not one of those rooms, so our bananas have been getting spotted and spoiled before the tips even turn yellow. We had four big ones that were so ripe yesterday that they were falling out of their skins, so banana bread seemed essential. 

There are a great deal of gluten-free, vegan, even sugar-free muffin recipes out there, but I didn't want to have to go and buy ingredients that I didn't already have on hand. (Again, the heat doesn't make walking to the store for two items sound very appealing.) I modifed this nongluten-free recipe with my own alternative ingredients. Unlike most of my previous posts (okay, perhaps unlike any of my previous posts), this does contain sugar. Lots of sugar. I would have preferred to forgo that, but figuring out how to translate the recipe using only stevia wasn't something I felt like tackling.

It's been a little while since I've come up with a new baked item, so I am very very happy and grateful that these turned out so perfectly on the first try. They are perfectly moist, neither too fluffy or too dense, with the perfect crumb, in my opinion. I don't have a loaf pan, so I used my giant muffin pan instead. These are deep deep muffins, probably as tall as a full loaf would be. Currently, I am stupidly full, uncomfortably full, because I insisted on finishing two of these behemoths in quick succession. Though I will be happy if you love these enough to want to eat that much immediately, I hope you will use a bit more discretion than I. Basically I'm saying that if you want or need to keep your pants buttoned and zipped, don't do it.

If you add icing to the top of these, it would easily pass as a cupcake. Have at it.

The milk I used for this recipe is raw and homemade. I'll include the recipe for it below if you are interested in using it. It's very simple.

BANANA BREAD (GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN)

YOU'LL NEED A PAN. A LOAF PAN, MINI LOAF PAN, MUFFIN PAN, OR GIANT MUFFIN PAN. I AM GOING TO BE ENTIRELY UNPROFFESSIONAL AND ONLY BE ABLE TO TELL YOU HOW MANY GIANT MUFFINS YOU CAN MAKE (4). YOU'LL HAVE TO EYE-BALL IT OTHERWISE.

1/2 CUP COCONUT OIL (If you're making this in a season other than summer, or don't live near the Equator, warm your oil until soft. All others use at room temperature.)

1 CUP BROWN SUGAR

2 CUPS MASHED OVER-RIPE BANANAS (approximately 4 bananas)

2 LARGE EGGS IF NOT VEGAN, OTHERWISE, 3 TBS FLAXMEAL, 1/2 TBS ARROWROOT STARCH & 5 TBS WARM WATER MIXED & ALLOWED TO SIT UNTIL THICKENED

1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT

1 1/4 CUP MILLET FLOUR

1/2 CUP RICE FLOUR

1/4 GLUTEN-FREE QUICK COOKING OATS

1 TSP BAKING SODA

3/4 TSP SEA SALT

1/4 TSP CINNAMON, 1/4 TSP NUTMEG

1/8 TSP GROUND CLOVE

1/4 CUP VEGAN MILK (SEE BELOW FOR THE RAW CASHEW & BRAZIL NUT MILK I USED)

1/2 TBS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

CREAM SUGAR AND OIL IN A LARGE BOWL. ADD MASHED BANANAS, MIX. ADD EGGS OR EGG SUBSTITUTE ABOVE, MIX. ADD VANILLA, MIX AGAIN.

IN A SEPARATE, SMALLER BOWL, MIX THE FLOUR, BAKING SODA, SEA SALT & SPICES WITH A WHISK. ADD DRY TO WET AND THOROUGHLY MIX. ADD THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR INTO THE MILK, MIX & ADD IT TO THE BATTER. STIR UNTIL JUST MIXED.

GREASE YOUR PAN WITH COCONUT OIL, AND BAKE APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MINUTES. I'D CHECK AFTER 20 MINUTES IN ORDER TO GAUGE THE PACE OF YOUR OVEN. INSERT A KNIFE, AND WHEN IT COMES OUT CLEAN, TAKE THEM/IT OUT OF THE OVEN, COOL THE PAN ON A WIRE RACK FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, THEN DUMP THEM/IT ONTO THE WIRE RACK AND ALLOW THEM TO COOL FURTHER. OR NOT. I TEND TO BE IMPATIENT, AND SPLIT THEM OPEN ONTO A PLATE SO THAT I CAN EAT THEM SOONER. 

