Roasted Carrot And Apple Vegan Ice Cream

• 0.300 kg Carrots, washed and chopped
• 0.200 kg Tart apple (such as Granny Smith or McIntosh), unpeeled, cored, and chopped
• 0.015 kg Coconut oil or maple syrup (for roasting)
• 1 can (0.400 lt) Full-fat coconut milk (chilled overnight in the fridge)
• 0.075 kg Raw cashews (soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drained)
• 0.090 kg Pure maple syrup or agave nectar (adjust to taste)
• 0.004 kg Vanilla extract
• 0.0025 kg Ground cinnamon
• 0.001 kg Fresh ginger

1. 1 Soak the cashews in cold water overnight, doubling the amount of liquid to the solids.
2. 2 Roast the veggies: preheat your oven to 200 c / 400°f.
3. 3 Toss the chopped carrots and apples with coconut oil and a pinch of cinnamon.
4. 4 Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes until the edges are caramelised and the fruit and veggies are fork-tender.
5. 5 Let cool completely.
6. 6 Blend: add the cooled roasted apples and carrots to a high-speed blender along with the coconut milk, drained soaked cashews, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
7. 7 Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety.
8. 8 Freeze: no-churn method: pour the thick mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe container.
9. 9 Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, stirring vigorously with a fork every 30 minutes to break up any ice crystals until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
10. 10 Churner method: pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
11. 11 Nutritional Highlights: this dairy-free ice cream base yields approximately 950 mL (about 4 cups) of frozen dessert. It is a highly nutrient-dense, plant-based treat providing approximately 2,200 calories, 210g of fat, 85g of carbohydrates, and 22g of protein for the entire batch. The key Nutritional highlights are: rich, plant-based fats (the base): the 400 mL can of full-fat coconut milk (approx. 960 kcal and 96 g fat) combined with the 75g of raw cashews (420 kcal and 35 g fat) provides a luscious, dairy-free texture. These fats are primarily MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the cashews. Naturally occurring sugars and fibre: the 300g of carrots (105 kcal) and 200g of tart apple (115 kcal) add a substantial amount of dietary fibre, vitamin C, potassium, and beta-carotene. Because the apples are tart (like Granny Smith), they contribute lower amounts of sugar compared to sweeter fruit varieties. Added sweeteners: the 90g of pure maple syrup or agave nectar adds about 315 calories and 70 g of carbohydrates strictly from sugars. These simple sugars are necessary to prevent the ice cream from freezing rock-hard due to their low freezing points. Roasting & spicing: the 15g of coconut oil adds 130 calories to the roasting step. The vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and fresh ginger add deep flavour with virtually zero added calories, while ginger provides well-documented digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Sustainability impact

Wasted avoided: vegetable peels. By-product used: whole vegetables. Valorisation strategy: maximum use of the products (peels and all) to concentrate the flavours and Nutrients, using a plant-based emulsifying agent (the soaked puréed cashew nuts) and adding the ginger and aromatics to enhance the flavour profile. Circular economy principle: by not peeling the carrots and the apples, we apply the root-to-stem and core-to-skin principles of using the whole (almost in the case of the apple- the core, which can be composted for further use), and we try to eliminate waste and pollution, trying to be more resource efficient in our processing.