I'll admit it...I'm obsessed with ice cream. And in the summer heat, this obsession is only more pronounced.

I eat a small ice cream nearly every other night, which can become costly. In addition to that, I don't love the fact that I don't always know what ingredients I'm getting when I buy ice cream at a local shop. I especially wonder what goes into those soft-serve ice cream machines...and soft-serve happens to be my favorite form of ice cream. 

Ice cream might not fit into everyone's idea of a healthy lifestyle, but it fits into mine and The Clean Method just fine, since I don't believe in depriving oneself of enjoyable foods. Rather, I believe in indulging mindfully. I eat extremely healthy during the day and work hard to remain active and strong, so that I can continue to enjoy goodies like ice cream. If it's considered a vice, at least I know it could be much worse!

To save money - and speculation around ingredients - from buying ice cream out, I decided to take a stab at creating my own. Though I typically buy regular ice cream from local shops here on Long Island, I decided to take a stab at creating a healthier, dairy-free version of an ice cream flavor that I absolutely love: coffee. If I was going to get my hands dirty, I figured I might as well try to make something a tad bit 'clean.' And if it ended up being anything tasty (which it did) I wanted to share it with all of you! 

Since I don't have an ice cream maker, this recipe certainly took some experimentation in the kitchen, but after a few spills and mishaps, I finally got this dairy-free ice cream to have the creamy, soft-serve texture that I wanted. I have to say that it was surprisingly delicious! Here's how to make it. Oh and if you're a vegan - you can eliminate the egg, though I highly suggest keeping it in the recipe for texture if you're not. And if you want to purchase an ice cream maker or accessories, like these cute ice cream trays, I've also included those below!

RECIPE: HOMEMADE DAIRY-FREE COCONUT-COFFEE ICE CREAM RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS
SERVES 2-3 | DOUBLE THE BELOW TO SERVE 4-6
1 can: full fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon: coconut oil
8 teaspoons: coconut sugar (*I added a pinch more) 
8 teaspoons: coconut syrup (*can also substitute with brown rice syrup)
1 tablespoon: rum
1 egg (*if you prefer vegan ice cream, you can eliminate the egg, though I think this made all the difference in the smooth and creamy texture)
1 1/4 tablespoons: instant espresso
1/4 teaspoon: pink Himalayan sea salt (*can also use regular sea salt)

HOW TO MAKE:
PART ONE
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. 
2. Cook for ~8 minutes, whisking consistently. The sugar and espresso will dissolve, and the heat will reduce alcohol from the rum (though not eradicate its sumptuous flavor.) 

PART TWO
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER:
3. Transfer to a medium sized bowl (one that adequately fits over the ice bucket, see below.) 
4. Fill half of a large ice bucket with ice cubes. 
5. Whisk the mixture in the bow over the ice for ~30 minutes, with breaks in between.
6. Place in freezer for ~10 minutes and then immediately enjoy this (relatively) healthy dessert!

IF YOU DO HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER:
3. Transfer to a medium or large sized bowl and chill in the fridge until the base is cool (~ 15 minutes.)
4. Remove from the fridge and transfer mixture into the ice cream maker. Churn for ~20-30 minutes (depending upon the ice cream maker.) 
5. Eat immediately or transfer to a freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer overnight. 

Bon appetit! xo Christina Lee | follow TCM or me on IG

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​This week's featured clean recipe comes from blogger and fellow clean living connoisseur Mollie Mason. Like so many of you TCMer's, Mollie is interested in preventative health, with a focus on nourishing the body from the inside out: mind, body, heart & soul. Her recipes do just that, and we're especially eating up this coconut Chia one. As we've discussed on The Clean Method, there are so many amazing benefits to chia seeds. Deemed the "warrior food" by the Ancient Mayans, Chia seeds are loaded with protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain calcium and phosphorous, both of which aid in digestion and hydration. For more recipes containing this superfood, check out our take on Vanilla-Chia Pudding or our Baked Ginger Chia Blackberry Oats.  Mollie's recipe below!

Coconut Chia Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

• The good ingredients: 1 can of coconut milk (Mollie suggests the full-fat coconut milk)
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 scoops vital proteins collagen peptides (Mollie loves these peptides & includes them in many of her recipes!)
• 1/4 cup of chia seeds (Nutiva is Mollie's favorite)

Directions: 

1. Pour the coconut milk in a bowl. 
2. Add the collagen + vanilla extract + cinnamon. 
3. Whisk whisk whisk. --> If your coconut milk fat has separated from the liquid (which it should if it’s the real kind), you might even consider blending this part up to make sure it gets distributed nicely. Slowly pour the chia seeds in. Gently whisk as you go – You don’t want to be breaking the chia seeds, you just want to get them mixed in well. The goal here is to get the chia seeds to soak up the coconut milk and expand, so the slower the better. 
4. Refrigerate overnight.