RAW CASHEW & BRAZIL NUT MILK

1/2 CUP RAW CASHEWS (ROUGHLY)

1/2 CUP RAW BRAZIL NUTS (ROUGHLY)

DROP THE NUTS INTO THE BLENDER PITCHER & FILL UP THE PITCHER WITH (IDEALLY) FILTERED WATER UP TO THE 4 1/2 CUP MARK. (IF YOU WANT THIS TO BE CREAMIER, REDUCE THE WATER.) SOAK FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS, THEN BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH. (I USUALLY USE THE "ICE BREAKER" MODE ON THE BLENDER SINCE THE BRAZIL NUTS ARE SO HARD.) GRAB A STRAINER AND A DEEP BOWL THAT THE STRAINER CAN SIT UPON (THIS IS WHAT I PREFER, ANYWAY). POUR THE MILK THROUGH THE STRAINER A BIT AT A TIME, USING A SPOON OR SOMESUCH TO SCRAPE THE FINE NUTS ASIDE TO ALLOW THE MILK TO DRAIN THROUGH.

FOR THE ABOVE RECIPE, I USED THE MILK AS IS, NO SWEETENER.

FOR THE MILK THAT YOU DON'T USE IN THE ABOVE RECIPE, USE A FUNNEL TO POUR IT FROM THE BOWL INTO A JAR OR PITCHER OF YOUR CHOICE. I SWEETENED MINE WITH A BIT OF STEVIA, AND ADDED SOME VANILLA EXTRACT, BUT IT IS FLAVORFUL ENOUGH ON ITS OWN.

YOU CAN USE WHAT IS LEFT IN THE STRAINER FOR OTHER BAKING PROJECTS, OR YOU COULD MIX THEM WITH COCONUT BUTTER, MAKE LITTLE BALLS, ROLL THEM IN COCONUT, CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS OR THE LIKE, AND CHILL FOR A DESSERT. OR WHATEVER ELSE SUITS YOUR FANCY. I WOULD USE THE MIXTURE WITHIN 2 OR 3 DAYS, THE MILK AS WELL.

I've been excited to try this recipe since the weekend, and have had some kiwis next to the blueberries in the freezer since then in anticipation. Today I picked up an avocado at the market, and I just finished enjoying this delicious treat. They made their's a lovely, fancy swirl, but I'm into food being as easy as possible to prepare these days, so I just mixed it all together in the food processor, and used raw agave nectar instead of the stevia that they suggest. Mm!

I don't really care so much for baking these days. After two years of spending so much time in the kitchen, the more simple the preparation, the happier I am. So when I set about finding a good chocolate frosting recipe, I was disappointed by either the number of ingredients in most, or simply the fact that I didn't have the ingredients on hand. I decided to try making one myself with an avocado base, which I knew would make it deliciously creamy and thick. Avocado works great in dessert recipes, although I am very partial to ones where the avocado doesn't become warmed. I find that when warmed, the more savory flavor of the avocado peaks out a bit too much. So wait for your cake to cool before spreading on the frosting. Even better, chill it in the fridge for a bit. (I found that this tasted even better the following day, with both the cake and frosting chilled.) This would also be delicious sandwiched between macaroons, filled into a crust for a delicious mousse tart, a dip for fresh strawberries, or one of your favorite raw desserts.

If the cake recipe that I used doesn't appeal to you, here are some other options to consider:

If you are making a layer cake, double the frosting recipe.

Do you have a favorite gluten-free cake recipe?

2 RIPE AVOCADOS, PITTED AND DICED

1/2 CUP RAW AGAVE NECTAR (Try maple syrup, coconut nectar or another favorite if you prefer)

1/4 CUP COCOA POWDER

1 TSP ALMOND EXTRACT

VANILLA TO TASTE (I used about 3/4 vanilla powder, though I'm not sure how that converts to extracts)

SEA SALT TO TASTE (optional)

PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS IN FOOD PROCESSOR, AND PROCESS UNTIL FULLY MIXED AND SMOOTH.

