coconut Archives -

August 30, 2016

Frozen Pineapple Pops

We were walking the streets of Hong Kong, heading towards a restaurant for lunch, when the kids noticed a little cart selling adorable pineapple pops. They begged me to stop. It was unbearably hot and the thought of a cool treat was tempting, but I knew even one pineapple pop would take away their appetites for lunch. (Apparently I was not being much fun that day.) We reluctantly moved on and I promised we would make our own version once we returned home. So here they are- the frozen pineapple pops we never had in Hong Kong. I realize this is an idea rather than a recipe, but sometimes inspiration is best when kept simple. Finding a perfectly ripe and sweet pineapple is key, so search out the best you can find. My kids loved these best after being frozen for 4-5 hours when the pineapple is firm yet still soft enough to bite.

June 15, 2016

Toasted Almond Coconut Ice Cream

As we approach the official start of summer, there is so much anticipation and excitement about the months ahead. Among the many delights of summertime, for me homemade ice cream comes near the top. There’s nothing quite like the taste and texture of freshly made ice cream. When Dream sent me a box of their new Ultimate Almond Beverages, homemade ice cream immediately came to mind. Dream Ultimate Almond is made with four times as many almonds as their original almond drink so it’s rich and creamy with a concentrated almond flavor. For the ice cream, I combined it with coconut milk cream for a nice balance between the almonds and coconut. Throughout the ice cream are bits of toasted almonds for a pleasant crunch, and the shredded coconut reminds me a bit of eating a macaroon coookie. Toasting the almonds and coconut are absolutely essential for depth as are both the coconut sugar and maple syrup for flavor, so no substitutes here. With three months of summer ahead, I hope it’s filled with plenty of good ice cream.

April 18, 2016

Walnut Torte with Coffee Coconut Cream

It had been a rough day, the kids were finally in bed, the house was quiet, and Ryan and I wearily sat down for a quiet moment to ourselves. All of my earlier efforts making dessert were paying off now that we could sit in peace and ease into uninterrupted conversation. After reading Ashley’s Date Night In book, we’ve been trying to be more deliberate about the time we spend together, and one evening a week we put everything aside to focus on each other. Sometimes it’s dinner together after the kids are in bed, other times it’s just dessert. It’s requires a bit of extra thought and preparation, but the investment has been worth it. In the midst sibling squabbles, the constant flurry of after-school activities, and now homeschooling, I often forget what Ryan and I were before we had kids. Going out is always fun, but dating in the calmness of your own home is also fun and intimate in a different sort of way.