Valentine’s Day is for lovers, sure…but it also makes us think of those perfect moms who seem to know exactly how to thrill their kids at each and every holiday! Mommy blogger Juli Novotny of Honest Company blogging fame is just one of those pure mamas, as her site is named, that came to mind when we wanted to whip up a few family-friendly recipes with no sugar. We receive hundreds of recipes from bloggers and readers here at the Chalkboard and lately we’ve been struck by how few of these healthy chefs use one of our favorite ingredients: stevia! We asked one of our favorite brands of the sweet and nutritionally beneficial stuff, Sweet Leaf, to lend us a bottle or two in order to let some of our favorite food bloggers try their hand with this ingredient! Here is our first recipe, a nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and raw wonder from Juli’s own kitchen.

“I love a good challenge. I think any chef does. When TCM offered the chance to whip up a recipe with Sweet Leaf stevia drops it took a few days of the best kind of brain-storming – good, long 50-minute runs – to come up with the best recipe. Creamy tangerine smoothies? Vegan chocolate mousse? My final decision was for a watermelon swirl ice cream. After a little playing in the kitchen, I decided to add the chocolate. The soft pink ice cream with chocolate is just in time for Valentine’s Day, and it’s so good it’s mind-boggling! There is no sugar and is is nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and raw. Enjoy!”

• Sugar-Free Pink Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream

• Creamy Watermelon Base Ingredients:
   2 young coconuts, meat only, scraped 

  1 can coconut milk, cream only - refrigerate overnight

  1 small watermelon - about 5 cups scooped

  25-30 drops Sweet Leaf watermelon stevia

  1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
• Directions:
  In a large high speed blender (I use a Vitamix), blend all ingredients on high until totally smooth. 

   

  Using any standard ice cream maker, put mixture into frozen bowl and let machine run for about 10-15 minutes.
• Chocolate chunks/swirl ingredients:
  9 dates, seeded and soaked for 3 hours

  3 Tbls cacao powder - cocoa or carob powder can be substituted

  1 pinch sea salt

  1 Tbls agave or maple syrup - optional. you can just use water

  4 drops Sweet Leaf clear stevia
• Directions:
  Blend all of the above ingredients on low in Vitamix until chopped up. Scrape mixture and then blend again. Slowly blend on medium using a spatula scrape until there is a homogenous paste/syrup. You want it to be thick but not chunky.

   

  After the creamy watermelon base has been running for about 10 minutes, add this chocolate mixture spoonful by spoonful. I added it slowly so it would mix well. 

   

  Note: I was hoping for more chocolate chunks in the ice cream. Instead, the chocolate blended in. I actually LOVED the taste, but if you want the chunks or swirls, add the chocolate mixture towards the end of the ice cream maker run - maybe 25 minutes into it, when ice cream is already fairly solid.

  Enjoy!