Addicted to Blackberries: A frozen dessert

It's too hot to cook. The temperatures are soaring, and all I want to do is to hide in the shade and hang my feet in cold water. I feel like I am swelling up like a red balloon. My body just is not used to 95 degrees and plus humidity.

My mind screams ice cream, yet I know there is none to find in my freezer. I never buy it. As a child, getting ice cream on a waffle cone was something I looked forward to every summer; one scoop chocolate chip mint, one scoop espresso explosion. Ahh, yes, the memories. However, as an adult I rarely treat myself to ice cream. I lazily ponder driving to the nearest Food Co-op but I can’t imagine getting into my hot car. It has no A/C, plus the driver’s side window does not roll down. Within minutes I would be sitting in my own sweat. NO THANK YOU. I decide, that if I truly want to sub-come to my ice cream craving, I needed to make it myself. Pure, fresh, and healthy of course.

Motivated, I get up, grab a big bowl, and head to my favorite neighborhood blackberry bushes that have been treating me so kindly thus far. By the time I feel overwhelmed by the heat the bowl is ¾ full. That should be enough for some homemade frozen blackberry dessert!

Luckily my house stays relatively cool, and I get to work. Coconut milk for the creamy taste, Greek yogurt for the creamy texture, honey for sweetener, lime for a fresh zing, and of course the blackberries. Yum! Sadly, I don’t have an ice cream maker, nor do I have the fancy Popsicle trays, but I do have a ton of mason jars. I fill a few ¾ full, and place them into the freezer. Every half hour or so, I use a long spoon and stir the mixture, so the frozen sides mix with the liquid center. Soon I have my own freshly made frozen blackberry “ice cream".

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, blackberries are sweet treats filled with all kinds of nutritional goodness. If you want to know more about the wonders of the blackberry, read my post here, and perhaps even find a recipe for a healthy sugar free blackberry jam. 

May the abundance inspire you!

Frozen Blackberry Dessert

Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients:

4 cups freshly picked blackberries (rinsed well)

1 can organic coconut milk

1 ½ cups Greek yogurt (I used non-fat)

2/3 cups honey

zest of 1 lime

juice of ½ lime

Directions:

1.  Place blackberries into a food processor and blend. If you don’t like the texture of the seeds, sieve the blackberry puree thru a fine mesh sieve, and pour back into the food processor. I like to leave the seeds because they are full of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.

2.  Pour in coconut milk and honey and process until you have a smooth mixture.

3. Add the non-fat Greek yogurt and the lime zest and juice. Pulse to mix.

4. If you have an ice cream maker, follow the instructions with your machine. If you have a popsicle tray, fill and freeze for about 1 hour, and then add the popsicle stick and continue to freeze. However, if you are like me, fill small wide-mouthed mason jars with the mixture. Every half hour, scrap the sides and mix well. You can even place the mixture into a long and deep baking dish, whisking every half hour or so to freeze the mixture evenly.

5. If you used the mason jar method, prior to serving I allow the “ice cream” to thaw slightly on the counter (about 10 minutes) to be able to scoop the ice cream out easier.

Optional: Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and top with fresh fruit of choice.