Sweet Wholesome Wednesday: Almund Joye Ice Cream

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't!

Marillyn Beard Almund Joye Ice Cream's got nuts!

I'm sure most of you are very familiar with this jingle from the Almond Joy and Mounds candy commercials. Who isn't?

I decided to make this one weekend because we were all talking about how much we used to love Almond Joy candy. All that coconut stuffed inside a perfectly thin chocolate coat with a single almond on top. Almost like saying, "Pretty please, with an almond on top?"

Anyway, we made this a few times before finally deciding that it was "perfect" to share with you all. Now, you might be wondering why I spelled it "Almund Joye"... just simply because I didn't want to steal the original name and get sued for it, but (really) it was my hubby's idea. Why not? Its fun, silly and almost like it's said through a mouthful of that yummy chunky ice cream. We hope you will enjoy this delicious, honey-sweetened ice cream and allow the memories tingle your mouth. Eat it all in one sitting if you want to... it's healthy and nourishing!

Almund Joye Ice Cream

By Mare & the Family

• 3 cups milk (regular or coconut milk)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp. arrowroot
• 1/2 cup honey (or more if you want it really sweet)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

In a blender, mix milk, egg yolks, arrowroot, honey, vanilla & cocoa. Throw in coconut flakes and almonds, blend for a second. Pour into your ice cream machine maker and follow instructions.

NOTE: If you DON'T have a ice cream machine maker. Simply pour into a plastic container and put in freezer. When frozen, set it out and let it soften before putting it back into your blender. It will have the consistency of soft-served ice cream. Yummy!

Print this off (green button below), make it & tell me what you think!

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Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut Update: The Picklemeister & 'No-Pound Method'

While we were in the states for two weeks (which I still need to update you all soon) I picked up a Picklemeister (also called Fermented Vegetable Master, but I am going to call it Lacto Master). I read and heard many of the gals from my natural/organic livings group raving on about how delicious it is (better than the Mason jar method). So, of course I had to pick one up so I can try it out for myself and see if there really is a difference taste-wise. I made plans to use it when the time came to make more kraut.

So, Last Thursday afternoon I found that we were low on kraut and it was time to make more! I put everything through the food processor and mix everything up in two bowls. Now, this is where you normally start pounding the mixture, but I am SO HAPPY to share with you a "no-pound" method that I found at Kimi's blog. No more pounding your cabbage for 15-30 minutes! Woohoo! That was one thing I didn't particularly enjoy during my kraut-making routine, even though it was a good workout for my arms.

"No-Pound" Method

• Shred or chop your cabbage into a big bowl.
• Add sea salt and whey, mix it in well.
• Cover with a cotton towel.
• Chop, slice, or shred the rest of your veggies (optional).
• Mix it with the cabbage.
• Leave mixture for 15 - 30 minutes.

The sea salt naturally draws out the juices from the veggies. This was found in a Russian cookbook by Kimi.

That's how the "no-pound" method works! So easy and less time-consuming. I can't believe I didn't think of that before because I've always knew that salt draws the water out of the veggies. I am sitting here, hitting my head and telling myself, "DUH!". LOL!!

Anyway, I had so much juice that I actually had to take some out after putting the mixture into the Lacto Master, but you want to make sure you have the juice (brine) covering the cabbage mixture. I gave the extra juice to my chickens and they slurped it up :o)

After putting the lid and airlock on... I set it on my counter with a towel wrapped around the jar to keep the sun out. I let it ferment for 4 days (we were out of town through the weekend). On the fourth day, I tried it straight from from the jar and....

WOW... DOUBLE WOW!

The taste is fantastic! So much better than the mason jar method that I have been doing for over 2 years. I love how the sourness is not overwhelming as it sometimes is using the mason jars. I can totally eat this straight from the jar if I am looking for something quick and yummy to snack on.

