Chocolate Ice Cream

By: Esther Vasa

For the very first time I used Ceylon Cinnamon to make a frozen dessert. I can now tell the difference between Cassia Cinnamon and Ceylon Cinnamon. I did not actually measure up cinnamon powder but used a whole stick for this dessert. Ceylon Cinnamon is a spice harvested from an evergreen tree native to Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon. Using this spice makes me nostalgic as it reminds me of the music by Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation that I listened to every morning during my childhood.

Ceylon Cinnamon is sweeter and has a more delicate flavor than cassia cinnamon. Cinnamon has the power to balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. For those with digestive problems, this spice can treats digestive ailments. Cinnamon's essential oils aid in the dissemination of food particles and stimulate saliva and gastric juices, which helps with most aspects of digestion and nutrient absorption. It also improves blood circulation and promotes vascular health. This spice may actually help with numbness and tingling that many of us multiple sclerosis fighters battle with on a daily basis.

Ingredients:

For Blending

Chocolate Ice Cream

Watermelon Ice Cubes - about 10

Frozen Bananas - 4

Hemp Seeds - 2 tbsp

Chia Seeds - 1 tbsp

Soaked Walnuts - 10

Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp (carob powder, if you are allergic to cocoa)

Toppings

Raw Cacao Nibs

Shredded Coconut

Procedure:

• The way you would make watermelon ice cubes is by blending watermelon, filling up the ice cube trays and freezing overnight.
• Blend all the ingredients listed under "For Blending" in a power blender until smooth with tamper in place.
• Transfer into a serving bowl and top it with your favorite toppings and enjoy immediately!

Avocado Hemp Sesame Ice Cream

By: Esther Vasa

AVOCADO is a fruit that comes packed with a mine of health benefits. Helps in fighting inflammation, rich in antioxidants, prevents or fights cancer by providing oxidative stress on cancer cells, good for eyes due to the presence of lutein, helps lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease through its high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids, B6 and folic acid. If this is not sufficient, the buttery texture of the fruit and its taste are simply superb.

HEMP SEEDS are an incredible vegan source of biologically available and easily digested protein. Hemp seeds contain all 10 essential amino acids.

3 tbsp of Hemp Seeds = 11 grams of protein!!!

Hemp seeds contain a healthy anti-inflammatory 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat. Hemp seeds contain an especially beneficial type of omega-6 fat called GLA (gamma linolenic acid). GLA is a direct building block of good anti-inflammatory hormones. Hemp seeds may be the only edible food source of GLA. While it’s true your body can convert the typical food version of unprocessed omega-6 called linoleic acid (LA) into the “useable” GLA form your body needs, the conversion process can be thwarted by many internal and external factors. Chronic health conditions such as diabetes, infections, and even stress can reduce your body’s ability to convert dietary LA into GLA. This is a bad deal because GLA is very important for achieving optimal health. But simply by incorporating hemp seeds into your diet on a regular basis you can be sure of getting a healthy dose of GLA.

SESAME SEEDS are a very good source of manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. Sesame seeds contain two unique substances called sesamin and sesamolin that belong to the group of beneficial fibers called lignans. Lignans help in lowering cholesterol, preventing high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies. Sesamin especially protects the liver from oxidative damage.

COCONUT MEAT contains a large amount of medium chain fatty acids. Remember that meat based saturated fats are long chain fatty acids but coconut meat has medium chain fatty acids. Medium chain fatty acids are broken down much faster than long chain fatty acids, so they do not contribute to high cholesterol as long chain fatty acids do. In fact, studies show that the fat in coconut may possibly help to lower bad cholesterol levels and increase good cholesterol levels. Despite these possible benefits, if you have high cholesterol or heart disease, you should check with your doctor before consuming coconut meat.

Ingredients:

Avocado Hemp Sesame Ice Cream

Frozen Bananas - 2 (cut into chunks)

Frozen Avocado - 1 (cut into pieces)

Hemp Seeds - 1 tbsp

Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp

Coconut Powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Water - 1/4th cup

Toppings:

Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Chips

Bee Pollen

Preparation:

In a power blender like Vitamix, add water, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, coconut powder, avocado and frozen bananas in that order and blend with tamper in place until smooth. Scoop out the ice cream and top it off with the toppings listed or any of your favorite toppings. Bee pollen's multi-colors make it look like sprinkles but with a whole pack of nutrients. Try and use all organic ingredients, if you can.