I used to be addicted to iced soy chai lattes. There is a local tea import company, Mem Tea, that is based in our town and supplies local coffee shops with their wonderful loose teas. I had the cafes scouted out that would make the best iced lattes with their blends (usually Espresso Royale and Bagel Rising), and would usually get one every day. Alas, I discovered that caffeine was a trigger for my migraines as well as many other symptoms, and both it and soy trigger my nerve inflammation. Getting an energy boost, especially with chronic fatigue as a result of Lupus, is a pretty futile pursuit most days. 

This week I finally replaced my (second) broken coffee grinder, and set to experimenting with a raw pudding on the following morning. I grabbed some chia and sesame seeds that had been in my fridge for a while, and went to work. The consistency was perfect, and with my favorite Middle Eastern spices close at hand, I created something that seemed to soothe a need in my for chai, oatmeal (oddly) and a cool soothing pudding all at once. It even seemed to mimic the rich, milky flavor of the lattes of my past. Even better, after only a couple of bites, I felt this odd sensation of my circulation kind of humming through my body, and the fog in my brain seemed to clear a bit, my vision focusing, and a memory being triggered of, "Wait, isn't this what caffeine feels like?" Only this time it was without the jitters and, you know, that other stuff I mentioned. This takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, and both chia and sesame seeds are some of the most potent sources of healing Omega Fatty Acids, so get at it. (Lest you be intimidated by unusual ingredients, be assured that my husband completely lit up after trying it, and asked with awe, "Ooo, what's that?!") This is my second entry for the week to Ricki's Summer Wellness Weekend event. Be sure to head here for other tasty entries.

4 TBS UNHULLED SESAME SEEDS

2 TBS CHIA SEEDS

1 TBS COCONUT FLAKES

1/4 TSP VANILLA POWDER (OR FLESH OF VANILLA POD)

1/8 TSP STEVIA POWDER (ADD DATES TO SWEETEN FOR TRUE RAW)

1/8 TSP SEA SALT

CARDAMOM, ALLSPICE & MACE TO TASTE

3/4 CUP WATER

OPTIONAL: RAISINS, DATES, BLACK CARDAMOM SEEDS, COARSE SEA SALT

PUT SEEDS AND COCONUT INTO COFFEE GRINDER, GRIND UNTIL FINE. PUT MIXTURE INTO BOWL, ADD OTHER DRY INGREDIENTS. ADD WATER AND MIX. MIXTURE WILL THICKEN QUICKLY AS YOU STIR, WORK OUT THE LUMPS AS YOU DO. CHILL FOR A FEW MINUTES IF YOU LIKE, OR ENJOY IMMEDIATELY.

When Ricki & Kim said that they would make special mention of anyone who submitted a sweet recipe to this month's SOS Challenge, I guess I took it as a personal dare. This month's challenge ingredient is asparagus, and I figured that it must be possible, especially given that raw asparagus does have a subtle sweetness to it. I do admit that I'd hoped to come up with something a bit more decadent and challenging than a smoothie, and had thoughts of turning this into a sorbet, but honestly, I've been feeling like shite the past few weeks, and ambitious culinary pursuits just haven't been in the cards. Can I confess that making and drinking this recipe, which includes fruit that I don't tolerate, didn't really help my plight? Sometimes when I'm feeling crummy, I kind of pull this idiotic psychological trick of telling myself that, "Well, I feel like crap anyway, I might as well indulge myself." Somewhere in my brain there's a thought that it can't really get any worse, but of course, that's incredibly naive of me to assume.  It definitely got worse. However dear readers, this mistake is to your advantage, as not only did this experiment yield two recipes in one, it also prompted me to create a wonderfully soothing broth the next morning that helped my gut to heal, which I will also share with you within the next week.

Did you know that for many people, the adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," is a painful fallacy? For those with fructose malabsorption or fructose intolerance, apples are about the worst food they can consume. Fructose levels in apples in relation to their glucose levels are so high that it cripples their systems, causing anything from extreme gastrointestinal discomfort to violent mood swings and depression, and in the case of fructose malabsorption, it can be lethal. There are two types of tests for FM, a hydrogen breath test and a methane breath test. My insurance doesn't cover the doctors in Boston that offer the methane breath test, and I tested negative to the hydrogen test, but my elimination diet with a nutritionist found that I am nonetheless quite sensitive to fructose, so it has largely been eliminated in my diet. In addition to this smoothie being a light, sweet juice with incredible nutrition, with modifications it can serve as an applesauce alternative that would surely curb your or your child's cravings for a popular but forbidden snack. I will include the modifications after the lovely purple smoothie recipe. 

I'd never tried acai before, and picked up these frozen smoothie packs on sale at the store mainly because it was purple, and I wanted to showcase that color to compliment the sweeter purple asparagus that I zoned in on. I was surprised at how mild a flavor it had, expecting to to be a bit sour or tart like a cranberry for some reason. The apple cider vinegar and sauerkraut in the smoothie, paired with the lime juice help to boost that tart palate that I was looking for in addition to giving you some potent probiotics and B vitamins. For anyone who is apprehensive about the ingredients of the smoothie, I beseech you to trust me; your taste buds won't detect the more unexpected ones, and for most of you, your body will thank you.*  (Anyone with FM should exclude the asparagus and sauerkraut.)

1 MEDIUM JICAMA

4 LARGE PURPLE ASPARAGUS STALKS OR 6-8 THIN STALKS

1 SAMBAZON FROZEN UNSWEETENED ACAI SMOOTHIE PACK

JUICE OF 2-3 LIMES

1-2 TBS PACKED BASIL LEAVES

1 TBS SAUERKRAUT (ONE WITHOUT DILL, CARAWAY & GARLIC!)

2 TSP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

1 TSP PURPLE DULSE FLAKES (OPTIONAL)

3/4 TSP LEMON OR LIME FLAVOR

1 1/2-2 CUPS WATER OR COCONUT WATER

LOTS 'O' STEVIA TO TASTE

PEEL THE SKIN OFF OF THE JICAMA AND CHOP, AND LOP THE DRY ENDS OFF OF THE ASPARAGUS STALKS. RUN THE SMOOTHIE PACK UNDER WARM WATER UNTIL IT BEGINS TO THAW, BUT IS STILL LARGELY FROZEN. COMBINE INGREDIENTS IN BLENDER AND BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH.

1 MEDIUM JICAMA

1 SAMBAZON UNSWEETENED ACAI SMOOTHIE PACK

JUICE OF 1-2 LIMES OR LEMONS

STEVIA TO TASTE

3/4-1 CUP WATER

PEEL SKIN OFF OF JICAMA AND CHOP, AND RUN THE SMOOTHIE PACK UNDER WARM WATER UNTIL IT BEGINS TO THAW A BIT. COMBINE INGREDIENTS IN BLENDER AND BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH.

Vanilla cashew cream custard parfait, layered with cocoa teff crumbles from a failed pie crust, and blueberries. (This was my husband's custard, mine was served sans these embellishments.) I'm still experimenting with agar agar, learning how much is too much, etc. This is a bit of a cheat, as I made this a few weeks ago, but it's been a rough week, and my relationship with food is especially bittersweet these days, so I have been somewhat reticent when it comes to documenting my meals. I have a few new recipes to share with you next week, though, including a submission for this month's SOS Challenge. Until then, I hope you enjoy your Easter weekend in health and happiness.

For some reason, while I was tossing in bed this morning, batting away our cats' frisky advances, this smoothie started to formulate in my mind. I purchased a bag of this frozen Tinda, or Indian Baby Pumpkin, at one of our local Indian markets a few months ago, and wasn't really blown away by it on the first try. My groggy mind started to remember the sweet hints of cucumber and melon, though, and quickly, the other ingredients made themselves known, and I resolved to try it out when the sun and I rose. If you ignore the fact that it's still in the 40's outside, and that drinking a frozen treat when already shivering isn't usually the best idea, this smoothie is perfect. It ended up fooling my tongue into thinking that I was indulging in honeydew melon, which is a most lovely trick. I really can't wait to try this again on a hot summer day. Grab a bag of this gourd from your local Indian market and give it a try. (Only 99 cents!)

