Rooibos Tea Ice Cream (dairy-free)

I'm having so much fun playing around with some new Photoshop Actions. I used them (don't ask me which ones, I have no idea. I was just clicking and clicking ;-) on this photo above, and I think it came out really neat. If you have Photoshop then you can use them too. Just head over to The Pioneer Woman and follow the instructions.

As for the recipe in the photo—that's one of my favorite new creations—Rooibos Tea Ice Cream. Mmm... I made it by steeping rooibos tea in coconut and cashew milk, then straining and blending with honey, vanilla and arrowroot. And I thought it would be so easy to mimic with other kinds of tea. You know, same proportions of loose tea to milk. Wrong. Every tea I've tried has been different. Some flavors need more loose tea and some need less. I've had some very bitter tea mishaps, and some I-can't-even-taste-the-tea mishaps. But that's just how it goes sometimes :-)

But I'm done experimenting with new recipes for a while. The next few I show you will be ones I've saved up. Lately I've been focusing on cleaning the house and getting ready for baby :-) I've frozen a bunch of meals, vacuumed, dusted, washed windows, organized, etc. And then when I have a break I get impatient. When will baby come? I feel like the seconds go by so slowly sometimes (And I never feel that way. I'm a very content-to-be-bored person.) Then there's the question: Will baby be a boy or a girl? I don't think I know. We can hardly wait to find out :-)

I hope you enjoy the recipe. ♥, Kelly

Rooibos Tea Ice Cream (dairy-free)

Add to medium sized pot:

2.5 cups canned coconut milk

1 cup cashew milk
(How to Make Cashew Milk Video)

3/4 cup water

3 tbsp red rooibos tea (I use Davidson's )

Bring to simmer, watching carefully so it doesn't boil over.

As soon as it begins to bubble turn off the heat, cover and steep for about 20 minutes.

Strain the tea from the milk and add to blender with:

2 tbsp arrowroot

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup honey

Note: Depending on what kind of blender you have, you may need to wait for the milk to cool before blending.

Puree.

Put the mixture in a glass container in the freezer for about 2 hours to chill.

Pour the cold mixture into your Ice Cream Machine.

Eat like soft serve or freeze till hard.

Optional: Top with whipped coconut cream*

* To get the coconut cream, use a can of full-fat coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen) that has separated. Open the can and carefully scoop the solid white cream off the top. If your canned coconut milk hasn't separated put it in the fridge overnight to get it to separate again. Whip the cream with a handheld mixer (you can also add vanilla and/or stevia if you like) and chill again if necessary.

The link to these: stainless steel straws

Now available! The Spunky Coconut Dairy-Free Ice Cream: Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan. 8.25 x 8.25 in., 90 pp., 55 recipes, 17 full-page color photos Paperback: 978-0-98278116-6, $20.00 on amazon.com or 10% Off at my eStore with code APYTME6C

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Pizza (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Why haven't I done this sooner?! These sausage, egg and cheese breakfast pizzas are so easy and so yummy. The rice tortilla gets all crispy, and the egg is perfectly over-medium... Yum. My family absolutely adores them.

You can't tell by the angle of these photos, but the cooked egg whites nearly cover the top. I've also made them with another egg yolk per pizza (the yolk is my favorite part). Another whole egg would spill off the sides.

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Pizza

gluten-free, dairy-free

Add baking stone/s to the oven.

Turn the oven on to 450 degrees.

Let the stones heat up for about 12 minutes.

First sprinkle chopped cooked sausage (or veggies) on top of rice tortilla .

Next add two eggs (plus another yolk if you like).

Add a few pinches of Daiya Cheddar (or other) dairy-free cheese

Open the oven door and using an oven mitt, carefully pull the oven rack (holding the baking stone/s) foreword.

Carefully slide the breakfast pizzas onto the stones and push the oven rack back into the oven.

Bake for about 7 minutes.

Top with fresh sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with Herbamare.

Mmm...

♥, Kelly

P.S. You could probably make these egg pizzas with another kind of cookie sheet, but I haven't done it myself, so I don't know if the egg cooks exactly the same. If you use a regular cookie sheet (like a stainless one) I would not preheat the sheet.

Have questions? See my FAQ page here.

Nine months photos!

I first met SarahKate at a homeschooling party in December of 2007, and we have been friends ever since. Her two sweet girls are almost the same ages as Zoe and Ashley. SarahKate is a henna artist who published her first book this year, and it is incredibly beautiful.

