I would much rather be hot than cold, I love the heat, it makes me feel alive and brightens my mood. Therefore, summer is my favorite time of year! I love feeling the sun, watching the stars without a jacket, a warm breeze, and the way in which the heat slows you down. I also love summers staples, like ice cream!

Ice cream is a weakness of mine, I probably could eat it every single day and not get sick of it but of course moderation is key and too much dairy does not make me happy. Therefore, after spending time in Vermont this past weekend and being reminded of all the luscious flavors that creamies can encompass - maple, honey, blueberry, I had to make some of my own!

Vermont is a natural culinary hot spot, they take risks and incorporate local touches into everything that they craft. There is a definite pride in the land and what it produces that is unique to the area and I love soaking it all in. It is inspiring that every restaurant, food stand, and truck, no matter if it is in a tiny little town, adds local flavor to their menu. So why not do the same here in New York and in your own kitchen?1

As you all know, I am obsessed with beets and since beets have made an appearance in my CSA pickup at Royal Acres I decided that I needed to create a creamie with my own local flavor twist, thus the Beet Root, Ginger, and Cacao Vegan Ice Cream was born! This is a super simple recipe that literally takes 5 minutes to make. Its made from creamy frozen bananas blended with beets, ginger, cinnamon, and cacao powder providing a richness that has the perfect amount of sweetness and earthiness that tickles the palette. I hope that you enjoy!

Vegan Beet Root, Ginger & Cacao Ice Cream (Nice Cream)

Serves 2, but I eat it all myself!

2 Frozen Bananas

1/2 Beet, chopped

1in Ginger, peeled

1/4 cup Cacao or Unsweeteend Cocoa powder

1 tbs Cinnamon

1 tbs Vanilla Extract

Optional: Honey or maple drizzle and chia seeds

In a food processor, combine the beets, bananas, ginger, cacao powder, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy like soft serve. Top with a drizzle of honey, a dusting of cacao/cocoa powder and chia seeds and enjoy or place in the freezer for a firmer, frozen ice cream consistency. Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Summer time is a time for ice cream, I love ice cream. It is so creamy and sweet and there are so many flavors! I would love to eat ice cream every day but I know that the high sugar content and far content make it a special treat so what do you do when you are looking for a healthy alternative that is just as creamy and delicious without all of the preservatives, calories and fat? You make nice cream! So what is nice cream exactly?

Nice cream is essentially - not ice cream. It is made from frozen bananas, when the bananas are blended in their frozen state they release pectin which in turn creates a creamy frozen treat. Bananas are a good source of B6, Vitamin C, potassium, biotin and copper. They prevent high blood pressure, keep your cholesterol levels low and of course are low in fat. They have also been shown to improve digestion and enhance athletic performance.

Overall, bananas are an awesome addition to your diet and are super inexpensive. I usually buy a large bunch of bananas and if they start to turn throw them right in the freezer. Therefore I am always prepared for nice cream or smoothie making.

The best part about nice cream is that you can add whatever additions you would like, from chocolate to fruit to nuts to herbs, the only limit is your imagination!

Nice cream is also versatile based on your ice cream preferences, if you like soft serve you can eat it right away, if you like hard ice cream you can through the nice cream back into the freezer for an hour or two and scoop away.

Decorate with Peaches, Walnuts, and Mint

The other day I picked up my first peaches of the season and they inspired this delicious summer treat. This pie is a simple raw, no bake delight that comes together in 15 minutes plus an hour or two for freezing. Each element of the pie only has a few elements; the crust is simply walnuts and dates, the peach ice cream consists of peaches, bananas, and vanilla extract and the date caramel adds a natural sweetness. A food processor makes quick work of the blending and then the freezer does the rest of the work. I hope that you enjoy!

Raw Vegan Peach Ice Cream Pie with Salted Date Caramel and Walnut Crust

1 1/2 cups Walnuts

26-28 Dates

1/4 cup Hot water

5 Bananas, Frozen

2 Peaches

1 tbs Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Chopped Walnuts, 1 peach, and mint leaves for garnish

In a food processor add the walnuts and 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Turn the machine on and add 6-8 dates one at a time. You want the dough to stick together when pressed but not be too wet. After 6 dates check the consistency and add more if needed. Press the walnut dough into the bottom of a 8in. springform pan, smoothing so it is even throughout. Place in the freezer while you prepare the date caramel.

Soak 20 dates in hot water for 10 minutes and then drain. Add the dates and 1/2 tsp sea salt to a food processor. Blend, slowly adding hot water until the dates are broken down and creamy, stopping to scrap down the sides frequently. Spread the caramel over the walnut crust and then return to the freezer while you prepare the peach ice cream.

In a clean food processor, add the frozen bananas and vanilla extract. Blend until they start to get creamy, add the 2 peaches in piece by piece until the mixture resembles soft serve ice cream. Pour over the date caramel and distribute evenly. Freeze for one hour, garnish with chopped walnuts, sliced peaches and a sprinkle of mint leaves (I used chocolate mint). Return to freezer and freezer for one more hour. Eat now or freeze it over night, just let it sit for 5 minutes before consuming. Enjoy and healthy eating!