To check out more of Mollie's recipes, visit her rockin' blog, where she also talks fitness & faith. You can also find Molly on social, both Twitter & Instagram -- this is where we found her :)

If you try this Chia pudding recipe at home, tell us what you think in the comments below! Have other awesome chia-containing recipes you'd like to share? We're accepting submissions for any & all clean living recipes and we love to see what you beauties are cooking up!

So email me! christina@the-clean-method.com for a chance to have your recipe featured in the weekly clean recipe roundup. As always, I love to hear from you. <3

To health & happiness!

Hi angels! You asked so I answered! Nearly every morning, after hot water with lemon and a dash of cayenne to kickstart my metabolism and wake up my brain (I am NOT a morning person!) I make this smoothie. It's super easy to make and it definitely gives me the energy I need! Sometimes I throw in some plant-based protein powder (just tried this one & love it!) though spirulina is a great, natural source of protein. I usually follow it up with eggs from the local farm or my favorite, home-made TCM pancakes!  

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. arrowroot 
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• a few dashes of sea salt

Wet: 

• 3 eggs
• ~3 tbsp. coconut oil (room temperature; a little more if including what you grease the tray with)
• 3 tbsp. natural almond butter (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup 
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (may have to alter temperature based on the type of oven you are using; I actually used a toaster oven for this recipe because it was too hot to start up the big oven!)

2.  Add all ingredients, except chocolate chips, to a large bowl and whisk thoroughly. (You can also lightly blend the ingredients in a Nutribullet or blender if you prefer a smoother texture for your cookies, though I actually liked mine to be a bit crunchy.) Mix in chocolate chips, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout mixture.

3. Use your hands to form cookie balls (~3" in diameter each) and spread them evenly over a cookie tray, lightly greased with the Coconut Oil, leaving at least a 1/2" between each ball so the cookies don't overlap as they bake. This batter should make about 12 large cookies, each of which are very filling!
​
4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and lightly crisped on the outside. If cooked properly, they will be warm and gooey on the inside. 

Enjoy these as a snack, dessert, or even breakfast like I did, as they'e low in sugar (and refined-sugar free) and high in protein, thanks to the eggs, almond butter and almond flour.  

I love smoothies and smoothie bowls of all types, hence many of the recipes you see included in this magazine and the ones contributed by you lovely readers. I particularly love Acai bowls – especially in the summer. They’re so delicious and refreshing, and provide the perfect jolt of energy for busy mornings!
 
For those of you unfamiliar with acai, it is a reddish-purple berry derived from the acai palm tree that is native to Central and South America. Acai berries are rich in antioxidants, which prevent free radical damage on the body.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 banana, frozen
• 1 cup of organic strawberries, frozen
• 2 tablespoons of acai powder
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk (coconut milk will be a little creamier)
• 1 tablespoon of organic almond butter
• ½ tablespoon of honey

 
How to make:
 

1. Add all ingredients to a blender (I like to use the Nutribullet.) Blend until creamy and smooth. Given the frozen fruit and powder, this might be a bit thicker than your traditional smoothie or smoothie bowl recipe.
2. Pour mixture into a bowl and add toppings of your choice, like fresh fruit, chia seeds, unsweetened organic coconut chips and/or bee pollen. As you’ll see from the picture, I like to keep it simple and top my bowl with freshly cut, organic fruit.

 

Chia seeds are all the craze for a reason - they're packed with protein, Omega-3s, antioxidants and calcium. As of recent, chia pudding has become such a hit clean-eating hit because it's simple to prepare and leaves so much room for creativity! You can enjoy this healthy recipe for breakfast or dessert. 

Since I had fresh, organic peaches and blueberries from a local Long Island Farm, I incorporated them into this recipe. However, you can also just follow the chia seed pudding recipe below and add any toppings you prefer - like fresh berries, herbs or different seeds and nuts - especially if you don't have time to roast a peach in the morning. (I get it; I work from home.) Anyways, feel free to top this lovely concoction how you'd like. 

