Flippin’ ‘eck! This is good!
I have discovered a new love of Sweet Potato, and have been making a couple of absolute ‘sweet’ delights over the last few weeks – I know it seems a bit weird…Sweet Potato?! but I just cant get enough!. I know they must be good when I have to make more because my husband has eaten them all them! So Sweet Potato Muffins (which will come soon) and the bestest bestest ever (especially when everyone around me is asking for ice cream or lollies), is my new stash of Ice Cream Choc Ices and it feels oh so good!!!
This lovely warm weather brings cravings for something cool, sweet and sticky but as an example, The Ice Cream Classic ‘Magnum’ has a whopping 250 calories. These little beauties have only 129 calories with the added bonus of 5g of protein. And they have some amazing ingredients.
So why Sweet Potato?
Sweet Potatoes are so very different to normal white starchy ones, they are full of beta-carotene and vitamin A which are essential for strengthening the immune system against infection, and vital for vision, as well as helping to build and maintain clean, glowing skin. They are also filled with antioxidants and amazing anti-inflamatory properties, which is so important for keeping you healthy. Sweet Potatoes contain no saturated fats or cholesterol, and are a much richer source of dietary fiber than regular potatoes. They also provide good amounts of vital minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium that are very essential for enzyme, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism.
The other ingredients in this bar also have some amazing nutritional benefits; Hazelnuts (or Filberts) contain phytopchemicals, including proanthocyanidins. These proanthocyanidins belong to a group called the flavonoids. Flavonoids can support brain health, improve circulation and reduce symptoms associated with allergies. Hazelnuts are also a good source of oleic acid which can help to lower levels of bad cholesterol.
The other main ingredient, Cacao Powder is also a Superfood with some amazing qualities. Cacao Powder is the purest, rawest form of chocolate you can buy and I love it!. Believe it or not it actually aids weight loss (because of its high chromium and coumarin content), can prevent tooth cavities and it regulates blood sugars which is beneficial for diabetics and also helps to prevent cravings. Raw Cacao benefits the heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole.
So all in all, a pretty impressive bunch of ingredients, not only do these bars taste so utterly amazing, they are actually GOOD for you!! Go on and enjoy feeling good about yourself!
For the Ice Bar (Makes 8)
- 1 Medium Sweet Potato
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Hazelnuts (Filberts)
- 4 Medjool Dates
For the Chocolate Topping
- 4 Tsp Raw Cacao Powder
- 2.5 Tsp Agave Syrup
- 6 Tsp Warm Water
- Peel and chop the Sweet Potato and steam for about 20 minutes until lovely and soft
- Blend with the Almond Milk and allow to cool. Store in the fridge until ready to make
- Roast the Hazelnuts (Filberts) in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the skins start detaching
- Place the roasted nuts and skins in the Food Processor and blend for a minute
- Add the Sweet Potato mix and the dates and blend until all lovely and gooey
- Scoop out onto a sheet of cling film (film wrap) and form into a square/rectangle about 1cm thick.
- Wrap the cling film around and place carefully into the freezer to harden overnight
- In a bowl mix the Cacao powder with the warm water and Agave until completely mixed. Leave to thicken up a bit while you remove the choc ice from the freezer, unwrap and cut with a large knife into 8 squares.
- Carefully spoon the chocolate mix over each square and spread.
- Put straight back into the freezer on a tray or plate to solidify for an hour or so.
- To prevent Freezer Burn, keep all the Choc Ices in a Freezer safe container separated with parchment paper so they don’t all stick together and take them out when you are ready to devour!!
Enjoy…x
Clean Em 