Pineapple Mint Sorbet

Sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free of course!

THIS RECIPE FIRST APPEARED IN MY 2016 ADVENT CALENDAR

Pineapple Mint Sherbet Sorbet Recipe

(gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, grain-free)

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This recipe is adapted from one given to me by my mom – and it brings back such strong memories of my childhood birthdays (it was what I requested every year for quite some time!)

I made this version of it for a big family Christmas dinner a couple of years ago and it was a big hit (or “thumbs up” as Mila would say).

Mila's Meals Pineapple Mint Sherbet Sorbet

Key: gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, grain-free, for adults too

Makes 1.75 litres

Prep Time: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

(t. = teaspoon; T. = tablespoon, C. = cup)

1-2 C. non-GMO xylitol (depending on how sweet you want it. I find 2 cups insanely sweet)
3 C. filtered water
1 C fresh mint leaves, stem removed and washed
2 t. matcha powder (optional)
Juice of 3 oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
3 bananas, peeled
270 g (1 medium sized) fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped
2 free-range/organic egg whites
1-3 T. freshly pressed kale juice (to use as green food colouring)

METHOD

Place the water and xylitol in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off.
Crush the mint leaves with your hands to release their oils and juice. Add them and the matcha powder to the xylitol syrup and stir to mix. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to infuse for 1 hour.
Pour the infused xylitol syrup through a sieve to remove the mint leaves and set aside.
Place the orange juice, lemon juice, bananas and pineapple in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
Fold the egg whites into the fruit mixture.
Stir in the kale juice – 1 tablespoon at a time until you have the desired green colour.
If you have an ice cream machine, transfer the mixture to it and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you don’t have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and place it in the freezer. Remove the container after an hour and beat the mixture with a fork. Return to the freezer. Continue doing this until you ice cream is frozen through.
Serve topped with some bright red strawberries (and a raw chocolate if you want to be really decadent!)

Why this will be the perfect start to your Christmas Feast

Start? Yes… Mint is a great appetizer or palate cleanser, and it promotes digestion. The smell of mint activates the salivary glands in our mouth (saliva is the first step in the digestion process) as well as the glands which secrete digestive enzymes. When mint is used as an appetizer it encourages easy digestion of the main meal.

And, besides, by using this sorbet as an appetizer, you can have the Chai Tea Ice Cream as the dessert 🙂

What is Matcha?

“Matcha or maccha is a finely ground, bright emerald-green tea powder. It is a natural, organic green tea which has been the heart of the famous Japanese tea ceremony for over 900 years. The Buddhist monks honored matcha tea as the ‘health elixir’ for its potential to heighten the concentration and enhance the metabolism.” – Organic Facts

Image Source: Matthew Hadley on Flickr

Why use Matcha?

Besides my eternal quest to sneak ‘the good stuff’ (i.e. nutrient-dense foods) into anything I make, I also added matcha to this sorbet to add the green colour. I find that kale juice works much better though – so the matcha is optional.

Matcha does contain caffeine, so if you are using this recipe for the little ones, it is perhaps best to leave it out. Matcha, however, also contains an amino acid called L-Theanine, which improves concentration while encouraging relaxation – effectively counteracting the side effects of caffeine.

Matcha has a long list of health benefits. It boosts the immune system, metabolism and energy, aids detoxification and heightens concentration.

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