By Alison Feller, Well+Good
As the blogger behind The Rawtarian and host of The Raw Food Podcast, Laura-Jane Koers is best known for her I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-cooked recipes. And in her new cookbook, Cook Lively!,
the Nova Scotia-based recipe developer is offering up her favorite
tried-and-true recipes as well as many new ones—including a blast from
her past.
“I’ve always loved the creamy, citrusy flavor of the orange
creamsicles from my youth,” Koers says. “The sweet, tangy flavor takes
me back to warm summers riding my bike around my neighborhood or
wandering free at the beach on lazy summer days.” After years of
creating raw vegan sweet treats (think cashew cheesecakes and banana
cream pies), Koers decided it was time to re-awaken those childhood
tastebuds. The result: a super simple orange creamsicle ice cream cake
recipe (“all you need is a quick whiz in the blender,” Koers says) that’s kid-friendly and adult-approved.
“The sweet, tangy flavor takes me back to warm summers
riding my bike around my neighborhood or wandering free at the beach on
lazy summer days.”
Of course, a key factor when it comes to making a creamsicle is that it is, in fact, creamy.
So how’d she pull off the spot-on consistency without any dairy? “The
recipe gets its texture from unsalted, unroasted cashews, which are also
full of heart-healthy fats, protein,
vitamins, and minerals” Koers says. “And the orange flavor comes from a
real orange, so you’re getting all the benefits of whole food
ingredients instead of just a few drops of orange extract.”
Laura-Jane Koers’ Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream Cake with Suspended Blueberries
Yields 1 medium cake (8 servings)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup peeled, chopped orange
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
1. Line an 8-inch springform pan (or a standard pie plate or loaf pan) with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Add all the ingredients to your blender except the blueberries. Blend until smooth, with a texture similar to a smoothie.
3. Add the blueberries to the blender (but do not blend). Stir gently to distribute the berries.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan. Smooth out with the back of a spoon.
5. Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours (and longer if possible), or
until it is firm and you can cleanly slice it with a knife.
6. Once ready to eat, top with additional orange slices and
blueberries, if desired, and then slice. Store in the freezer at all
times.
Each week we spotlight a healthy-delish recipe that’s truly
genius (and easy to make) from someone who’s wowed us in the food world.
We’re talking buzzy cookbook authors and Instagram foodies to brilliant
chefs.
