Soap Queen

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Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”

Filed Under: Soap Queen Cuisine

Frozen Banana Ice Cream
Happy National Ice Cream Day! If you ever needed an excuse to indulge with a bowl of ice cream, today is the day. If you’re like me and want to celebrate without any guilt, this Frozen Banana Ice Cream is the ticket. This “ice cream” contains only one ingredient: bananas. When frozen and blended, bananas transform into a thick and creamy ice cream texture. The first time I tried it, I was honestly shocked how delicious and satisfying it was!

This “recipe” really couldn’t be easier. All you need are 2 ripe bananas and a powerful food processor or blender. If your blender/food processor is not very strong, a splash of milk might be needed to help the bananas blend. Ripe bananas work best, as they give the “ice cream” natural sweetness. Toppings such as nuts, fruit and chocolate sauce taste amazing on this no-guilt ice cream. My favorite topping combination is blueberries and almond shavings. You can also add other ingredients to change up the flavor such as peanut butter, chocolate, cinnamon, and even pumpkin!
Frozen Banana Ice Cream Recipe
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Handmade Safari Project Roundup

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

Handmade Safari
For the past two weeks, the blog has been full of projects inspired by the gorgeous continent of Africa. The first tutorial was the Wild Leopard Print Cold Process Soap, which featured a warm blend of Mayan Gold and Black Tea Fragrance Oils. A small amount ofCinnamon Leaf Essential Oil was added to help give the soap a thicker texture, as well additional spice. To create the realistic leopard print, thick soap is placed into disposable frosting bags and piped in layers (see photo below). If you prefer a brighter color palette, check out the Leopard Spots Tutorial created in 2013.

Leopard Print Cold Processcollage

 

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Spicy Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe

Filed Under: Soap Queen Cuisine

Spicy Peanut Butter Ice Cream Recipe

Now that summer is right around the corner, it’s officially ice cream season! While creating the African inspired tutorials (find them here and here, with more coming soon) I started thinking about African cuisine. Immediately, my mind went to African peanut soup. But with temperatures around 75 degrees, soup didn’t sound appealing. This Spicy Peanut Butter Ice Cream was inspired by flavors found in African peanut soup. As a bonus, my Dad LOVES Peanut Butter ice cream and Peanut Butter Pie so it’s the perfect Father’s Day treat.

Dr. Richard Faiola + Daughter Anne-Marie

My amazing Dad

Made with coconut milk, peanut butter and a dash of cayenne pepper, this vegan ice cream is incredibly creamy and delicious. The spice from cayenne pepper doesn’t kick in until the end of each bite. At first it’s like eating regular peanut butter ice cream, with a little kick! If you’re not a fan of spice, you can certainly leave it out or reduce the amount. I chose to use natural, un-sweetened peanut butter so I could add just the right amount of sugar. I also added unsalted peanuts for added crunch. To make this recipe extra creamy, I used “full fat” coconut milk, but you could certainly use light coconut milk as well. 


Spicy Peanut Ice Cream Recipe

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you could try placing the ice cream “batter” into the freezer, although the texture may not be as creamy and smooth. An ice cream maker is definitely a luxury kitchen appliance, but I love having mine during the summer. It’s great for creating frozen yogurt and sherbet. If you’re looking for more frozen treats, check out this Blackberry, Basil and Lemon Sorbet recipe.

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