Home-Made Coconut Ice Cream

No ice cream maker? No sweat...

You can make this without an ice cream maker, though it won’t be exactly the same consistency. Ice cream makers basically work by churning a ton of air into the mixture. If you beat the ice cream mixture by hand, it’ll be denser and a little coarser, because you won’t be able to get as much air into it by hand. That said, here’s what to do:

Zingy Carrot Salad

Everybody likes carrots and this sweet root is optimal for all doshas. 

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, providing 210% of the average adult's needs for the day. They also provide 6% of vitamin C needs, 2% of calcium needs and 2% of iron needs per serving. The antioxidant beta-carotene gives carrots their bright orange color. Beta-carotene is absorbed in the intestine and converted into vitamin A during digestion.

Carrots also contain fiber, vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.

Farmer's markets and some specialty stores carry carrots in a range of colors - like purple, yellow, and red - that contain a variety of antioxidants, lending them their unique colours (such as anthocyanin in purple carrots and lycopene in red carrots).

Makes: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

2 cups         grated carrots

1         small grated beet

1 tbsp ghee

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup shredded coconut

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp turmeric

to taste         sea salt

½ cup cilantro (optional)

½ cup raisins or dried cranberries

Dressing Ingredients:

½  cup         sesame oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp tamari sauce

Directions:

Grate the carrots and the beet, and place in a bowl. If using cilantro, chop the leaves into small pieces and add to the carrot beet mixture. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a skillet. Add the cumin and turmeric and sauté for a few minutes. Add the sunflower seeds. Before the seeds get brown, add the coconut and sauté together until both turn a nice brown.  Remove from heat, add some salt and combine. Keep in a separate container until you are ready to serve the salad.

When ready to serve, add the coconut, the sunflower seed mixture and the raisins or cranberries, and toss.

Dressing:

Measure the ingredients into a glass jar. Place the lid on and shake vigorously until well combined. Pour over the salad and toss. Leave the dressing aside until you are ready to serve the salad. Enjoy this zingy, flavorful summer salad.

Pomegranate Chilli Syrup

Natural syrups are easy to make and very regarding in the kitchen as well as a medicinal tonic. This honey based syrup goes well over almost any thing, or as an addition to salad dressing and other sauces. Because it is honey based, do not cooked, since warm honey become poison.

I like to mix this syrup with ghee or any other oil as a based for fortifying breakfast cereals, salads and chutneys.

You can find the pomegranate syrup in middle East stores.

Solstice Mango Salad

The secret to making this salad is to use fresh ripe orange mangoes from Mexico. They are usually in season in June and July and available in Chinese stores. Making this recipe for 50 people can be time consuming, as I did for a summer solstice party; however, you will surely impress your special guests.  

Makes:  4 servings

Ingredients:

6         ripe sweet orange mangoes from Mexico

1         key lime

1 large         garlic head

3 tsp fresh ginger cut in small pieces

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup  coconut milk

1 small         hot red chili pepper

2 tsp pomegranate powder

Directions:

Peel and cut the mangoes in cubes. Place them in a bowl. Put the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend until making a soft sauce. Blend the COMPLETE lime with peel, seeds and everything. Pour the sauce on the mangoes, sprinkle the pomegranate powder on top and serve at room temperature.