Main navigation

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce | Gather & Dine

I recently noticed that so far I have not a single post for ice cream on this site and I’m out to change that today.  Ice cream used to be my absolute favorite dessert and I once had constant cravings for it every evening.  We almost always kept a supply of ice cream in the freezer just for those times when I could not do without.  After gradually incorporating more whole foods and natural sweeteners into our lifestyle, I can honestly say that those cravings no longer exist.  I do enjoy desserts, but I rarely crave them the way I used to.  That being said, it’s hard to resist a good quality ice cream if put in front of me.  This non-dairy Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is creamy, not at all grainy, and naturally sweetened with raw honey.  It’s slightly adapted from Amy Chapin’s beautiful cookbook,  At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen.  In addition to using full-fat coconut milk, she also uses cashews, which lends to this ice cream’s rich creaminess.  The coconut flavor is there, although it is not as pronounced as you might think it would be.  By itself, this ice cream is pure, simple, and subtly sweet.  When paired with juicy, plump, rum-soaked raisins in maple sauce, it becomes divine.  This sauce would be perfect for bringing along to ice cream social gatherings or would make a wonderful gift when put in a pretty jar.  Or you could just keep it for yourself.  That’s what I did.

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce | Gather & Dine

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce | Gather & DineCoconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce | Gather & Dine

Print

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce | Gather & Dine
  • Yield: 4-6

Ingredients

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

  • 3/4 cup cashews, soaked for 2-6 hours
  • 2 (13.5-ounce) cans full fat coconut milk
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/3 cup raw honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3 tablespoons rum
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup maple sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

  1. Drain and rinse cashews and place in a high-speed blender. Add coconut milk and blend on the highest speed until completely smooth. Line a fine mesh strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth. Pour cashew mixture through the strainer into a medium sized pot. (If using a Vitamix or other high-powered blender, the straining step can be skipped.) Twist the ends of the cheesecloth together and gently squeeze the remaining liquid out. Discard the solids or save for a later use.
  2. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Whisk in the the vanilla bean seeds and salt to the coconut cashew mixture. Add the vanilla bean pod and simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes, and discard vanilla bean pod. Add honey and vanilla and whisk until honey is completely dissolved.
  3. Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly chilled.
  4. Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker according to manufacture instructions. This can be served right out of the ice cream maker or placed in the freezer for a firmer texture. If left in the freezer for more than a few hours, allow ice cream to thaw for 20-30 minutes before serving. Serve with Maple Rum Raisin Sauce.

Maple Rum Raisin Sauce

  1. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Allow raisins to soak and soften for 15 minutes or so.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the syrup, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the raisins and rum along with the butter. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve warm for a thinner consistency or chilled for a thicker consistency. This will keep for several weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

–ice cream slightly adapted from Amy Chapin’s At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen
-maple rum raisin sauce from Deborah Madison’s The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Continue Reading

Baked Salmon and Lentils with Quinoa, Shaved Cucumbers, and Dilled Yogurt Sauce

salmon-lentil-plate-4

Last week I had the opportunity to attend Sprouted Kitchen’s food photography workshop at Cannelle et Vanille’s beautiful studio in Seattle.  After being a quiet admirer of Sara and Hugh’s work for so long and then finally being able to meet them and learn from them was like a dream for me.  Both of them are so remarkably talented, yet they are so humble and approachable.  It was a weekend full of refreshment and inspiration and I’m still processing it all.  Our lunches and snacks were all from Sara’s new cookbook, Bowl + Spoon, and after those meals, I seriously wanted to come home and cook through her entire cookbook.  Sara’s approach to “bowl foods”- mixing favorite foods with different colors, textures, toppings, and sauces- is the inspiration behind this salmon and lentils plate (could also be easily eaten in a bowl).  Since both salmon and lentils are favorites in this house, I started with those then added quinoa as our grain and shaved cucumbers with microgreens for a raw vegetable.  I topped it off with a creamy dilled yogurt sauce and sprinkled on some lemon muscovado sunflower seeds for crunch.  Setting out all of the components and letting everyone assemble their own plate is such a beautiful way to serve and enjoy a meal.  Everyone can have more of what they like, less of what they don’t like, and it seems that kids especially enjoy having some ownership of what goes on their plate.  There’s lots of flexibility to this meal- you could use rice or millet instead of quinoa, chicken instead of salmon, or other shredded greens instead of the cucumbers and microgreens.  Don’t leave off the lemon muscovado sunflower seeds though; it really adds the perfect finishing touch to the whole meal.