Recipe: Coconut-Vanilla Chia Pudding with Roasted Peaches & Crushed Almonds 
*Recipe serves ~ four (unless you're super hungry like I was)
Ingredients:
Chia Seed Pudding: 

• 2 cups organic full-fat coconut milk (preferably in a non-BPA can; I like Whole Foods' 365 brand)
• ½ cup chia seeds
• ½ tsp organic vanilla extract
• ¼ cup organic coconut nectar 
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• dash of pink himalayan sea salt 
• dash of ginger powder 

Toppings:

• a handful of raw, organic almonds (crushed; see instructions below)
• a handful of organic coconut flakes 
• an organic peach (to roast; see instructions below) 
• a handful of organic blueberries 

Dressing for peach:

• 1/4 lemon (squeezed; see instructions below)
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• dash of pink himalayan sea salt 

How to make: 
Day 1 (night)

1. Blend all ingredients except chia seeds until smooth. Thoroughly whisk in chia seeds. 
2. Pour mixture into container (anything air-tight is fine; I used a glass jar) and place in the refrigerator overnight. 

Day 2 (morning)

1. Remove container from refrigerator. You'll notice the mixture has thickened and now really resembles pudding. Enjoy! 

*The next steps are optional if you have the time and would like to include the roasted peach portion. 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.  While oven preheats, cut peach in half and remove pit, then halve remaining slices.  
2. In a large bowl, combine lemon juice (squeezed from 1/4 lemon), maple syrup, sea salt, mixing thoroughly. Add in peach slices and continue to mix to glaze each slice . 
3. Arrange slices (cut-side facing up) on a baking dish and place in oven. 
4. Roast until peach slices are tender (~22 minutes) and then remove from oven and set aside to cool for a few minutes. (You might also want to remove slices from baking dish and place them on a plate or bowl so they do not continue to roast over the hot dish.) 
5. While peach cools, wrap almonds in a paper towel and use a meat tenderizer (random I know, but great trick) to quickly chop almonds into tiny pieces. Unwrap and toss the now crushed almond pieces over mixture. 

Again, if you don't want to have the time to roast fruit or crush almonds, you can simply enjoy the chia seed pudding the following morning, after it has been kept cold overnight. It transforms into a delicious, creamy yet airy mixture that feels more like a guilty pleasure than a healthy breakfast option - though that, I promise, it also is! It's amazing how the chia seeds really absorb the coconut milk to soften, and melt with it to create a great, gel-like consistency. Aside from healthy protein-packed pancakes, which you know I love, this has been a health breakfast favorite, to date. 

As always, let me know what you think if you give this recipe a go! As always, enjoy. 

I know a lot of you guys are all over the world - shout-out to some of my favorite spots like LA, Australia & London - so I'm not sure what the weather was like where you guys live today, but it has been crazy H O T here on Long Island. 

The recipes I make coincide with the seasons, but also my cravings. Today, because my gas tank has been pretty low from some auto-immune issues, I was looking for something refreshing and energizing.  (These seasonal allergies can be really energy-crushing! Raw, local honey works wonders for that, which you can usually find at a local market or farm.)

Anyways, this Superfood Coffee Cooler that I posted on IG is an energy powerhouse because it combines caffeine (coffee) and a superfood I totally love (maca.) I also love the fact that you don't need all of the ingredients to get the same refreshing and sweet effect. As you'll see below, I only had 1/2 a banana, so had to substitute with some pineapple! Don't feel limited by the ingredients. Maca is proven to increase energy and stamina, while improving attention and focus (exhibit A of why I love this stuff.) Make it work with what you have or create something new! These are all just suggestions. :)

Ingredients:

Dry:
1 tsp. maca
1 tsp. organic ground coffee
1 tsp. hemp seeds
1 tsp. prebiotic fiber
1/2 scoop of Vega Vanilla + Greens protein powder
1 tsp. turmeric
a dash of black pepper

Wet:
1 tbsp. cashew butter
1 tbsp. coconut oil 
1 cup unsweetened, vanilla almond milk
a handful of crushed ice 
1/2 banana
a few pieces of organic pineapple (about 1 in x 1 in thick)

How to make:

Blend together in a Nutribullet or blender for about 45 seconds. Of note: this smoothie is pretty gritty. If the coffee grinds are bothering you, you can strain them OR you can make the coffee beforehand and wait until it becomes room temperature before adding to the mixture. Just note that the drink will have a more watery texture if you use coffee as opposed to ground coffee beans, so you might want to decrease the amount of almond milk you add ( say to 1/2 cup.) 

I t s   t a s t e:  mildly spicy, bold, warm, earthy, slightly sweet (especially when combined with honey, see below!) 

W h e n   t o   e n j o y   i t:  about an hour before bedtime - as you would a soothing tea or a relaxing nightcap!

W h y  i t 's  g o o d  f o r  y o u:  Turmeric contains loads of nutrients, as well as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It also contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

W h a t   i t ' s  u s e d  t o  t r e a t:  sore throats, colds, flus, stomach aches, wounds, abrasions, skin issues (it has been shown to improve skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, and acne)

A n c i e n t  m e d i c i n a l  u s e s:  jaundice, menstrual problems, blood in the urine, hemorrhaging, toothaches, bruises, chest pain, flatulence, and colic.