So what made the difference? The airlock... It is set up to allow the gas to escape during the fermentation process while keeping air out, which will oxidize the veggies and promote mold growth. Because the gas is being released slowly throughout the fermentation process, there isn't that slightly strong, yeasty flavor that I often find in my mason jar kraut. I had the rest of my family try it and they all noticed a big difference with the flavor. My dad noticed that it was juicier (from the "no-pound" method) and my hubby noticed that the veggies were crunchier. My mom even liked it and she normally doesn't because of the whey (she doesn't like the taste of it). I am guessing that the gas being released helped lessen it.

If you are wondering what lacto-fermentation is... read how you can benefit from it.

I made my Latin American Sauerkraut (Cortido) and followed these simple instructions:

Picklemeister (Lacto Master)

1. Wash all parts in warm soapy water.
2. Wash 4 medium cabbages, set aside a large outer cabbage leaf. Remove cores and slice very thin or as desired. Place in a large bowl, preferably plastic.
3. Add 3-5 TBS sea salt (or 1.5 T sea salt and 1 cup of whey) to the cabbage and mix it in well. Slice, shred or chop any other veggies you like. Carrots and beets are good in kraut. (This is where you can do the "no-pound" method) Pound for about 10-15 minutes with a krautpounder, mallet, tenderizer or hammer till the juices come out of the veggies.
4. Start adding the shredded cabbage/veggies to your jar a little at a time. Every time you add more cabbage, pound it down with your fist or krautpounder to press the juices out. Make sure there are no air bubbles trapped in the cabbage as you go. Fill the jar to the bottom of the cap threads. Most of the time, if you pounded long enough, it will produce enough juice (brine), to cover the cabbage . Add water if needed, to make sure the veggies are covered with liquid.
5. Take the large cabbage leaf and set on top of your veggies in the jar. Gently press it down so it is covering your veggies, submerging them under the liquid. You want your vegetables to be submerged under the liquid during fermentation so the air in the jar won't oxidize the veggies on top and turn them brown.
6. Now screw on the lid, fill the double bubble air lock with water to the marks on both sides, then insert the air lock gently, but firmly into the grommeted hold in the lid until it stands straight up on its own.
7. Set the Picklemeister on a plate or saucer in case of over-flow during fermentation.
8. Move the Picklemeister to a cool place about 60-75* and away from sunlight. Leave for 4-5 days.
9. Either move the sauerkraut to another container, or remove the air lock from the Picklemeister and use a solid cap on it. It's ready to be refrigerated. I like to divide it up into pints and quart jars.
10. Many people believe the sauerkraut gets crunchier and the taste gets better after a week or so in the fridge. It should keep well in the refrigerator for several months, even years.
11. Enjoy. Your guts will love you for it!

Stay tuned, because I might do a Lacto Master giveaway in the near future! Meanwhile, if you can't wait to get one... simply purchase one @ Cultures for Health.

Did you know?

The earliest written instructions for making lactic acid fermented foods are found in the writings of the Roman scholar, Pliny, in the 50 AD. The Romans knew the benefits of sauerkraut and other lactic acid fermented products. On extended journeys to the Middle-East, Emperor Tiberius carried several barrels of sauerkraut which they believed protected them against intestinal infections and kept them strong.

Also, in the 18th century many sailors suffered from scurvy, a deficiency of Vitamin C. When Captain Cook sailed around the world, he carried sauerkraut which is very high in Vitamin C and over his three years voyage did not lose a single man. During that time they begun to focus more on nutrition. The same thing is happening in our time! For many years we, as a culture, have gotten away from live food. More and more benefits are being rediscovered from them simple, age-old tradition of lactic acid fermentation. There is a growing group of people are rediscovering not only better health, but also great tasting food; Letting food be their medicine and medicine their food. -Wisemen Trading and Supply

I love the rich history that surrounds lacto-fermentation! It is truly amazing how these people survived and thrived on fermented food. As always... there are valuable lessons we can learn from history. Just because it is history doesn't mean it can be done again today.

