How to use cream-cheese

After my recent lacto-fermentation class, I had a plethora of cream cheese that we  made from whole cows milk ("quark") in my fridge. Here's what I've been doing with it:

1. Add a couple tablespoons of cream cheese into my morning scrambled egg/omelette mixture instead of milk or cream.

2. Make whipped coconut banana cream-cheese dessert as follows:

• 100g cream cheese

• 100g coconut cream - I like the Ayam brand as it doesn't contain guar gum (if not available, just double amount of cream-cheese)

• 1 banana

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/2 tsp raw cacao powder (or more if you're a choc fiend like me) 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder

Blend the above together with hand-held blender for an easy quick sweetener-free dessert or snack. My kids took this to school today as their morning tea topped with a mountain of organic berries (see picture).

3. Make ice-cream by substituting cream cheese in place of cream (this makes for a less rich, more protein-heavy ice-cream). Here's the recipe for my recent ginger coconut ice-cream invention:

• 400g cream cheese

• 100g coconut cream

• 5 egg yolks (reserve the whites for scrambled eggs/omelettes) 30g fresh ginger

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

Process the above in a food processor (you don't need an ice-cream maker!) until well blended then pour into small glass containers or ice-block moulds and freeze. Leave on bench for 10-15 mins to soften before serving.

4. smear cream-cheese onto raw veggies (e.g. sliced cucumber) and (if desired) top with wild salmon roe (from The Canadian Way) for a simple snack or pre-dinner appetiser.  You could also do this with home-made goats curd. Enjoy!

Macadamia nut ice-cream: the recipe!

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Ok, so I know its not quite the weather for ice-cream, but given that I have received a number of requests from people asking for my recipe for macadamia nut ice-cream following my recent post on activated macadamia nuts, I just have to share this with you. When something tastes this good, who cares about the weather?!?

1 tablespoons vanilla bean powder
5 egg yolks from pastured hens (reserve the whites for omelettes or scrambled eggs)
500g full fat cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup (could substitute raw honey)
120g activated macadamia nuts

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Pulse nuts in food processor until roughly chopped. Remove from food processor. Add all other ingredients to food processor and blend until well mixed.  Pour into a bowl and stir in roughly chopped nuts. Pour into small glass containers and freeze. 

Take glass container of ice cream out of freezer and place at room temperature about 10-15 minutes before serving to soften.

I dare you to stop at one scoop (I couldn't!). Enjoy!

Homemade Icecream! (Mango / Chocolate / Coconut & Ginger / Macadamia)

Home-made ice-cream! Definitely one of my favourite summer staple desserts or snacks enjoyed by young and old alike. In keeping with my food philosophy of nutrient-density and utter simplicity, my basic Vanilla ice-cream recipe calls for only 4 ingredients:

2 tablespoons vanilla bean powder
5 egg yolks from pastured hens (reserve the whites for omelettes or scrambled eggs)
500g full fat cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup (could substitute raw honey)

Blend ingredients in a food processor until well mixed.  It's that easy. The key will come down to the quality of the ingredients so buy the best quality you can afford.

Pour into iceblock moulds (for iceblocks) or small glass containers (for ice cream) and freeze (will keep for 2-3 months in freezer).

Take glass container of ice cream out of freezer and place at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving to soften. To remove iceblocks from moulds, run under hot water for a few moments.

Iceblock moulds can be bought from any homeware store (eg Peter's of Kensington, Wheel and Barrow etc). More expensive über groovy ones can be purchased from Seed Clothing.

Other ice-cream variations to basic recipe:

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Mango ice-cream:    

The flesh of 5 mangos5 egg yolks500g full fat cream5 tablespoons coconut oil Note- no sweetener required as mango is sweet enough

Chocolate ice-cream:

5 tablespoons raw cacao powder5 egg yolks500g full fat cream 3 tablespoons maple syrup 

Coconut and ginger ice-cream:

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 5 egg yolks1 can coconut cream (I prefer the Ayam non-organic brand without the guar gum additive to the organic brands that all contain guar gum). 3 tablespoon maple syrup 

Make up your own flavours. I recently experimented with strawberry and with banana/coconut. Or freeze your favourite breaksfast smoothie. If dairy doesn't agree with you, opt for coconut cream instead of cow's cream. Or if cream is too rich, substitute yogurt for a frozen yogurt dessert.

With only a couple weeks to go before summer ends, what are you waiting for?!

Various ice-block moulds sold at Wheel & Barrow Homewares

Cool ice-block moulds sold at Seed Clothing