/Desserts (Page 3)
Desserts Vegan

Coconut Strawberry Ice Cream (no dairy no eggs).

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It being “Strawberry” season in Canada and with all the requests I get for more dessert recipes, I thought I’d share a quick Coconut Strawberry Ice Cream with you all. Since we’re using coconut as the base ingredient, I decided to satisfy a another  request from fans – no eggs and no dairy! While in my humble opinion some heavy cream would positively change the texture and creaminess of the finished ice cream, going with just coconut milk had superb results too.

You”ll Need…

1 lb strawberries
3/4 cup sugar (adjust to your liking)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch salt
2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

NOTE! You will need an ice cream maker for this recipe. Please follow the instructions of the specific ice cream maker you use. I will share a NO ice cream maker version of this strawberry ice cream shortly for those of you who don’t own a maker.

Place 3/4 of the strawberries, along with the 3/4 the sugar, salt, vanilla, honey and lemon juice in a blender and puree.

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Then in a bowl, place the remaining 1/4 sugar  (or a mortar as I did) and and give it a rough crush. We want large bits, so we get specks throughout the finished coconut strawberry ice cream. Use a potato masher or pestle to crush it. The bit of sugar will act as an abrasive and make it easier for you.

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Combine everything in a large bowl and place it in the fridge to chill for an hour or two. This will help the ice cream maker later on.

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In my case I got the insert for my ice cream maker from the freezer, poured in the ice cream base and set the maker to on.

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Depending on the machine used, it will take between 20-30 minutes to form into ice cream. After my machine started to sound as if it was laboring, I turned it off and transferred the ice cream to a freezer container. Since I know from past experience that my maker makes the ice cream to a sort of soft-serve texture, I placed it in the freezer container (one with a lid) to firm up a bit in the freezer before serving. However you may serve it immediately if you so choose.

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A refreshing dessert on a hot summer’s day (we’ve been in a heat wave for over 3 weeks now – temps in excess of 40 C) and especially good for those of you who cannot do dairy or prefer not to use eggs. Remember to stay tuned in for the “no-ice cream maker” version of this strawberry ice cream. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.

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Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Recipe Card

Vegan Coconut Strawberry Ice Cream

Prep Time 15 mins Marinate Time 2 hrs Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins

Description

A creamy, refreshing summer dessert made without dairy or eggs, perfect for hot weather and special diets.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Reserve 1/4 of the strawberries and crush roughly with 1–2 tablespoons of sugar using a mortar, pestle, or potato masher.
  2. Place the remaining strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, vanilla, and honey in a blender. Puree until smooth.
  3. Combine the puree and crushed berries in a bowl. Stir in the coconut milk until fully incorporated.
  4. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours.
  5. Transfer to your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20–30 minutes.
  6. For firmer texture, transfer to a lidded container and freeze until set. Enjoy!

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Breakfast Desserts

Ultimate Caribbean Coconut French Toast.

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Confession! I don’t like ‘sweet’ foods, especially French toast… nor did I grow up seeing this being made in my home as a child on the islands. I was asked (challenged) by a fan to demo my take on a Caribbean French toast, thus the recipe. If you’re on a diet or diabetic, I guarantee you that this recipe is not for you. However if you’re into French Toast you’ll luv this version, especially the caramel passion fruit sauce it’s topped with. You’ll UP your brunch game with this recipe!

You’ll Need…

bread (at least day old)
2 large eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoon brown sugar (I used golden brown)
1- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 bananas (sliced)
1 passion fruit
1/4 teaspoon ginger (powder)
pinch salt
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoon butter + coconut oil

In a bowl whisk the eggs,  1 cup coconut milk, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon (you can add a pinch of salt if you want also).  Then slice the bread about 3/4-1 inch thick and cover/soak with this mixture. Allow it to really soak in (I recommend using old bread as it will soak in the ‘batter’ better). Set aside and let’s prepare the Caramel Passion-fruit topping.

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In a saucepan (I used a non stick pan) on medium heat add the brown sugar and allow it to melt. It will then go frothy and amber, here’s where you’ll add the coconut milk and whisk. Do NOT allow the sugar to go darker than amber or it will make the sauce bitter. Now add the ginger and a pinch of salt and mix. It’s now time to add the passion fruit (the pulp) along with the sliced ripe banana and mix well to coat. Allow it to go for about 5 minutes, then go in with the butter and maple syrup to finish up. You’re looking for a thick sauce, so you may need to reduce it a bit if it’s still a bit too runny.

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It’s now time to toast the bread. Heat the butter and oil in a non stick pan on a medium flame/low flame, then add the pieces of bread which were soaked in the coconut batter. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for another 3 minutes. You may need to flip them a couple more times to fully cook through (about a further 2 minutes per side). If it’s getting dark quickly without cooking the inside thoroughly, turn the heat down a bit. My toast had a lovely golden ‘crust’ to it.

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Now it’s just a matter of slicing the French toast into triangles (if that’s the way your kids like it) and top with that awesome banana caramel passion-fruit topping we made.  Keep in mind that if you wanted you can also add a bit of dark rum in the caramel sauce and if you prefer plantains instead of bananas.. rock that.

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While not my thing, this Coconut French Toast with the Caramel Coconut Passion Fruit topping is guaranteed to be a hit at your next Sunday brunch.. works great mid-week when all you want is something rich and sweet to comfort you after a hard day at work.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Desserts Gluten Free Vegetarian

Pina Colada Ice Cream.