So, If you do get one or have one already... PLEASE leave me a message and let me know what you think! Thank you and enjoy!!

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I LOVE My ERGObaby Carrier!

This past weekend we decided to go with my parents to visit friends up in Tamarindo (near Flamingo Beach). It was beautiful! We had a wonderful time with our friends and enjoyed the beach (their house is on the beach!). Naomi and Tabi had fun getting black sand all over themselves and playing in the water. It's always good to head to the beach once in a while and soak in some sun, relax and enjoy family time.

Anyway, while there I found out in my facebook that I am one of the 20 winners from the Ergo Calendar Contest and will be receiving a free ERGO carrier!!! Here's the picture I submitted:

Of course, I am very excited about it. While sharing the news with my family... I realized that I have not shared with you all about the ERGOBaby and why I love it so much. So, let me share with you why...

• Can carry up to 40 lbs
• SO COMFORTABLE.
• Easy to put on.
• My hands are totally free to work if needed.
• Weight evenly distributed and mostly on my hips.
• Great to have when the stroller is a pain in the neck.
• Can wear front, back and side.
• Can nurse comfortably while walking or shopping (don't have to sit, cover up & nurse... its all there!).
• Happy baby!
• GREAT for hiking.
• Wonderful for helping baby to fall alseep.

Here's something I pulled from their website that best explains, in detail, my reasons for loving the ERGO Baby Carrier:

Using the ERGObaby carrier gives you continuous connection, fabulous feeling of freedom, and security knowing your baby is safe.

This is the all-in-one soft baby carrier, assisting you through all the stages of your baby's growth and moving from front to hip to back position easily.

Parents tell us the ERGObaby carrier is the best of all the baby carriers on the market. It was designed by Karin Frost and has undergone extensive testing by tens of thousands of parents. Its innovative design makes wearing your baby comfortable for hours at a time, gives you the freedom to remain active and productive in your daily life, and holds your baby secure to your body so you are HandsFree.

ERGObaby’s baby carrier design supports a natural sitting position for babies, eliminating compression of the spine and hips that can be caused by unsupported suspension. The baby carrier also balances the baby's weight to parents' hips and shoulders, and alleviates physical stress for the parent.

- ERGOBaby

I've tried two other carriers before I finally bought the ERGO and I am so glad I did! I still have my other carriers (Moby & BabyHawk) and use them once in a while, but I use the ERGO all the time... in the kitchen, in the garden, walking to the store, walking to the park, at the market, hiking, taking care of chickens, etc... I LOVE it! I especially love the fact that I can nurse her in the carrier so comfortably. Everywhere we go I am always nursing Tabi in the ERGObaby.

More and more now I can carry her on my back and find it so comfortable. Tabi will often fall asleep instantly. That's how comfortable she is!! LOL! Whenever she gets fussy and needs to nurse, I just simply swing her around front and she's happy... yep, its that easy :o) Another wonderful thing about this carrier is how comfortable it still is when I carry Naomi. She's almost 3 years old and weights about 25 lbs, but the ERGObaby does a great job distributing the weight and taking most of the weight off my shoulders. Again, I love it!

Right now there is a Summer Sale at ERGObaby... go check it out before its too late! Also, they just recently put up a "ERGObaby Auction Page" and have a nice variety there.

If you decide to purchase one... I promise, you won't regret it. Here's a great website called "The Ergo Lady" and she does a wonderful job of showing & explaining how the ERGObaby works. I love her suggestion to let the baby sit sideways while in the front so he/she can look around more. I was actually doing that with Tabitha when she was an infant because I didn't have the infant insert. It worked great and it still does now!

For fun, check out these photos of Keri Russell, Bridget Moynahan, Amanda Peet & Julia Roberts. These guys know what is good to have :o)

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Mango Cranberry Sherbet

I have fun news to share with all of you!

