Vegan Spiced Carrot Cake Ice Cream
This spectacularly delicious dessert is also surprisingly good for you. With carotenoids from the carrot juice, anti-inflammatories from the ginger, and healthy fats from the walnuts, it packs a nutritional punch.
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If you’re going to eat ice cream—and I, for one, am definitely not giving it up—you might as well eat the most nutritious and healthy version of ice cream you can possibly find. And this vegan ice cream recipe fills the bill.
I’m not going to tell you this amazing dessert is as nutritious as a plate of wild salmon, but it’s about as nutritious as ice cream can be. It’s got carotenoids from the carrot juice and yams; anti-inflammatories from the ginger; and anti-inflammatory fatty acids from the walnuts.
It does include a small amount of sugar, but unless you’ve completely weaned off the sweet stuff, an occasional indulgence shouldn’t throw you off too badly.
With spectacularly delicious desserts like this, I’m always reminded of the words of my nutrition mentor, Robert Crayhon, who said, “Pleasure is a nutrient.” Eat this ice cream and you’ll know what he was talking about. — Dr. Jonny
Notes from the Clean Food Coach
To prepare the yam for this vegan ice cream, preheat your oven to 400°F and cover a small cookie sheet with foil. Scrub the yam and dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Bake on the prepared cookie sheet for 50-60 minutes until soft to the squeeze. Cool completely before peeling and adding to the recipe.
Related:
Vegan Spiced Carrot Cake Ice Cream recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup carrot juice
- 1 14-oz. can reduced-fat coconut milk
- 1-inch chunk fresh ginger root, peeled
- 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup or coconut nectar, or more to taste
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 heaping tsp. cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. nutmeg
- ½ tsp. cardamom
- Pinch salt
- 1 medium garnet yam or sweet potato, baked, cooled, and peeled (see: "Notes from the Clean Food Coach")
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts, optional
- ¼ cup toasted, shaved coconut, optional
- ¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped, optional
Preparation
- Combine ingredients from carrot juice through salt in high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. Add yam, and blend until smooth.
- Transfer contents to ice cream maker, and follow manufacturer’s directions. Top with walnuts, shaved coconut, ginger, and/or other favorite toppings if desired.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/2 cup
- Calories 140
- Carbohydrate Content 22 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 6 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 1 g
- Saturated Fat Content 4 g
- Sodium Content 105 mg
- Sugar Content 13 g
- Trans Fat Content 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat Content 0 g