Icee

The one thing I've learned from being on Camden's allergy free diet is never waste any food. You will see me scrap the last palm shortening with the rubber spatula.

Yes, I am frugal. I've tried to buy almost everything that are on sale and use coupons. I compare prices, research products, and most of the time, I don't buy things on impulse. Most of the time.

Once, I waited so long for a breakfast table to go on sale that the company actually discontinued making it. When I found another breakfast table, I waited for over two years. Finally, I bought it with a discount and free shipping. It was worth the wait. Now I just have to find the chairs to go with it.

The only reason I don't throw away any food is because there are limited choices of clean food in the grocery stores these days. How many brands of baking powder or active dry yeast that are cleaned? Just one brand. So no, I don't like to throw away food. If I can help it, I will find a way to reinvent the food I already have or freeze them up for future cooking.

One time, I bought a cantaloupe from Sprouts Market. Tasted like cantaloupe. Smelled like cantaloupe. Super sweet and juicy. My kids ate... oh not so much of it and didn't want them any more. I thought and thought about what I'd do with the other half of the cantaloupe. What came to mind was making something cold. Maybe a smoothie? Even better, freeze the blended cantaloupe and scrap them into icee. I did this with lemonade before, making it into lemonade icee. Very refreshing in the summer heat.

Now, if you already scan my icee recipe, you probably think, "What? Just one ingredient?" Yup, just one. Cantaloupe. That's it. Since the cantaloupe was already super sweet and juicy, I never had to add water, milk, or sugar. And guess who luv the cantaloupe icee and asked for more? My kids!!! Go figure, right?

For watermelon and coconut-pineapple, I did add a little bit of agave to taste. After the fruits are blended, be sure to taste and add your preferred sweetener to your liking. Feel free to double or triple the ingredients. The icee is an alternative dairy free cold dessert.

Fruit Juice Icee
serve 4, depending on how much you made

watermelon or cantaloupe, seeded and peeled
sweetener (simple syrup, agave, maple syrup, or honey) to taste

1. For each fruit, cut it into cubes.
2. Place them in a blender.
3. Blend until the fruits becomes a smoothie.
4. Add sweetener to taste.
5. Pour the fruit "smoothie" into a freezable container.  NOTE: Casserole dish works well.
6. Freeze for an hour. Then using a fork, scrap the frozen fruits to break them into ice crystals. 
7. Freeze for another 30 minutes and again scrape the frozen fruits with a fork. Repeat this step as needed.
8. Keep frozen until ready to serve.

Coconut-Pineapple Icee (a.k.a Pina Colada)
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup pineapple puree

1. Warm the coconut milk, using a microwave or a stove top.
2. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Add the pineapple puree.
4. Mix and pour into the freezable container.
5. Freeze for an hour. Then using a fork, scrap the frozen fruits to break them into ice crystals.
6. Freeze for another 30 minutes and again using a fork to scrap the frozen fruits. Repeat this step as needed.
7. Keep the coconut-pineapple icee in the freezer until ready to serve.

Allergy Info: The icee is free from dairy, egg, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts (not coconut), and fish.