Last night I checked my email right before going to bed and found an email from Scotty Snacks & Tangle Noodle & Savor the Thyme telling me that I won a prize in their Ice Cream Social (Thanks guys)! The prize is coupons for free ice cream and frozen yogurts, courtesy of Stonyfield Farms. I've never tried their ice cream... hopefully they have chocolate chip cookie dough. That's my #1 favorite and you will be surprised to know that I haven't made my own kind yet. Someday, soon, I will :o)

But that's not all! Check out Tangle Noodle's blog... she wrote a a paragraph about my ice creams that I submitted into the Ice Cream Social. Scroll down towards the bottom of the post. You'll recognize my pictures.

Anyway, I thought it would be good to celebrate the news with more ice cream... Woohoo! Here I am going to share with you a wonderful, fruity ice cream that left my tongue dancing for more! After the first mouthful... I was swept away in a memory of eating Rainbow Sherbet on a cone at the Thrify Store in California when I was a young girl (Thankfully, this ice cream is much healthier). I love the beautiful colors and flavors of this ice cream. This has become one of my top favorites... after the Almond Dream of course :o)

Mango Cranberry Sherbet

By Marillyn Beard

• 2 cups chopped mango (about 1 lg. mango)
• 1-2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 4 Tbsp. raw honey
• 1 Tbsp. arrowroot
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Using a fork, hand-mix everything together in a big bowl and pour into your ice cream maker. Follow your maker's instructions.

If you DON'T have a ice cream maker. Simply pour the mixture into a plastic bowl and put in freezer. When frozen... take it out, let it soften a little (not too much!) and scoop it into your blender. Blend till creamy (not too long!).

Enjoy your ice cream!!

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Sweet Wholesome Wednesday: Aquacate del Chocolate

What if I told that I am about to share with you a sweet chocolate pudding that is raw, rich, wholesome, creamy, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat/gluten-free and made with avocados...

Hmmm, sounds good... wait! Avocados?!

Yep, avocados! It is over the top creamy-licious and so good for you. This is one of the few ways I can get my daughter, Naomi, to eat avocados. Oh yeah, she loves this stuff. The best part is that I can make this as a quick sweet snack for her and know that she is getting good fats and is it so nutritious. Another bonus... if you are invited to a party and asked to bring dessert. You can whip this together and dress it up with some peppermint leaves (like my pictures). This will surely be a crowd-pleaser... just don't tell anybody too soon. If you tell too early, then some might not try it because they are turned off by the idea of eating avocados with chocolate. I know, I know... it will be very hard not to stay anything, but gotta give them time savor it and decide if they like it or not.

Here's a good example...I made this for my sister while she was here visiting and she was VERY skeptical about it. She loves chocolate, but was put off by the idea of mixing chocolate with avocados... BUT it won her over after the first bite. She could not believe how good it was and loves knowing that it is a wonderful, healthy dessert to satisfy her sweet tooth. She now makes it for herself whenever she needs a little chocolate comfort :o)

You know...

The avocado, also known as palta or aguacate (spanish), butter pear or alligator pear, is a fruit. So, it makes perfect sense to use it as a dessert. Why not? It is naturally sweet, creamy and yummy on its own with a sprinkle of sea salt. Read here the 4 reasons that makes it a fruit.

I've seen a couple different versions of this recipe, but I made some changes base on what I had available in my kitchen and what I like. You can make this vegan by using maple syrup or coconut sugar.

Aquacate del Chocolate (Chocolate Avocado)

By Marillyn Beard

makes 1 cup (2 servings)

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/4-1/3 cup raw honey
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup water

Process banana, raw honey, vanilla in a food processor (or blender) till smooth. Add the avocados, cocoa powder and process till creamy. Scrape down the sides a few times with a rubber spatula. Add the water and process briefly. Store in a sealed container. It will keep for three days in the fridge or two weeks in the freezer. Serve chilled or at room temp. (tastes best chilled!).

