I know that recently I’ve been talking a lot about gratitude and self-love. I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal for a few years now and the practice has completely changed the way I see life. Unfortunately while I’m good and being grateful for life in general I’m not so good at extending that same gratitude to myself. I deeply love life, and while I do love myself I’m not sure I always like myself? I don’t know if that makes sense, or if that’s really the right way to explain it. Whatever it is, sometimes there feels like a slight disconnect from the way I perceive life and the way I perceive myself. I think I notice it the most when it comes to interacting with other people, because that’s generally when all of my negative self-talk and doubts make themselves the loudest and most noticeable.
So I’ve decided that I’m going to challenge myself to find things about myself to be grateful for and to love every day for the rest of this month. The goal is to find something new each day instead of sticking to the few things I feel “comfortable” being grateful for. I’ve come to realize I need to gain a deeper appreciation for myself – which, honestly, is something I have gained a lot of over the last few years. I’ve accepted that “no” is sometimes the best answer, I’ve learned to value my own happiness, and I’ve begun to change my perception of success so that what others think of me doesn’t affect how I view myself and my work. Still, there is a lot of room for improvement. I could still love myself better, take more time to care for myself, to see that my own needs are met before extending my energy to the rest of the world.
Anyway, onto the food.
We’ve returned from our near-autumn weather to high temperatures and humidity. The air feels sticky and a bit like I’m swimming through it. Such circumstances, of course, call for ice cream.
I think I’ve made this sunflower seed ice cream three or four times already this summer and I’ve been dying to share it here. What else can I say? It’s deliciously rich and creamy, filled with all the flavors of toasted sunflower seeds, vanilla, dates and a hint of cinnamon. It’s delicious on its own but I love it sandwiched between these cookies – which are a perfect combination of crunchy and chewy; almost biscuit-like. They’re very lightly sweetened and add an extra punch of cinnamon flavor to the rich ice cream.
As always, you can easily adjust the sweetness in these recipes if you have more of a sweet-tooth than I do.
Sunflower Seed Ice Cream
Makes about 3 cups
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 can full fat coconut milk
½ cup cashews, soaked
3 pitted dates
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Place a small amount of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sunflower seeds and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Once the seeds have cooled to room temperature place them in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until the seeds have reached a flour-like consistency. (If you have a really great food processor you could actually blend them into seed butter, but if I tried that I’d be working at it for the whole day.)
Add the dates and process until the mixture sticks together. Toss in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Cookies
Makes about 10 cookies
1 cup buckwheat flour
½ cup brown rice flour
1 tbsp. psyllium husk powder
½ cup water
¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Mix together the psyllium husk powder and water in a small bowl and set aside to form a gel.
Combine the buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, shredded coconut, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the melted coconut oil into the psyllium and water mixture, add the vanilla and honey and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir until completely combined.
Form the dough into 10 balls and set on a lined baking sheet. Press the cookies down slightly with the palm of your hand (they don’t spread too much in the oven, so they’ll be about whatever size you press them into).
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the golden brown.
Place the cookies on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, make the ice cream sandwiches. Place in the freezer for at least an hour to let the ice cream set up.
Let thaw for about 10 minutes before eating.
(Note: the recipe for the ice cream makes more than you’ll need to go with the cookies, but it delicious on its own. I personally like the ice cream right after it’s done in the ice cream maker, when it’s still like soft serve.)
Much love,
Lane