1 1/2 CUPS UNSWEETENED HEMPMILK (OR MILK PRODUCT OF YOUR CHOICE)

1 CUP FROZEN TINDA/INDIAN BABY PUMPKIN

1/2 OF AN AVOCADO

4 GREEN CABBAGE LEAVES (YOU WON'T TASTE IT, TRUST ME)

1/2 TSP CARDAMOM

1/2 TSP LEMON FLAVOR

STEVIA POWDER TO TASTE (I USED 4 MINI SCOOPS OR PINCHES OF THE TRADER JOE'S BRAND)

PINCH OF SEA SALT

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER, AND BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH.

 Sometimes the overwhelming buzz over the current ultimate "superfood" will encourage me to ignore good nutrition rather than embrace it. Part of that inclination is understandable; if the food is trendy, the price will skyrocket, often above an already steep price. Eating natural, whole foods can be expensive sometimes, so it's often easier to just roll my eyes when someone mentions hemp, acai, spirulina, kelp, and yes, chia seeds. I've embraced hemp, at least in the form of milk, because at least when it comes to store-bought milks, one particular brand of hempmilk is the only kind of alternative milk that I can consume. I finally decided to give chia a go when I was still figuring out my diet, as I read it worked as an excellent egg replacer, as well as having potential as an alternative to gelatin. I tried a couple of recipes with varying success, but wasn't excited enough to incorporate it into my diet with any regularity. On my list of recipes I've been brainstorming up lately is a vegan lemon curd, and I thought that maybe chia seeds might be the key. I picked up some meyer lemons that were on sale, and went to work. Well, I didn't achieve my original goal this time (more experimenting to come), but I did come up with a perfectly sweet and tart pudding and sorbet that I'm happy to share with you. This definitely isn't something I'd typically crave on a winter day, but I figure there are enough readers in warmer climates (Hello Australia!) that will appreciate it, and the rest of us can dream of licking our spoons after a long day at the beach whilst ignoring the stubborn piles of snow outside our doors. If you're curious about the (myriad of) nutritional benefits of chia seeds, I enjoyed reading Gena's synopsis here. This is my second submission to Kim & Ricki's SOS Challenge for February, the month's ingredient being stevia.

1/4 CUP CHIA SEEDS

1 CUP HEMPMILK (OR OTHER DAIRY FREE MILK)

3 TBS COCONUT OIL

ZEST & JUICE OF 2 MEYER LEMONS

1 TBS EDIBLE LAVENDER BUDS

1/2 TSP + 1/8 STEVIA POWDER

MIX CHIA SEEDS AND HEMPMILK THOROUGHLY, AND SOAK, IDEALLY OVERNIGHT, IN FRIDGE TO ALLOW SEEDS TO SOFTEN. CHECK ON IT PERIODICALLY IN THE FIRST HOUR TO MIX IT, AS THE SEEDS CAN CLUMP TOGETHER A BIT AS THE MIXTURE GELS. THE NEXT DAY, IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, HEAT THE MIXTURE ON LOW HEAT, ADDING THE COCONUT OIL AND REMAINING INGREDIENTS. HEAT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, STIRRING REGULARLY. ALLOW TO COOL. IF MAKING PUDDING, CHILL IN FRIDGE. IF MAKING SORBET, PUT MIXTURE INTO SILICONE MUFFIN CUPS OR PARCHMENT PAPER LINED CONTAINER. FREEZE. INDIVIDUAL CUPS CAN BE TAKEN OUT, THAWED FOR 30-45 MINUTES FOR MORE OF AN ITALIAN ICE (PICTURED), OR PROCESSED IN A FOOD PROCESSOR FOR SORBET.

