Who says Organic dessert has to be complicated?!

It's funny because I think that the idea of "Organic" conjures up all kinds of different ideas in different people. My family isn't walking around eating twigs or any other crazy stuff. We are eating healthier which means in some ways it is more about what we are NOT eating! We are not eating pesticides and chemicals or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We are eating food that is more pure like it is supposed to be. Just about ANYTHING you normally eat, you can find an organic version of. (Of course, I prefer to make food from scratch whenever possible, but that's not always feasible.) One of the reasons I LOVE shopping at a store like Earth Fare is that they literally have everything there in organic form!

Here is the quick and easy dessert we had tonight--Organic Ice Cream in Organic Ice Cream Cones! Who knew Organic Ice Cream Cones existed--not me!





















We even stumbled upon organic seaweed while there today for making your own sushi--how cool!
Earth Fare also sells these wonderful organic cookies that are similar to Oreos but organic! I think it would be terrific to use these for a pie crust or just eat with a cold glass of milk! As you can see, we've already dug in!

I guess the point I am making is that eating organic and eating healthier doesn't mean you have to give up everything that you love--you just have to search a little to find the healthier version of it. Cookies are cookies in any form and of course should be eaten in moderation, but I feel a little better about giving my kids cookies that I know do not have pesticides, GMOs, High Fructose Corn Syrup, or Hydrogenated Oils and Trans Fat in them.

Oh, and while we are talking about desserts and ice cream, if you'd prefer to make your own, here is a delicious ice cream recipe for your ice cream maker that I got out of a Cuisinart Recipe Booklet for the Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker that we own. It is YUMMY! Again, this recipe is TOTALLY doable with all organic ingredients! If you'd like to lighten it up a little, you may substitute lower fat creams and milk for heavy creams and whole milk that the recipe calls for.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

1 pint fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed & sliced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream plus any accumulated juices from the strawberries and the vanilla.
Pour into ice cream maker and mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes (in the model that I own).
Add the sliced strawberries during the last 5 minutes of freezing. The ice cream will have a pale pink appearance due to the strawberries.

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen