I’ve got a sweet tooth that I tend to indulge right to the point where my system is forced to send out signals: calm down, Maria, take it easy…
Too many sweets (even healthy ones, such as grade B maple syrup and raw honey) can turn on an inflammatory response in susceptible individuals, with broken immunity. There is a very thin borderline, crossing which can make quite a difference in the way you feel, which is why it is wise to take it easy on sweets.
I like to create healthy, guilt-free sweets, that wouldn’t add an additional burden on my overly stressed immune system. If you’ve been eating paleo for a while, you probably know that nearly every sweet-tasting vegetable can be turned into a treat, so why not purple sweet potatoes? After all, they are powerhouses of vitamins and minerals and contain very special protective pigments, anthocyanins, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, if you want to calm down the existing inflammation, stock up on purple sweet potatoes, which will definitely knock that inflammation down, especially in combination with ginger!
I’ve got the inspiration to create this purple sweet potato ice cream from my other recipe, sweet potato puree, which tasted almost like a treat. So, I though that it would be a great idea to convert it into a refreshing treat, such as an ice cream which is, by the way, perfect for this time of the year! Coconut sugar is optional in this recipe, as even without sugar this ice cream will be able to satisfy your sweet tooth or teeth if you’ve got many of them;)
- 1 pound purple sweet potatoes
- 1 red apple, cored
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar*
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes and apple in a large baking pan and coat them with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Place in the oven on a center rack and bake for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, combine ¼ cup of the coconut milk with 1 tablespoon of the arrowroot powder and set aside.
- In a saucepan preheat the remaining coconut milk with coconut sugar over medium heat until very hot, but not boiling. Remove milk from the heat and add the earlier prepared coconut-arrowroot mixture, stir to combine (the mixture will thicken). Set aside until completely cooled, about one hour.
- Once the sweet potatoes and apple are cooked, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool. When safe to handle, remove skin** from the sweet potatoes and apple.
- Transfer all the ingredients into a blender and mix until very smooth.
- Process in an ice cream maker for about 20 minutes.
- Enjoy right away or place in a freezer for a firmer consistency.
*Sugar is optional as this ice cream tastes sweet enough without any additional sweeteners.
**The skin is very tasty, so I end up eating it right away!
Remove ice cream from freezer 15 minutes in advance to allow it to soften before serving.
Maria is the blogger behind the Zesty Paleo website. As a Hashimoto's patient for more than a decade, Maria has constantly been taking steps to improve her quality of life, including nutrition and lifestyle choices.
I love using purple sweet potatoes in my cooking and look forward to trying this decadent recipe of yours.
Hi Astrid, thank you for dropping by. I agree, sweet potatoes are so comforting and I enjoy using them in my recipes.
Is the coconut milk used in this recipe supposed to be canned and full fat, or just regular in the carton? I’m very excited to try this recipe!
Hi Madi! Regular coconut milk is fine as purple sweet potatoes have a rich and creamy texture.
I am living in Ecuador. Don’t have arrowroot flour. I do have coconut flour? Also, no coconut sugar. Could I use stevia or honey?
Hi Carrita!
There are many options to choose from: you can use tapioca starch or add gelatin powder to the heated milk. And you can definitely replace coconut sugar with honey or stevia (though I do not recommend stevia if you have an autoimmune condition) but keep in mind that honey is sweeter than coconut sugar.
I’m avoiding apples for right now. Can I make this without the apple?
I think that it will be fine to omit the apple. Or you can use pear or peach instead of an apple.