I don’t know about you, but I really love pistachios.
My Nonna introduced me to them, she would buy a huge bag and we would sit together in the summer time pealing them in the kitchen and eating them and sharing them with each other. I had so much fun doing that with her. She always wanted to cut walnuts with me too, cracking the shells, but I hated walnuts growing up, so I was never interested in that. We would walk a couple of blocks and go pick these blackberries off of a local tree, I’m not sure what berries they were exactly, but they were big and juicy. I actually did not like them much, but Nonna did so I helped climb the low branches to get them for her. Then she would walk me to visit Nonna who was usually out working on one of his apartments, painting away or going house to house to see what needed to be done. Maybe we would grab a couple of delicious fresh figs off of his 13yr old fig tree. We would walk back and enjoy our fruit and wait for my mom to come home from work or shopping and just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. I miss those days, now a days Nonna has Dementia, Nonno’s fig tree has died from a harsh winter a few years back, the berry tree was cut down since then, and Lyme disease has made it so I cannot enjoy the summer sunshine without getting symptomy. Sorry to get all sad in this, I am having a hard time accepting the fact that things change and people grow up. It does however make room for a new generation to come, with new life and new memories. But for me, pistachios will always remind me of my Nonna back when she was herself.
So yea, I love pistachios.
If you do too, and you just so happen to love ice cream, but maybe you’re lactose intolerant, or became vegan for moral reasons, or maybe you’re just a happy meat eater looking for something new to try, I recommend delighting yourself with this rich pistachio super-food boosting ice cream.
Whenever I use to buy pistachio ice cream in the grocery store, it always contained green food coloring or chemicals, and it was Never as bold of a flavor as anticipated. It almost tasted watered down, or like the company skimped out on the delicious pistachio nuts when making the ice cream. I never liked that. But not with this. This recipe truly is amazing and rich with flavor.
Plus it is packed with nutrients like B vitamins, Vitamin K, Omega’s, Iron, Beta-Carotene, Manganese, etc. all from the healthy Spirulina and Spinach combination. I used it because it helps add the beautiful green color (instead of using things like food coloring), but it also adds a super healthy benefit that does not alter the taste ;P There is a lot of hype on the internet over Spirulina, it is truly a wonderful way to get in a lot of vitamins and minerals in a very tiny form. If you don’t already supplement with it, perhaps do some research and see if it is something you want to add to your medicine cabinet. And who couldn’t use a little more green leafy spinach in their diet? 😀
I hope you guys enjoyed your holiday (hopefully off from work). I still had a full day of work, but I am done now and on my way home, whoopee!
Ingredients
- 12oz - Pistachio Nuts (unshelled)
- 1/2 Cup - Cashews (soaked)
- 1 Handful - Spinach Leaves
- 4-6 Tablets - Spirulina, Crushed
- 1 Cup - Almond Milk
- 1 Can - Coconut Milk
- 1/2 Cup - Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp - Cardamom Powder
- Dash of Sea Salt
- OPTIONAL - 6oz Dark Chocolate
Instructions
- Soak half of your pistachio nuts (6oz worth, set your other half aside) and cashews for at least 4 hours in a bowl of water with a dash of sea salt (make sure the water is at least 1" higher than the nuts so the nuts don't soak it all up!).
- Drain and rinse your nuts.
- Add to a high powered blender with almond milk, spinach and crushed Spirulina, and blend on high until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, add a can of coconut milk, maple syrup, cardamom powder and a dash of salt, and mix over medium-low heat.
- Next add your creamy nut milk blend to the pan and continue stirring. Do not let it come to a boil.
- Cook for another 5-10 minutes on low while continuing to stir, until everything thickens and mixes well together. Turn off, remove from the stove and let cool for a few minutes.
- With your remaining 6oz of pistachio nuts, add to a coffee grinder and crush into smaller pieces.
- Grab a glass container (I used a bread pan) and begin pouring your mixture in with the crushed pistachio pieces. Feel free to add optional melted chocolate in and oh-so gently stir in, or crushed chocolate pieces in at this time.
- Place into the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to chill, then cover and transfer to the freezer to harden for at least 3-4 hours.
- When ready to eat, take it out 20 minutes in advance to help soften so it is easier to scoop out, and enjoy!!