Raw Alkaline Ice-Cream

By: Elna Botes van Schalkwyk

Raw Alkaline Ice-Cream

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups young coconut meat
1 ½ cups coconut water (or whatever you get out of the coconut)
3 pkts stevia (You can substitute dates)
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp coconut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Blend in food processor, freeze.
Enjoy! ♥

Frozen Fruit IceCream

By: Esther Vasa

Frozen Fruit Ice Cream

Ingredients:

Alternate Milk (Coconut or Almond or Hemp milk) - 1/2 cup

Soaked Walnuts - 1/2 cup

Frozen Bananas - 2

Frozen Blackberries - 1/2 cup

Frozen Blueberries - 1/2 cup

Frozen Cranberries - 1/4th cup

Frozen Cherries - 1/2 cup

Acai Berry Powder - 1 tsp

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients in the order mentioned in a power blender like Vitamix. With the tamper in place, blend until smooth. Scoop it out or just use spatula to transfer into serving bowls and enjoy.

Brainy Treat

By: Esther Vasa

Berries are low in calories, high in fiber, have vitamins like C for immune system function and for strong connective tissue, phytochemicals and flavonoids that help to prevent some forms of cancer and minerals like calcium, magnesium, folate and potassium that your body needs to function normally. The pigments that give berries their beautiful blue and red hues are also good for your health. Cranberries and blueberries contain a substance that may prevent bladder infections. Blueberries and raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision. Enjoy any berries that are available to you but make sure they are organic. You can eat them fresh, frozen, dried, make a raw icecream combining with other frozen fruits and soaked nuts.

Ingredients:

Frozen Banana - 1

Avocado - 1/2

Frozen Strawberries

Frozen Blueberries

Frozen Blackberries

Soaked Walnuts - handful

Ice cubes as you like

Preparation:

1. You need a power blender like Vitamix for this recipe.
2. Put all the ingredients in the blender.
3. With tamper in place, blend for about a minute or until the four mounds are seen.
4. Transfer into a serving cup. 
5. Enjoy!

Banana-Pineapple Ice-cream

By: Esther Vasa

Banana-Pineapple Ice-cream is all natural, casein-free and sugar-free. For this recipe you will need a power blender like a Vitamix. This tool adds a great deal of power and convenience in the kitchen to fix and serve hearty and healthy meals to your family and friends.

Ingredients:
Frozen Banana Cuts - 1
Frozen Pineapple Cuts - 1 cup
Almonds - 1/4th cup
Water - 2-3 tbsp

Any toppings of your choice. I do away with toppings for they add unwanted calories.

Preparation:
Drop the almonds and water first; alternately if you have prepared and stored almond milk, use about 1/4th cup of it. Then, add your frozen banana and pineapple bits. Follow the instructions of your Vitamix manual in making an ice cream. Start at variable low with tamper in place and increase it up all the way to 10 pushing the ingredients into the blades. Then, go high for a few seconds and wait till you see four mounds. Serve your ice-cream scoops as you wish.

Alternately, try varying your fruits and may be add a frozen carrot. My family loves this.

Anoop's Banana and Cashew Ice-Cream

By: Elna Botes van Schalkwyk
Note: This is an occasional treat for your children and your other family members who are supporting your fight against MS. You can enjoy a bite or two but try reducing the saturated fat intake to help yourself!

Ingredients:
500 ml cashew nuts
225 ml coconut oil, melted or an oil of your choice
45 ml raw honey or sweetener of your choice (Optional)
Seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 5 ml Bourbon vanilla powder
4 - 5 frozen bananas
A little water

Preparation:
Blend the cashews, honey, coconut oil and vanilla seeds in a power blender until a smooth creamy consistency is reached. Take the frozen bananas and process in the food processor with a little bit of water until it resembles a smooth soft serve ice-cream blend. Slowly pour the blended cashew mix into the food processor as it is turning until a fluffy creamy consistency is reached. Place in the freezer to set for 2 hours.

Variations:
CHOC CHIP: add carob nibs to the base mixture, stir through and set.
MINT CHOC CHIP: add a drop of mint essential oil to the choc chip version above.
CHOCOLATE MINT CHOC CHIP: add 1 - 2 teaspoons carob powder to the mint choc chip version above.
STRAWBERRY: add 2 cups of strawberries tot the original banana-cashew mixture.