I whipped this up the other day, and was so satisfied with it's frothy, sweet goodness. Bonus that it had a fair amount of protein in it, too, so it actually kept me energized and full for most of the afternoon, which is pretty rare for this little lady. Ricki & Kim's challenge this month is stevia, which is easy enough for me since it's the only sweetener my body seems to tolerate. With even fruit off of the list (sans avocado and lemon), I am quite dependent on this potent little herb for my sweet fixes. 

If you'd like more of a vanilla shake, exclude the carob or cocoa. If you want more of a chocolate flavor, up the carob and cocoa. I can only tolerate small amounts of carob, so I just put in a little bit. I've also found an incredible flavor variation between different brands of tahini, so that will modify the flavor as well. If you want more of a peanut butter flavor, get a darker roast of tahini. I recently purchased Sesame King tahini in a light roast, and have found it to be mild and creamy, which was the perfect flavor for the day. This is an extremely flexible recipe, so modify to your tastes and enjoy.

1 1/2 CUPS UNSWEETENED HEMPMILK

1/4 CUP LIGHT ROAST TAHINI

1/2 OF AN AVOCADO

1 1/2 TBS CAROB OR COCOA POWDER

1/2 TSP VANILLA POWDER

5 PINCHES STEVIA POWDER (TRADER JOE'S STEVIA COMES WITH A TEENY TINY SPOON INSIDE, 5 WEE SCOOPS OF THAT)

PINCH OF SEA SALT

PUT ALL INGREDIENTS IN A BLENDER AND PROCESS UNTIL SMOOTH.

As my birthday was approaching this year, I decided that I wasn't really up for a second birthday without dessert, so I experimented with a few ideas in the weeks preceding the big day. Ice cream served as the treat on my actual birthday, but I wanted something that I could practically serve to a larger crowd during my birthday party. While experimenting with ice cream recipes a couple of weeks ago, I came up with an avocado base that tasted pretty wonderful both chilled as a pudding, and frozen as an ice cream. I started to daydream of a crust that would compliment and cradle the vibrant green filling, and brought that lovely dream into reality this last Saturday, just in time for my guests. (I've used Kim's crust recipe here as a reference for measurements for most of my pie experiments.) Although I am really happy with this recipe, I also think that it will welcome modifications according to your taste. The refreshing mix of peppermint, lemon zest and cardamom would really be complimented by the addition of freshly shaved coconut, maybe some chopped pistachios, and even a bit of orange or lime zest. Pistachios are the only members of that list that I can enjoy, but I forgot to grab some from the store. A friend also suggested a bit of sea salt, which could be pretty wonderful in the form of a coarse blend sprinkled on top. So this can be a bit of a "choose your own adventure" recipe...would you like pudding? a pudding pie? or a frozen ice cream pie? I served this at my party as a frozen pie, but I might try it as a slightly more messy, but equally satisfying pudding pie next time.

This is my second submission to Ricki & Kim's SOS Challenge for the month, the challenge ingredient being coconut oil.

PUDDING/FILLING

6 AVOCADOS

3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED HEMPMILK (OR NON-DAIRY MILK OF YOUR CHOICE)

6 TBS (OR 3/8 CUP) COCONUT OIL

3 TSP CARDAMOM

1 1/2 TSP PEPPERMINT FLAVOR

1/2 TSP VANILLA POWDER

A SCANT 1/2 TSP OF STEVIA

3 PINCHES OF SEA SALT

ZEST OF 2 LEMONS

JUICE OF 1/2 A LEMON

PIE CRUST

1/2 CUP RAW CASHEWS

1/2 CUP RAW MACADAMIA NUTS

1/2 CUP TAPIOCA FLOUR/STARCH

1/2 CUP SORGHUM FLOUR

2 TBS COCONUT FLOUR

1/4 TSP SEA SALT

1/4 TSP VANILLA POWDER

PINCH OF STEVIA POWDER

4 TBS COCONUT OIL

5 TBS WATER

ZEST OF 1 LEMON

FOR THE PUDDING, PROCESS THE AVOCADOS AND MILK IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR HIGH-SPEED BLENDER UNTIL PUREED. MELT COCONUT OIL, AND POUR IN WHILE PROCESSING. ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS, PROCESS AND CHILL.