In other countries henna (which is a plant) has been used for thousands of years to temporarily decorate the body. Henna is best known for its use in marriage celebrations in India, but it is in North Africa that henna is used to celebrate child birth.

For my nine month pregnancy photos I asked SarahKate to henna and photograph me in celebration of our little blessing on the way :-) I hope you enjoy the photos as much as we do. Also I wanted to mention that I'll be taking some time off pretty soon here, when baby arrives, but while I'm not posting recipes of my own I have some great guests lined up to share their gluten-free recipes with you. And of course we will share photos of the baby as soon as we can :-)

♥, Kelly

Lovely new Blendtec Wildside & family video

Mock-Peanut Butter Ice Cream

based on the recipe in the Blendtec recipe book

Add to blender (this is my affiliate link) in this order:

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup SunButter

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 of a ripe banana

4 cups (2 Freezer Trays With Lids) of frozen cashew milk cubes

Blend.

We used the ice cream button on our Blendtec, and there were a few bits of cashew milk cubes when it was finished, but we just ate around them. I think if we had used a full cup of coconut milk that wouldn't have happened, so that's what I'm suggesting above. It was completely delicious :-)

Note: If you are not using a Blendtec this ratio of cubes to liquids will probably not work.

♥, Kelly

The Spunky Coconut Cookbook Second Edition

I'm so excited to tell you that our second edition is available! My honey, the designer , re-designed our first cookbook to create a matching set of cookbooks (as you can see on the right hand side of my site). It includes all your favorite recipes from the first edition, plus a handful of new ones. I hope you enjoy the new look :-) XOXO, Kelly

Click to go to the Spunky Coconut eStore. You can take 7% OFF with code ND3LT5NR

Grape Cream Popsicles (dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

I'm sure it's partly because I'm pregnant, but I have been so hot lately. We've been eating so much homemade ice cream and recently popsicles too. These were so yummy. I had to get a little of the "cream" and the grape in every bite. Love how the flavors go together.

I wanted the layers in these popsicles to blend, kind of like a tie-dye, so I froze each layer then barely warmed the following layer to get them to blend. If you want straight lines you can just skip warming the layers. Both would be cute.

What's your favorite popsicle flavor? Tell us in the comments.

Grape Cream Popsicles

Blend:

3/4 cup grape juice (I use R.W. Knudsen)

1/4 cup coconut milk

Set aside.

Blend:

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/2 cashew milk

3 to 4 tbsp honey (taste after 3 tbsp and add more if desired)

Set aside.

Fill each mold about 1/3 full with the "cream" mixture.

Freeze for about an hour, or until frozen.

Warm the grape mixture just slightly (to about 95 degrees).

This step is optional. Warming the layers creates a blended effect.

Fill another third of the molds.

Freeze about two hours, or until frozen.

(I use these great molds because they're BPA-free)

Warm the "cream" mixture just slightly (to about 95 degrees).

This step is optional. Warming the layers creates a blended effect.

Fill the rest of the way.

Add sticks and freeze till frozen.

♥, Kelly

Now available! The Spunky Coconut Dairy-Free Ice Cream: Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan. 8.25 x 8.25 in., 90 pp., 55 recipes, 17 full-page color photos Paperback: 978-0-98278116-6, $20.00 on amazon.com or 10% Off at my eStore with code APYTME6C

Watermelon Fruit Popsicles (refined sugar-free, all-natural)

What is it about kids and popsicles? They just go together :-)

These are the simplest to make, and the kids love them.

I treasure moments like these.

Super Easy Watermelon Fruit Popsicles

refined sugar-free, all-natural

Add to your blender:

Enough fresh watermelon chunks to fill half way (removing as many seeds as possible)

Puree.

Add to each popsicle mold (I use these great molds because they're BPA-free—woohoo!):

Two slices of peeled kiwi

Frozen blueberries. My blueberries were thawed so I could squish them between the fruit—This presses the fruit out against the walls of the mold so you can see the kiwi and banana when the popsicles are done.

Two slices of banana

More blueberries between the banana slices to press the banana out against the walls of the mold so you can see it when they're done.

Fill with watermelon puree.

Add the sticks and freeze.

