31 comments

Dandy Blend Mocha-Maple-Cashew Ice Cream (vegan!) and another GIVEaway!

Posted by

First things first–the winners of the Food Matters DVD giveaway! Join me in congratulating: Ashley, Kara, Jamie, Rachel, and Sandra! Congrats ladies and I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did!

Well folks, when one door closes, another one opens. So don’t fret if you did not win the Food Matters giveaway. I am hosting another one, right now!

Last year, at one of the last dinners I had in North Carolina, my friend started talking about the health benefits of dandelion root. Now, if you are like me, dandelions bring about memories of singing buttercup buttercup while rubbing flowers on someone’s chin (oh wait, was I the only one who did that as a kid? lol). But in fact, dandelion root is a rich source of beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, and other essential vitamins and minerals.

AND… Roasted and coupled with a few other ingredients, dandelion tastes like coffee! Who knew?!?!?!? Not me. But I was super excited to learn this because I love the taste of coffee, but I am super sensitive to its effects. It makes me anxious. I can feel my heart beating when I drink it. And it makes me shake. Even decaf, I’m sad to say. Which is why in the end, I decided that drinking coffee just wasn’t worth the side effects and gave it up months ago. Sigh. But as I said earlier, when one door closes, another one opens! Helllllllooooooo Dandy Blend! 😉

Dandy Blend is an instant, herbal coffee substitute made of roasted barley, rye, chicory root, dandelion root, and beet root (and that’s it!). It tastes JUST like coffee, but without bitterness or acidity, and most importantly for me, without any of the side effects of coffee. I was super delighted when the makers of Dandy Blend sent me a free sample to try and I immediately thought of ice cream!

This vegan ice cream packs mocha flavor, and with raw cashews and maple syrup a la the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (thank you to our neighbors from the north for sending me samples of their maple syrups!), it has crunch and sweetness that you need not feel guilty indulging in! And, I am so enamored with Dandy Blend, I am going to giveaway one 7 oz. bag to a lucky Como Water reader.

You know the deal, here’s how to enter (Leave a separate comment for each action you take!):

1. Leave a comment letting me know what you would make with Dandy Blend if you won the free sample.

2. Become a fan of Como Water on Facebook.

3. Follow Como Water on Twitter.

4. Tweet this giveaway.

I’ll be announcing the winners in my Tuesday post. Good luck! And Happy Weekend folks! 😀

Dandy Blend Mocha Cashew Ice Cream (vegan!)

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 can full fat coconut milk–chilled

1/4 cup dark amber maple syrup

1 cup dandy blend (“brewed” double strength)

pinch salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used vegan)

1/4 cup raw cashews

Method:

*Whisk coconut milk, Dandy Blend, maple syrup, and salt. Add to ice cream maker. Let ice cream maker run for 15 minutes. Add chocolate chips and cashews to ice cream maker. Let run additional 5 minutes. Add soft ice cream to freezer proof container. Freeze. Serve with drizzle light amber maple syrup.

 

Written by

Tiffany M. Griffin is the woman behind Como Water, Washington DC’s premiere veg-centric cuisine consulting company. Through cooking classes, demonstrations, catering, and consultations, Como Water gives people the opportunity to learn how to prepare veg-centric cuisine that boasts maximum flavor, with minimal effort. Tiffany is quickly becoming a go-to expert on the future of veg-centric cuisine, and is a regular contributor to Como Water, the blog, as well as to vegetarian and vegan sites across the Internet. For over a decade, this self-taught, entrepreneurial expert has developed a set of tried and true techniques for making simple, delicious, and sometimes decadent veg-centric dishes. Featured on the Steve Harvey Show and other leading media outlets, Tiffany was born and raised in Springfield, MA. She then earned Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Communications from Boston College and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan. She now resides in Washington DC, where she has worked in the US Senate and at a federal agency on issues around health, food, nutrition, and international food aid/development, and of course, as the owner of Como Water. Tiffany gets culinary inspiration from the food she grew up eating, and from her travels throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. She is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge on veg-centric cuisine with others and to help others live by her mantra—love life, live long, and eat veg-centric cuisine!

Comments

  1. jc

    i’d love to make an awesome savory bread or focaccia!

    February 11, 2012
  2. Greg

    I guess I am going to have to stop killing my weeds and start drinking them. Mocha Maple Cashew ice cream sounds delicious. Lots of flavors.

    February 11, 2012
  3. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table

    I would love to try this. I know dandelion is incredibly good for you, but I can’t stomach the taste of the plain tea. I’d love to try this “coffee” tasting version. Especially in a protein smoothie with some carob powder… and spinach ’cause that’s how I roll.

    February 11, 2012
  4. Kiri W.

    Wow, that ice cream looks amazing!
    I have eaten dandelion leaves (quite tasty!), but never root – sounds fascinating! I think I’d want to make meringues 🙂

    February 11, 2012
  5. Kiri W.

