Why am I posting an ice cream recipe mid-November you may ask? Well, there are two reasons:

#1. There is never a wrong time to eat ice cream (someone please second this)
#2. I have big news to share and it sort of plays into the “theme” – think frozen dessert

First up – the food! That’s why you’re here after all 🙂 A nut-free, refined sugar free and dairy free ice cream that plays off the flavors of halvah – sesame seed paste (aka tahini) combines with honey and coconut milk for a creamy ice cream that I’m completely addicted to. It’s sweet but not overly so, thanks to the nutty tahini that balances well with the honey.

Halvah-Inspired Tahini Ice Cream (inspired by my Peanut Butter Bliss Ice Cream)

Ingredients

1 can of full-fat coconut milk (canned)
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (coconut milk, almond milk, rice or soy milk)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste, I used Jovya brand)
4-6 Tbsp honey or to taste (or agave for vegan)*
dash of Himalayan pink salt (about 1/8 tsp)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional

For garnish and serving

Black or white sesame seeds
Drizzle of tahini and/or drizzle of honey (or agave)
OR chocolate/carob chips or chunks for a chocolate twist!

Directions

Using ice cream maker: 

1. Add all base ingredients to a blender or food processor and combine until smooth.
2. According to your ice cream maker’s instructions, add to bowl and allow to churn until desired consistency is met. Either serve straight from the ice cream maker and garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of tahini and/or honey for serving. If you have patience, place the ice cream in a freezer safe container and allow to freeze for 1 hour before serving then garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of tahini and/or honey and enjoy!

Without ice cream maker: 

1. Add all base ingredients in a blender or food processor and combine until smooth.
2. Pour into 2 freezer safe bowls and place in the freezer for at total of 1.5-2 hours, removing every 30 minutes to stir so that it doesn’t turn into one large solid block of ice.
3. When it gets to a soft serve consistency, you are ready to eat! Garnish with sesame seeds and a drizzle of tahini and/or honey and enjoy 

*Tahini has a slight bitterness to it. Taste the ice cream base prior to freezing and adjust sweetness. You want the mixture slightly sweeter than you would your ice cream since cold dulls the sweetness. Start with less and add to your liking – you can always add more tahini and honey/agave but it’s more difficult to take away 🙂

So, are you on the edge of your seat in anticipation for my big news? 🙂

Although this doesn’t necessarily affect Natural Noshing directly, Chris and I are in for a world of change and adventure in the upcoming year — We are moving to Helena, Montana (from Denver) to open up a non-franchise self-serve frozen yogurt store!

What? Do I sound crazy? You see, my in-laws are familiar with the yogurt business and have always wanted to start some type of business in Montana. Chris and I have the urge to move somewhere different for a while before we “settle down and start a family” and this was the perfect fit. It’s been about 4 months in the making but after discussing options with them and attempting to open a store here in Denver , all roads led to Montana. We are really excited, a little nervous and ready to take on new experiences in a brand new town with our own new business!

Our store will be called “The Frozen Moose” and we will serve YoCream which is REAL frozen yogurt with ACTIVE, LIVE cultures (unlike many chains that make their yogurt from a mix). We’ve been working on a design, logo, suppliers etc and want the store to have a Montana cozy n’ hangout feel. I might even have the opportunity bake gluten free goodies once we get our feet wet!

I have made several trips up to Montana in the past couple months but I didn’t want to announce anything until a lease was signed and things lined up – and now’s the time! Did you know that Montana is one of four states in the US that isn’t saturated with frozen yogurt stores? As of right now, The Frozen Moose will be the only self-serve yogurt store in Helena and we hope it stays that way 🙂

So what does this mean for Natural Noshing? I LOVE blogging and creating recipes and that’s NOT going away – no worries! Just bear with me over the next several months while we make the move to Helena (in three weeks), un-pack, get situated and start selling yogurt. I will continue to post recipes and possibly have some guest posts (if anyone is interested, please email me). We hope to have the store open mid-January but I will keep you posted on the progress 🙂

Up next — what’s goes well with ice cream??? CAKE – Someone special’s birthday is tomorrow!