I t s  h i s t o r y:  Belonging to the ginger family, turmeric has been used as a healing spice in Eastern cultures for thousands of years. It has also been traditionally used for flavoring and coloring in Asian cooking, and as a fabric dye. 

Here's what's in it:

• 1 can of organic coconut milk
• 2 tsp. of turmeric powder 
• 1/2 medium-sized turmeric root (these look like little caterpillars, as you can see in the Instagram pic!) 
• 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 of fresh ginger (can substitute with 2 tsp. of ginger powder, though fresh ginger is preferred) 
• 1 tsp. raw local honey (can also use 1/4 teaspoon of Stevia) 
• a few dashes of black pepper (peppercorn enhances the absorption of curcumin, the main component found in turmeric responsible for its medicinal properties)
• a pinch of cayenne pepper ​

Here's how to make it:

1. Use a blender (for about a minute) or a NutriBullet (for about 30 seconds) to combine all the ingredients, except the honey.
2. Pour mixture into a small saucepan over high heat, and bring to a light boil, whisking thoroughly. 
3. Reduce heat and let mixture simmer for up to 10 minutes. Stir in the honey (and/or Stevia) a few minutes before removing from the stove.
4. Enjoy! I find this drink to be the most soothing if you drink it when it's still warm!

*If you do not have a blender, you can use still combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, and simply strain the milk of excess turmeric root, peppercorns or ginger before serving. If you do not have a blender, it is recommended you grate the ginger and finely chop the turmeric root before adding ingredients to saucepan. ​

Hello my loves. Happy Thursday! You know what that means -- one more day until F R I Y A Y! Thank god, right? Okay, sorry, long week... I digress. 

Anywho, I've been working on some interesting content that I'm P U M P E D to share with you guys soon, so my sincere apology that this recipe for these delicious baked ginger oats is F I N A L L Y live.

Truth be told, I've baked healthy renditions of oat bars and oatmeal cookies in the past, but I've never played with baked oatmeal (though I've made oats stovetop, of course.) After tasting this recipe, I'm really not sure why I hadn't explored this before! Aside from my protein-packed, all-natural pancakes that I'm pretty obsessed with, this was candidly one of my all-time favorites for breakfast to-date. As always, it's healthy, gluten-free, low sugar and free of all of that white crap that's killing us from the inside out. Just simple, quality ingredients. By the way, I used to be pretty handicapped in the kitchen - as in boiled water was my speciality - so if I can start making clean recipes like these, I know you guys can, too! Okay, recipe below!

Ingredients: 

Dry

• 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw pecans, ground or chopped
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• pinch of pink himalayan sea salt

Wet

• 1 1/2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. water
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (and a bit extra, if you'd like, for topping your warm oat bake) 
• 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• ~1/2 cup fresh, organic blackberries (or other berries, if you so wish!) 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (300 if it's a convection oven.) Coat a large, cast-iron skillet with 3/4 tbsp. of the coconut oil and set aside. 

In a small bowl, add chia seats and pour designated water over. Allow to sit for a few minutes until the mixture has a gel-like consistency. Then, mix well.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a second, small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, including the gelled chia seeds. Stir thoroughly until all of the previously dry ingredients become moist.

Pour the mixture into the skillet and top with your berries. Bake for 27 minutes (23-25 if a convection oven), or until golden brown (but not burned!) 

Remove from oven and allow baked oats to cool for about 15 minutes before serving warm. If you don't eat it all on your own or share with your loved ones (this was so yummy, I'll admit I was a bit selfish with my portion) store in a glass, air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will last for several days, and you can reheat in the oven or microwave, with oven preferable, before enjoying. I added a bit more unsweetened almond milk to mine. 

As always, if you make this recipe, let me know your thoughts via comments below or shoot me an email (thecleanmethod@gmail.com.) P.S. - my foodie followers, you guys are so C R A Z Y  T A L E N T E D. The submissions and emails I've received for Feature of the Week recipes are truly incredible! You can also DM them to us on Instagram.  

​Lots of love! 

Ingredients
​

• 1 egg
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of gluten-free oats 
• 1/4 cup of amaranth flour
• 1 cup of coconut milk 
• 1 tbsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp arrowroot
• 1 tsp of coconut oil (plus additional coconut oil for skillet, see below) 
• 1 tsp of honey

How to make

Heat ~ 1 tsp. coconut oil in a skillet over low heat. Pour batter in, evenly distributing. Cook for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy warm. 

Optional: top with fresh berries (I love organic blueberries and strawberries.) 

Enjoy!