Secret Recipe Club: Fresh Mango Ice Cream

It is Secret Recipe Club time again!  This month, I was assigned Asiya's blog Chocolate and Chillies.  Asiya is a fellow Canuck and has a beautiful blog full of healthy, delicious, Halal recipes. Her cooking is influenced by her Indian heritage, but you'll also find a wide array of recipes from around the globe. You can bet that everything is infused with tons of flavour!

I always have a hard time choosing what to make from my assigned blog, and this month was no different. I think my decision was made in part due to the fact that I was sitting in my apartment and sweating while I looked through her blog for something to make. When it's hot, all I want is something nice and cold.  I don't want to turn on my oven and I want it to be easy.

So when I saw her recipe for Mango Ice Cream, I was sold. ICE CREAM! No machine required? Sign me up!

When you have a teeny, tiny apartment like I do, buying another piece of kitchen equipment is totally out of the question.  Unfortunately for this ice cream lover, it means I just can't justify buying an ice cream maker.  So I was very excited to try this recipe, and even more excited because the recipe only requires 3 ingredients!

The ice cream is fantastic, while it looks a little drippy and soft in the photo, it actually hardens up quite nicely (I need to retake photos when I have a little bit more time, was running out the door and took photos before the ice cream set properly).  It is really tasty, and I definitely lucked out with the juiciest, most delicious mangoes to puree for it. Give this easy, summery recipe a try and go visit Asiya's blog when you have a few minutes!

Fresh Mango Ice Cream (Eggless, No Machine, Low-fat)

From  Chocolate and Chillies

1 can evaporated milk, chilled overnight in the fridge (I used 2%, though you could try skim as well)
3/4 cup sugar
4 ripe mangoes (look for champagne, Artualfo, or other small mangoes)

Pour the chilled evaporated milk into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whip on high speed for 40 seconds.  Slowly add the sugar while whipping the evaporated milk.  Put the bowl in the freezer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, puree the mango (I used my immersion blender for this).

Once the hour is up, whip the ice cream for 1 minute at high speed.  Carefully mix in the pureed mango with a spatula.  Put in the freezer for 1 hour.

Again whip the ice cream on medium speed for 1 minute.  Transfer to a container and freeze until set.


For more great recipes from Secret Recipe Club members, check out the blog hop below!

Chia and Buckwheat Cereal (Homemade Holy Crap)

My boyfriend loves Holy Crap Cereal.  You maybe heard about it from the show "Dragon's Den" or perhaps if you live in Canada, you've seen this cereal at your local health food store.  If you live elsewhere, you may have come across Qi'a (which I hear is actually being sold at Costco now, from one of my TIU sisters).

Anyways, both cereals are full of wholesome, delicious ingredients, packed with fiber, protein, and Omegas. The problem... they are expensive!! The BF pays like $14 a bag, which is only 8 servings!  Not to mention, Holy Crap also has hemp hearts, and guess what, I'm allergic to hemp products, so I can't even eat the cereal.



To remedy the cost issue, I decided to go to the bulk section of my local health food store (Herb & Spice) and purchase the ingredients (after consulting the back of the Holy Crap bag).  To remedy the issue of my hemp allergy, I decided to substitute some other high protein, high healthy fats ingredients - quinoa flakes and flax seeds. (Not a perfect substitute for the amazing hemp hearts, but still gluten-free!)

In the end, I was definitely happy with the result.  The cereal is crunchy, nutty, and I feel good eating it, because I know that it is good for me!

The BF just came home from work (he works 3 weeks, then has a week off at home), so he hasn't tried his "man cereal" yet, but I will update you when he has.

Chia and Buckwheat Cereal

Inspired by Holy Crap Cereal and adapted from Veg Girl RD
Approximately 20 servings (of 2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries (look for unsweetened or apple juice sweetened)
1/4 cup organic sultana raisins
3 tablespoons dried apples, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Stir ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

To serve, mix 2 tablespoons of cereal with 4 tablespoons of liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, regular milk, your choice) and lots of fruit!

Mixed Berry Chia Freezer Jam

I feel a little bit like a broken record... apologizing AGAIN for being so MIA here on the blog.  I really thought that I would have time to post last week, but I was on vacation!  We had a really lovely time as a family, and my Internet service was pretty limited. Sometimes you just need to disconnect a bit though, and I'm so grateful for the time that I had with my family.  We had two weddings to go to, one in Lake Tahoe and one in Seattle.  Both weddings were lovely.  We spent a few days in Oregon visiting my sister too.  It was an awesome trip.

Mom and I talked about making this awesome, magical chia seed jam while on vacation.  She wanted to be able to say "easy enough to make in an RV," but we didn't have the blender and we really wanted to do the freezer version versus the version that only lasts a week in the fridge. So, I decided to make it once I got home.  It took me about 10 minutes, start to finish, to prepare.  Then I let the chia seeds and the freezer do the rest of the work! Easy, peasey.  Plus, this is a vegan jam, packed with protein and Omega-3s!

Mixed Berry Chia Freezer Jam

2 cups chopped and hulled strawberries
1 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons chia seeds

In a food processor, blend together strawberries, blueberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice.  Blend in chia seeds at the end.

Pour the mixture into jars, then let it sit for 2 hours before freezing.  Store in the freezer for up to a year. (Thaw in the refrigerator before using).

Protein Pancakes

Protein Pancakes are a fantastic thing.  You feel like you are eating such a treat, but in reality, you are eating something that is relatively good for you!  Full of protein and nutrients, these pancakes will help you start your day off right! This is a variation on the previous blueberry protein pancake that I posted, if you don't have protein powder at home, you can make those instead.  I find that this version is just closer in texture to a regular pancake.

I use Vemma's Chris Powell Bode shake powder in vanilla for my pancakes. Learn about my transformation with this shake here.

Protein Pancakes

2 egg whites

1/2 mashed, ripe banana

1 scoop (about 30 grams) protein powder (I used vanilla flavor)

Dash of cinnamon

Optional: 1 tablespoon ground flax

Beat the egg whites slightly before whisking in the other ingredients.  Cook over med-high heat until bubbles form in the batter, flip and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Top these with fruit, yogurt, coconut, nuts, whatever you want!

Peach Bruschetta and Watermelon Salsa

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July!! What are you doing to celebrate?? It is Kim's birthday tomorrow, so I'm sure she will be celebrating in style. I will be at work, since we celebrated Canada Day on Monday.  I do miss the Fourth of July though - BBQs, pool parties, fireworks, and red, white, and blue everything.

Well, I want you to have a fun, safe, and dare I say, healthy, day tomorrow!  So we have two clean and delicious salsas / bruschettas for you to take to those Independence Day parties or to take to any summer celebration. These are full of juicy, fresh fruit.  They are packed with flavor and nutrients.  You could throw them on chicken, fish, salad, or scoop them up with some baked tortilla chips.  Trust me when I say that these are awesome!

Peach Bruschetta

2-1/2 ripe peaches, diced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic
10 basil leaves, shredded
1/4 sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Mix together peaches, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and onion.  Season with salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil and vinegar, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or more (up to overnight) before serving.

Watermelon Salsa

From the Pioneer Woman

1/2 small seedless watermelon, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno
3 tablespooons chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Juice from one lime

Stir together all the ingredients, taste test and adjust seasoning as necessary.