♥, Kelly

Now available! The Spunky Coconut Dairy-Free Ice Cream: Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan. 8.25 x 8.25 in., 90 pp., 55 recipes, 17 full-page color photos Paperback: 978-0-98278116-6, $20.00 on amazon.com or 10% Off at my eStore with code APYTME6C

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (homemade Nutella) dairy-free

Slowly but surely I replace my old favorite store-bought items with new homemade healthier ones. I haven't had Nutella in years. I first had it on a crepe in Rome. Sigh. When I returned to Pennsylvania, where I lived at the time, I began buying it in the store. I look at Nutella ingredients now and I know I have to make it myself.

Making my own chocolate hazelnut spread was so simple and fast, I can't believe I haven't done it sooner :-)

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread:

Toast 1.5 cups of hazelnuts at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

While they're toasting, heat in a small pan:

1 & 1/2 cups coconut milk (I use canned)

1/2 cup coconut sugar, which is low glycemic index and unrefined (another sugar would also work)

1/8 tsp sea salt

When the sugar is melted remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, melt over double boiler:

3 bars (3.2 oz each) of dark chocolate (I use Chocolove 70%)

Remove the toasted hazelnuts from the oven.

Transfer them to a clean dry kitchen towel.

Rub the hazelnuts in the towel to remove as much of the skin as possible.

Add them to your food processor:

Puree till the hazelnuts are very fine:

Add the melted chocolate bars.

Puree till creamy and smooth (about two minutes).

Then, while still pureeing add the milk mixture.

Puree till smooth:

Store in the refrigerator. Also freezes well.

Makes 3 small mason jars of chocolate hazelnut spread.

♥, Kelly

Have questions? See my FAQ page here.

Spunky BBQ Sauce

Lately it has been very hot here in the Colorado Front Range. Rather than heat up the house by turning on the oven, we've used the grill a couple of times now. What is it about the smell of wood chips burning? Ohh... it smells so good. I feel like I'm camping without ever leaving my porch :-)

Here is my homemade BBQ sauce recipe. I hope you enjoy it.

Spunky BBQ Sauce:

Add to blender or food processor:

1/2 cup water (plus more as needed)

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

12 oz organic tomato paste

1/2 cup honey

2 tbsp GF worcestershire

2 tsp GF tamari sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp celery seed powder

1/4 tsp chili powder (—For mild. Add more for medium or hot.)

3/4 tsp sea salt

Puree.

Makes about 3 cups.

♥, Kelly

Have questions? See my FAQ page here.

Our Spunky Holiday Independence Day Round-Up!

Thank you all so much for participating in Our Spunky Holiday, Independence Day! Have a very happy 4th of July!

♥, Kelly

Domestic Diva, Tex-Mex Pasta

My Real Food Life, Dairy-Free Cashew Rhubarb Cheesecake

Daily Bites, Blueberry Oat Crumble Bars

Daily Bites, Star Spangled Salad

The Mommy Bowl, Frozen Triple B Bites

My Real Food Life, Rhubarb Lemonade

My Real Food Life, Dairy-Free Ranch Salad Dressing

My Real Food Life, Raspberry Grapefruit Salad

Gluten Free Easily, Blueberry Banana Foamie

Diet Dessert and Dogs, Triple Layer Strawberries & Cream Cake

Whole New Mom, Sugar-Free Lemonade

Whole New Mom, Dairy-Free Berry Mousse

Pocketfuls, Black Bean Salad and Frosty Fruit Pops

The Daily Dietribe, Mini Red White and Blueberry Pies

Veggie Grettie, Patriotic Cheesecake

Lexie's Kitchen, Cucumber Watermelon Salad

@ Home With Gina C, Very Berry American Cheesecake Bites

And Love it Too, Red White and Blue Sorbet

Gluten-Free Homemaker, Angel Food Cake

Nourishing Flourishing, Petite Vanilla Scones

Slightly Irritating & Inconvenient, Canada Day Breakfast Poutine

Honey From Flinty Rocks, Blueberry Rice Flour Muffins

City Life Eats, Red White & Blue Smoothie

Pumpkin's Pantry, 4th of July Coconut Cake

For the Love of Food, Summer Chocolate & Berry Mini-Trifle

Too Fab For Flab, Blueberry Molasses Ice Cream

Paleo Parents, Red White & Blueberry Bubble Tea

Blueberry Chocolate Bars, by me. I substituted a cup of blueberry jam for the raspberry jam in this recipe.

PS If I accidentally forgot to include yours, please email me again and I'll put it up!