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I grew up on classic Caribbean ice creams which were homemade and usually flavored with many of the fruits that grew at the back of our home in Guaracara Trinidad. Coconut, mango, sour soup and barbadine (Giant Granadilla) were the flavors of the day. Unless it was the odd time mom would bring home Flavorite (brand) from the grocery store, where we’d get a taste of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and the odd time .. rum and raisin. After having a superb pina colada in old San Juan (Puerto Rico) a few years ago, I knew I had to give this a spin in my ice cream maker.

You’ll Need…

1 medium pineapple (ripe)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup coconut cream (sometimes called cream of coconut)
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

*Important – Add more sugar if needed as I’m cutting back on the amount of sugar I use daily.

I guess you can use a can or two of diced pineapple, but with ripe pineapples being very affordable and so much better to use (no added sugar and preservatives), I’d suggest you use the real deal. Peel, core, cube and place in a blender with all of the other ingredients.

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Puree until everything is smooth. Then place in the fridge to chill for a couple hours to make it easier for your ice cream maker.

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Then it’s just a matter of placing the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and running it according to the machine’s instructions. For me it took about 25 minutes. As I mentioned in the Sour Sop Ice Cream Recipe it may have the consistency of soft-serve ice cream at this point, so I usually remove the finished ice cream from the maker and place it in a freezer proof container.. then into the freezer for a couple hours to get a bit more firm.

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With the summer we just had in Southern Ontario (temperatures in to 40’s with the humidex – that’s Celsius) , this Pina Colada ice cream was certainly enjoyed on many occasions.  I would assume you can make it without the rum, but why? Ah lil sip won’t hurt the kids (smile)

 

Desserts Drinks

Cantaloupe Cucumber Kale Smoothie.

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If you’ve been keeping score you’ll realize that we’re up to day 4 or simply the 4th smoothie recipe is this the first annual Week Of Smoothies at CaribbeanPot.com. While you won’t automatically associate Kale and Cantaloupe with the Caribbean, the last few times I was down on the islands I saw them both readily available. I assume the same way we can get any tropical fruits and vegetables in North America, you’re seeing the reverse on the islands. Luv it!

You’ll Need…

1/2 medium cantaloupe
2 small cucumbers
2 oranges (juice)
2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon Honey/Agave – optional

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I used cucumbers (dill type) from my garden, so I removed the seeds and gave them a rough chop. I did peel one and left the other with the skin on. If you’re using an English cucumber, you don’t have to peel nor core. Trim off the tough stems off the kale and give them a rough chop (be sure to wash them good first).

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Peel, seed and rough-chop the cantaloupe. Load everything into the blender, including the juice of the oranges.

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It’s just a matter of blending smooth now. You can go in with a bit of honey or agave if you wish.. but not only am I cutting back on my sugar, the cantaloupe added enough sweetness to this smoothie for my liking. Remember to chill the oranges, cantaloupe and cucumber for a cool drink (this way you don’t have to add any ice).

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Desserts Drinks

Refreshing Watermelon Berry Smoothie.

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We always looked forward to watermelon season when I was a kid growing up on the islands, but having the patience to not prematurely pick the massive melons dad grew in his garden wasn’t the easiest thing for a kid. Pops has his own technique for telling when the watermelons are perfectly red inside and while he never passed that tip on to me, I do get a chuckle when I see people tapping, scrutinizing, holding them up to the light and do other weird things to them at the grocery store. My tip.. go to where they have the cut slices for sale and if they are red and look perfect, chances are the whole ones on sale will be good. After-all, that’s where that cut piece came from.

You’ll Need…

3 cups watermelon
1 1/2 cups mixed berries (frozen)
1/2 cup low fat milk (cold)

* You can also freeze or chill the cubed watermelon to ensure you have a cold and refreshing smoothie to enjoy on a hot summer’s day. You can also toss in some rum and enjoy big-people fun with this!

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The mixed berries I used had cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries in the mix, if you’re wondering. I opted for low fat milk but you can use whatever milk you have on hand or any milk substitute you prefer (almond, soy, coconut etc).

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Basically all you have to do is toss everything into your blender and give it a buzz for 2-3 minutes and you’re done! If you have access to tropical fruit, you can certainly get more creative.

I do hope you’re enjoying the full week of smoothies I’ve been sharing, but most of all.. do give them a try and leave me some comments below!

Desserts Drinks

Jackfruit Smoothie.

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As we continue with this week of smoothies, it’s time to use a very common but ignored Caribbean (tropical) fruit, Jackfruit. A sweet (like refined sugar) tasting fruit, with a sort of custard-like texture, but the scent can be a bit overpowering when it’s fully ripe. We had just driven through Fern Gully, Jamaica and had stopped for ‘refreshments’ at a road-side bar, when I gazed on a Jackfruit tree on the side of the building laden with some of the largest fruits I’ve ever seen. It’s funny how whenever I think about Jackfuit, it takes me back to that Jamaican trip and the roadside bar where I enjoyed some of the most refreshing Guinness I’ve ever had.

You’ll Need…

2 cups frozen jack fruit
8 ice cubes
2-3 cups yogurt
1 tablespoon honey

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Though I can get fresh/ripe Jackfruit here in Ontario at the many Asian grocery stores, it’s somewhat expensive. Besides it being cheaper, I find that the frozen Jackfruit they also stock is already prepared and it works great in smoothies and drinks.

Basically all you have to do is place all the ingredients listed above in a blender and make into your smoothie.

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Yes, you can use a fruit flavored yogurt if you like, but keep in mind that it will change the overall flavor of the completed smoothie. Additionally, due to the sort of creamy nature of this smoothie, a couple drops of vanilla or almond extract will work great as well.

I may have mentioned this before, but the drive through Fern-gully is a MUST when you visit Jamaica. There’s a sort of mystical aura to the area.. as if you’re in a fairy tail.