    I already follow you on twitter 🙂 (kirikiri1)

    February 11, 2012
  6. Alaiyo Kiasi

    I’m not entering the giveaway this time–I just wanted to say how delicious and decadent this ice cream looks. This is a game changer for those of us with a sweet tooth, meaning, we don’t have to eat frosty treats that are loaded with fat and sugar. You’re opening so many eyes with your healthy treats, Tiffany!

    February 11, 2012
  7. Jen at The Three Little Piglets

    Coffee often makes me sick to my stomach, so I’d just like to try it all by it’s lonesome!

    February 11, 2012
  8. Jen at The Three Little Piglets

    I already follow you on Twitter!

    February 11, 2012
  9. Jen at The Three Little Piglets

    And now I follow you on Facebook too!

    February 11, 2012
  10. amy marantino

    i would make smoothies

    February 12, 2012
  11. Nava Krishnan

    Great outcome from the products you have used for this healthy ice-cream.

    February 12, 2012
  12. Alyssa

    I am a coffee lover. Who would have known about dandilion root being a good alternative. And I love that you made ice cream. I don’t eat a lot of ice cream, but I love coffee ice cream and i love that you were able to make a healthy version!

    February 12, 2012
  13. Sandra

    Thanks Tiff for the Food Matters DVD, I can’t wait to get it and share it with my students. This ice cream has so much yumminess in it I can hardly sit still. You can track down some of the most healthy, unusual, and tasty ingredients. I wish I lived near you. Ever consider coming back to Michigan?

    February 12, 2012
  14. Magic of Spice

    What a delightful flavor combination for an ice cream! I drink a tea of dandelion root and enjoy it. This sounds like a great giveaway 🙂
    Hugs…hope you had a great weekend!

    February 12, 2012
  15. Baker Street

    Mocha, maple and cashew! Wow! Love the combination.

    February 13, 2012
  16. A'Omare

    i would have to true it straight up as a coffee substitute first. i don’t drink coffee for the same reasons as you!

    then i would have to pull out the ice cream maker, that hasn’t been touched since it was on sale three winters ago, and was a spontaneous buy because who can pass up a $125 ice cream maker for $45?!

    February 13, 2012
  17. Nikki @ The Tolerant Vegan

    It tastes like COFFEE!?! Are you kidding me? I remember being a kid and my grandma said, “you know you can eat dandelions” so I immediately picked one, took a bite, spit it out and stayed mad over it for a whole day. Who knew that all these years later I’d learn that you can drink it and it tastes like coffee? I love coffee flavor, even without the caffeine. I can’t wait to try this! And I don’t have an ice cream maker, so I guess I’d just drink the drink OR use this as an excuse to buy an ice cream maker, which seems like a better idea. Oh you know what would also be fun? Serving it to unsuspecting friends and then being like “guess what! You drank dandelion! AMAZING!” 🙂

    February 13, 2012
  18. Cucina49

    I don’t know how you come up with these wonderfully creative things–I would never have contemplated what might be in vegan ice cream. It looks delish!

    February 13, 2012
  19. Tina@flourtrader

    You did make wonderful use of that product. While you do see a lot of mocha ice cream-I have never seen cashews used in ice cream in the US. Not sure why because they are a popular nut! Your photo is enticing!

    February 13, 2012
  20. Amy

    Tiffany, I would love a huge bowl of this ice cream! It sounds amazing! maple and cashews are a heavenly combination :)!

    February 13, 2012
  21. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.

    How cool is this?! I am so curious to try this stuff! This ice cream looks so yummy!

    February 13, 2012
  22. Catherine

    Wowzers. That looks delectible!

    XO,
    Catherine @ FEST
    Click here to enter my anthropologie kitchen tools giveaway.

    February 13, 2012
  23. Ann

    Honestly, I don’t know what I’d make with it, but I am really intrigued! I think I’d make a cup of coffee with it! What a GREAT discovery!

    February 14, 2012
  24. Ann

    I’ve been a fan of your facebook page for a while now!

    February 14, 2012
  25. Ann

    ….and I now follow you on twitter! I didn’t realize I was missing that!

    February 14, 2012
  26. Eftychia

    Ice cream with coconut milk!! Yummy!!

    February 14, 2012
  27. Amanda T.

    I would make a Dandy Mocha Latte!

    February 14, 2012
  28. Amanda T.

    I became a fan of Como Water on Facebook.

    February 14, 2012
  29. Amanda T.

    I follow Como Water on Twitter @adthomas226.

    February 14, 2012
  30. Jennifer Eloff

    Your ice cream sounds great and what an interesting find.

    February 15, 2012
  31. Sharyn Dimmick

    I would make your ice cream if it weren’t such a cold month. Since it is February, I’d probably concoct some kind of custard or bread pudding instead. I love coffee flavors and I’m interested to see how close Dandy Blend comes to the real thing (I drink decaf Sumatra most of the time with the occasional afternoon foray into a genuine latte).

    February 15, 2012