Pumpkin Pice Cream (and other healthy frozen desserts)

Let's talk about dessert.  And ice cream.  And the melancholy fact that I no longer eat sugar (as of 2 years ago) or ice cream (as of a year ago) and watch my calorie intake like a hawk (12 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, and counting...).  This has left me with a major dessert void.

Luckily, I cook like a champ.  And I am creative, and open minded enough to try some of my weirder food ideas, at least once.

Anyway, when I got on this pumpkin kick I have been on, I started craving pumpkin pie. In a big way.  So I did what I do best and made an alternative desert that has blown my socks off.  Pumpkin Pice Cream.  Oh man sooooo good.

Pumpkin Pice Cream
3/4 c. organic pumpkin, canned - divided into ice cube tray and frozen ahead
1 c. frozen peaches
1/2 cup soy milk (or regular milk)
1/2 c. measure-for-measure Stevia or other sweetener (or sugar)
1 tsp cinnaon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
optional topping: 1/2 c. Fiber One cereal

Blend all ingredients in a Cuisinart or similar appliance. Top with 1/2 c. Fiber One for that pie crust feeling (or crushed graham crackers if you aren't watching your sugar/fat intake)

195 calories for all of it, and its a HUGE helping!

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In the same vein (and where my Pice Cream idea stemmed from) I have been making frozen fruit soft serve "ice cream" using the same method!  Oh man, such a delight and a treat.

Fruited Soft-Serve "Ice Cream"
2 c. of any frozen fruits

1/2 cup soy milk (or regular milk)

1/2 c. measure-for-measure Stevia or other sweetener (or sugar)

Here are some combinations I have tried and all came out super good

Japanese Pear & Raspberry

Strawberry & Peach

Strawberry & Mango

Strawberry, Mango, & Peach

Banana (no need for soymilk or sugar with this)

Flavors I haven't tried yet but have every intention of trying

Japenese Pear & Green Tea (pre freeze tea in ice cube trays)

Chai Tea & .. I haven't deicded what would work best yet

Dragonfruit

Passionfruit & Peach

Nectarine

Blackberry

Durian (just kidding :) )

Eric: doesn't eat dessert for the most part, but when he does, its Dulce de Leche ice cream from Hagan Daaz. At least he has SOME good taste in foods.

Curried Pumpkin "Bisque"

I am on a pumpkin kick.  I have been having pumpkin in my breakfast oatmeal, in my dinners and my desserts (see upcoming blog posts!)

Curried Pumpkin "Bisque"
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. onion, chopped
4 slices of fresh ginger, about 1/4 inch thick
3 c. canned organic pumpkin
1 32 oz. can organic diced tomatoes
4 c. broth, vegetable or chicken, (or plain water)
1.5 tsp sea salt (or more, to taste)
3 tsp hot indian curry
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp hot chili flakes (optional)
2-4 tsp Stevia (or other sweetener / sugar / agave nectar) to taste

Lightly sautee garlic, onion, and ginger in a lightly greased stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the sweetener.  Allow to come to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and liquefy, using either use your immersion blender or regular blender (in batches). Return to heat and bring back to a simmer.  Add your sweetener to taste.

Optional ideas / additions:  add 1/2 cup of coconut milk after liquefying.  Garnish with a couple of fried fresh sage leaves.

Makes about 8 cups bisque at 340 calories for the whole pot.


With my bisque, I made the Hungry Girl Onion Rings, to which I added 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, and 2 tsp chili powder to her dry ingredients before coating the onions.  Talk about died and gone to heaven!

Eric's dinner:  a bowl of cheerios, dry.

Sadly, no recipes...

Hey look, here's a buncha stuff I have made recently, and forgotten the exact recipe!

Sugar Free Sweet and Sour Chicken (Made with Stevia for sweetener)

 Pumpkin Hummus (regular hummus recipe, but added in an equal portion of pumpkin to gorbanzo beans, and upped the lemon and salt)

 Mashed Chipotle Acorn Squash topped with Fennel

Baked Tilapia over Red Bell Pepper and Fennel

Millet-Chicken Summer Salad

This is a terrific warm-evening summer meal.  Fresh and simple, the ingredients can really be played with.  Substitute the millet for quinoa, bulger, coucous, or wheat berries.  Make it vegetarian by using tofu instead of chicken.  Play with the vegetables.  There is really no way to go wrong with a dish like this when you are working this close to the bottom of the food chain.  Eat as a hearty side dish or as your main course.  I had mine on the side with a huge triple serving of collard greens.

Millet-Chicken Summer Salad
8 oz chicken breast, cubed, lightly seasoned and pan seared or broiled to your taste
1/2 c. millet, cooked according to package directions
2 cucumbers, peeled deseeded and diced
2 bell pepper, deseeded and diced
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 handful fresh basil, julienned
juice of 2 lemons
salt and pepper

Prepare your chicken and millet. Allow 10 minutes of cooling time before you assemble the dish.  When slightly cooled simple mix all ingredients in a large bowl and season to taste.

.58 calories per gram.  Probably not helpful unless you use a kitchen scale, but an approximate 2c. serving ran 220 calories

Eric's Dinner: Nachos (seasoned ground beef and shredded cheese on tortilla strips. and nothing else. I don't think that truly qualifies as nachos, but then, I didn't eat it...)