Creamy Vegan "Ice Cream" Dessert (Secret Ingredient)

Marjorie’s Super Fudge 'Ice Cream' Dessert

Intuitive concoctions can be created when cravings are high for something sweet, creamy and rich tasting. Last month I was at Hugo’s Taco Stand in Sherman Oaks , California, across from Hugo’s Restaurant which has a one of the best healthy menus in LA.

They have a yummy soft serve mock ice-cream that is rich, creamy and very flavorful. I was told the main ingredient was yams. Most of the icecream copy-cats are dense with cashew nuts. I wanted a low fat alternative.

Then I was at the Asian market on Sepulveda down the street from Costco and got some purple yams and other colorful potatoes to add a rainbow to my healthy diet. I found one gigantic yam, it was enough for an army and decided to experiment with  it.

I baked the smaller yam and had some for a sweet, rich healthy superfood dessert.

The other day I went to the fridge and the giant super size one was  still there. So I decided to experiment and voila! I ended up making a creamy fudge dessert that can be frozen into an icecream, too.

Here’s what I did:  Another Guiltless Pleasure Chocolate Fudge Dessert

1 cooked Yam/Sweet Potato peeled 
1 cup of Organic Coconut Milk (or any nut milk)
1-2 tablespoons of Coconut Cream (or more)
4 Deglette dates and soaked date syrup*
3 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder
(You may add a few ice cubes later when the mixture is moving)

Peel and slice Yam/Sweet Potato into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
Begin slowly adding the cut up peeled yam sections into the Vitamix
Blend in gradually adding the Organic Coconut Milk,Coconut Cream, and slowly add the cocoa or cacao powder into the mixture

If blender gets stuck or moves slow, scrape the sides and mix a bit with a spatula, then start up again and additional milk or water may be used. Use the damper rod to aerate the mixture as it gradually blends, while remaining thick.

Blending this is an art, as the Vitamix requires experience to work it. At some point taste to see if you need additional flavor or sweetness. I also added a pinch of Himalayan pink salt. 1 tsp of Vanilla extract. At one point it was so rich and creamy I had to stop.

Use a spatula to clean out the pitcher and put in a container. Enjoy it immediately or put extra in freezer.

*Extra Date syrup to taste
ENJOY!!!

Here's another version instead of chocolate:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, purée potato until creamy, about 4 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape bowl to prevent syrup from settling on the bottom. Add milk and blend, then add honey, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and process until mixture turns from dark orange to light orange in color and becomes creamy, about 4 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a 9 x 9-inch metal cake pan and freeze for 12 hours, until solid. To serve, remove from freezer and let rest for about 5 minutes, until scoop-able.

Here's a bit of trivia from the North  Carolina Sweet Potatoes Industry

Sweet Potato vs. Yam

What's in a name? When it comes to the yam, a bit of confusion. What is marketed in the United States as "yams" are really a variety of sweet potato, grown in the South. A true yam is a starchy edible root of the Dioscorea genus, and is generally imported to America from the Caribbean. It is rough and scaly and very low in beta carotene. Read More

Sweet Potato Nutrition

A medium sweet potato provides over 300% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which plays a role in eye, bone and immune health. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, so be sure to eat your sweet potatoes with a little fat, like a pat of butter, for maximum vitamin absorption.
Read More