salmon and lentil plate with dilled yogurt-1 salmon and lentil plate with dilled yogurt-2

salmon-lentil-plate-3

Print

Baked Salmon and Lentils with Quinoa, Shaved Cucumbers, and Dilled Yogurt Sauce}

Baked Salmon and Lentils with Quinoa, Shaved Cucumbers, and Dilled Yogurt Sauce | Gather & Dine

Ingredients

Dilled Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 cup whole milk or lowfat plain yogurt
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 tablespoons fresh dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Muscovado Sunflower Seeds

  • 1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds

Lentils

  • 1 cup french green lentils, sorted and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • fine-grain sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cucumbers

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 cup micro greens

Assembly

Instructions

Dilled Yogurt Sauce

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Season to taste with additional salt and lemon juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Muscovado Sunflower Seeds

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the muscovado sugar, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the sunflower seeds until they start to become golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle the lemon sugar mixture over the seeds and stir constantly until sugar melts and coats the seeds, about 1-2 additional minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Season to taste with additional salt if needed.

Lentils

  1. Place lentils is a small pot and cover with water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until lentils are tender and soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Toss warm lentils with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Allow lentils to rest for 5 minutes. Taste again and season with additional vinegar and salt if needed. Add olive oil and scallions and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. If lentils seem dry when ready to serve, stir in some of the reserved cooking liquid.

Cucumbers

  1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave cucumber into ribbons, stopping when you get to the seeds. Place cucumber ribbons in a serving bowl and toss with the micro greens.

Assembly

  1. Serve each plate with a portion of quinoa, salmon, lentils, and cucumbers with greens. Drizzle a generous amount of dilled yogurt sauce over each plate and garnish with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

Notes

-inspired by Sprouted Kitchen’s Bowl + Spoon
-lentils from Alice Water’s The Art of Simple Food
-muscovado sunflower seeds from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Everyday

 

Continue Reading

Baked Salmon with Potlatch Seasoning

Baked Salmon with DIY Potlatch Seasoning | Gather & Dine

A favorite go-to family meal over recent years has been this baked salmon with potlatch seasoning.  It’s easy and quick for a weeknight meal, but is also special enough for a weekend gathering.  I first learned about potlatch seasoning,  named after the traditional gatherings of Native Americans of the Northwest to commemorate special occasions, from Williams Sonoma.  I usually try to keep a supply on hand, but last week I picked up some salmon for dinner only to come home and discover that I was at the very end of our tin.  I quickly looked at the ingredients, came up with this DIY version, and then wondered why I hadn’t tried my own version earlier.  It takes two minutes to put together and it’s so much more economical!  This seasoning blend will elevate your seafood to new heights of flavor and deliciousness.  We usually use potlatch on salmon, but it can also be used on steak and chicken.  Up later this week- a beautiful, more elaborate, and yet still simple meal incorporating this potlatch baked salmon.  Stay tuned!

Baked Salmon with DIY Potlatch Seasoning | Gather & Dine

 

Print

Baked Salmon with Potlatch Seasoning

Baked Salmon with DIY Potlatch Seasoning | Gather & Dine
  • Yield: 3-4 mid-size portions

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds salmon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon potlatch seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Potlatch Seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300.
  2. Combine all seasoning ingredients in a jar, tighten lid, and shake to combine.
  3. Line a baking dish or pan with parchment paper. Place salmon skin-side down. Rub salmon with olive oil and sprinkle potlatch seasoning evenly over the top and sides of the salmon. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, depending on thickness of the salmon. Salmon should be flaky, but not dry. Be careful not to overcook.

Notes

Keep remaining potlatch seasoning in a tightly sealed container for later use. Store at room temperature.

Continue Reading