FOR PIE CRUST, PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. GRIND NUTS TOGETHER AS CLOSE TO A FLOUR/MEAL AS POSSIBLE. (THIS CAN BE TOUGH WITH MACADAMIA NUTS, SO BE PATIENT. MINE WAS STILL SOMEWHAT COARSE.) MIX FLOURS, SALT, VANILLA POWDER & STEVIA TOGETHER THOROUGHLY. MELT COCONUT OIL AND MIX IN. ADD WATER A COUPLE OF TABLESPOONS AT A TIME, AND MIX THOROUGHLY. THEN WORK IN THE NUT MEAL AND LEMON ZEST. GREASE YOUR PIE PAN WITH COCONUT OIL, AND PAT THE DOUGH INTO THE PAN, WORKING IT UP THE SIDES AND PRESSING IT EVENLY ACROSS. BAKE FOR ABOUT 12-15 MINUTES, OR UNTIL IT BECOMES GOLDEN ON TOP.

ADD THE PUDDING, TOP WITH GARNISHES AND CHILL IN REFRIGERATOR FOR PUDDING PIE, OR IN FREEZER FOR FROZEN PIE. ALLOW TO THAW FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING IF FROZEN.

I've been brainstorming up an ice cream recipe for a couple of weeks now, and after watching my husband consume almost 3 containers of Ben & Jerry's this week, I decided that the time had come to  end the torture and try it out. I successfully made two kinds this weekend, and the one I'm sharing with you today is actually a bastard child of Ricki's cashew cream that is used in her Rutabaga Gratin which I so dearly love. (A variation on that recipe is soon to come as well.) I do not own an ice cream maker, so the texture of this is not exactly true to form, but it satisfied my cravings perfectly, and if you have experience using an ice cream maker, I'm sure you would know what to do to modify this for your appliance. Another option is to follow Ricki's non-ice-cream-maker ice cream instructions here, which I will most likely try in the future. This layered dessert reminds me of a more refined version of Friendly's peanut butter ice cream, which I so dearly loved as a child. It only makes about 2-3 servings, but as I have so little self control when it comes to sweets, I find it in my favor to make small batches so that I don't overdo it. My cravings perfectly coincided with the SOS Challenge this month, January's ingredient being coconut oil.

1 3/4 CUP UNSWEETENED HEMPMILK

1 CUP RAW CASHEWS

1/2 CUP TAHINI

2 TBS COCONUT OIL, MELTED

1/2 TSP VANILLA POWDER

1/4 TSP STEVIA POWDER

PINCH OF SEA SALT

ABOUT A 1/2 CUP COARSELY GROUND ROASTED HAZELNUTS

PLACE CASHEWS IN A BOWL. IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, SLOWLY BRING HEMPMILK TO A BOIL, STIRRING REGULARLY, AND THEN POUR OVER THE CASHEWS. SOAK FOR 30 MINUTES. IF USING A BLENDER, POUR MILK, CASHEWS, TAHINI, SEA SALT, VANILLA POWDER & STEVIA IN, AND BLEND UNTIL CREAMY. MELT THE COCONUT OIL AND POUR IN WHILE BLENDING. IF USING A FOOD PROCESSOR, STRAIN THE MILK INTO A BOWL, PUT THE CASHEWS INTO THE PROCESSOR, AND SLOWLY ADD THE MILK, TAHINI, AND OTHER INGREDIENTS AS IT GETS CREAMIER. TAKE 2 GLASS JARS OR CONTAINERS OF YOUR CHOICE, AND SPOON THE CREAM IN, ALTERNATING WITH LAYERS OF THE GROUND HAZELNUTS. EACH JAR WILL BE ABOUT 1/2-3/4 FULL. SEAL AND FREEZE. IT SHOULD BE READY TO CONSUME IN 2-3 HOURS, OR YOU CAN FREEZE AND THEN THAW FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.