TO DOUBLE IT: Increase the amounts to 1 1/2 bananas, 1/2-3/4 cup raw honey, 1 tsp. vanilla, 4 avocados, 3/4 cup cocoa powder and 1/2 cup water.

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Spicy Cilantro Pesto

Wondering what to do with all the cilantro in the garden? Can’t seem to keep up with it? Worry no more!

My neighbor and friend (Thanks Linda!) brought over a big bucket of cilantro for me because she didn’t know what to do with it all… I instantly thought of pesto. Who says you can only use basil to make good pesto?

This recipe makes about 1 cup of pesto and I made about 4-5 cups of pesto. I’ve found the best way to keep the flavors consistent is by making it in small batches. It is also easier to process.

While making this I decided to make it more Mexican style. Instead of the traditional pine nuts... I used pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and even added a big dash of hot chili powder to give it a little kick. It tasted delicious topped on raw cheddar cheese... hmmmm!

There is so much you can do with pesto and I love how it freezes so well! You can store them in small pint mason jars and store one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. Pesto is good for a couple weeks in the fridge and up to a month or longer in the freezer.

Spicy Cilantro Pesto

makes about 1 cup

• 2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2-4 garlic, peeled
• 1/2-1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/4 - 1 tsp of hot or mild chili powder
• 1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil

Place cilantro in food processor or blender. Pulse till well chopped. Add garlic, sea salt, pepitas and chili powder. Chop well.

Using attachment for adding liquids drop by drop and, while running, add olive oil to form a thick paste. Scoop paste into pint jars and store in fridge or freezer.

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My Labor Day Girls

I just had a sudden realization that my baby, Tabitha, is 11 month today AND she will be starting foods in one month! She is still thriving exclusively on breastmilk and a very happy baby. I am so excited to see that she is a red-head girl. So, now I've got a Blonde Hollywood Drama Girl (Naomi) and the Red Temper Girl (Tabi).

Wow, time flies so fast!

Naomi will be 2 years & 11 months on the fourth. She will be turning 3 in one month. Yep, both my girls were born on the first week of September. God really has a sense of humor. Both girls were born on Labor Day exactly two years apart. I'm not kidding :o) For those who might be wondering... we did not plan our family, we believe that is God's business. I love how God gave us two beautiful girls with wonderful birth stories.

You know, I am daily reminded that God gave me noisy girls for a reason... so I can hear them! LOL! If the house is quiet... too quiet, than I know I need to check on them. TWICE I found Naomi in my parents' room, drawing on herself with whiteboard markers! Once I found Tabi chewing on a bug. Yeah, life in our house can be quite entertaining, kinda crazy, sometimes overwhelming and lots of fun. I love the stories we are reaping from our girls... the day will come that we will come together as a family, laugh about the embarrassing things, share amusing stories and enjoy the rich memories that churn around in our thoughts, hearts & emotions. Especially memories like these:

Naomi Shalom

My favorite Naomi picture:

Tabitha Charis-Helle

My favorite Tabi Picture:

Being a deaf mama isn't always easy. I have days where I find myself wondering why I have to deal with the struggles of being deaf, but I have to remind myself of the blessings too. I am bless to be deaf because I can sleep in total silent at night, but I struggle because I want to be able to understand Spanish. Lip-reading Spanish is very difficult because it's all tongue and the lips barely moves. Even my deaf Costa Rican friend, Alexandra, who is just like me... struggles at times with lip-reading because of the "lazy lips" (that's what she calls them! LOL!) that spanish-speakers tend to have.

BUT God has many reasons for allowing me to go through these struggles. It is building my character, helping me mature, teaching me to be patience with myself & others, allowing me to grow in grace and many other things. I'm human... God never said life would be easy, He just promised it would be worth it. Looking at my hubby, my girls and my family... I can say my life is worth living it, deaf and all.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9

Remember, God never said life would be easy. He just promised it would be worth it.

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