Fig and Balsamic Gelato
If I had to choose between gelato and ice cream, I’d pick gelato every time. It’s creamier, softer, and silkier! Sadly, it’s also usually super high in sugar. Here’s an allergy-friendly version that doesn’t use eggs, dairy, or refined sugar. The result is a unique flavor combination: sautéed figs and slightly sweet, slightly tart balsamic vinegar glaze.
YIELD: SERVES 5–6
Ingredients
GELATO
3½ cups full-fat coconut milk
½ cup classic monk fruit sweetener*
2 Tbsp arrowroot flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
FIGS
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1½ cups roughly chopped fresh figs
BALSAMIC DRIZZLE
6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
1. Whisk together the gelato ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it simmer for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Using a spoon, press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow dish. Place it in the freezer to chill, about 30 minutes.
3. Coat a small frying pan with the coconut oil, then add the chopped figs. Bring the pan to medium-high heat and stir the figs as they cook, occasionally mashing the pieces. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the figs have softened into a jammy consistency. Set aside.
4. Pour the chilled gelato mixture into your ice cream maker and process per manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop the gelato into a shallow dish and stir in the cooked figs. Place the dish in the freezer to firm up, about 30 minutes.
5. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Turn down heat to medium-low and let the balsamic simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has thickened to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
6. Scoop the gelato into small bowls, drizzle with the balsamic reduction, and top with chopped walnuts, if desired. If you’re serving the gelato much later, let it thaw for 10 minutes before drizzling with balsamic reduction and serving. Store leftover gelato in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
*If you’re not worried about this recipe being low sugar, you can replace the classic monk fruit sweetener with maple sugar.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Be Brave
Deep Diving
When you picture bravery, what do you see? Someone skydiving, rescuing a baby from a fire, or maybe surfing a forty-foot wave?
I talked with professional surfer Bethany Hamilton. She has actually surfed forty-foot waves. Bethany said that to her, being brave isn’t about death-defying feats. Instead, it means taking on any hard task—being “willing to try when something may seem really difficult or impossible.”
I agree. To me, one of the bravest things is to commit to trying something totally new, then spending some serious time and effort learning it.
I recently signed up for a Tae Kwon Do class. I’ve always wanted to learn self-defense, so I decided to give myself the challenge. But I was nervous to start, because I’d never tried martial arts in my life, whereas most people in the class had been doing it since the age of five. It was nerve-racking to try kicks and punches for the first time—especially when I spotted one of my classmates watching my form: a four-year-old boy who was, naturally, much better and more experienced than me.
To channel your bravery, I challenge you to take on a new, big endeavor.
Choose Your Challenge
First you need to pick what you want to do. What is something you’ve always wanted to do or learn but haven’t because it seemed too hard? Invest in that activity and make it your new challenge. This activity should excite you, so that you will enjoy diving into it for hours on end.
Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
Run a 5K race.
Learn to paint, then display your work at a homemade art gallery in your bedroom.
Learn how to knit a pair of slippers.
Write and record a song.
Learn a foreign language.
Learn a musical instrument—and join a group.
Build a wood table from scratch.
Audition for your school musical—especially if you’ve never sung in public.
Now set aside some time and dive in!
Be Number One 5,873!
When you start, you might worry that you won’t be good at this new thing. You probably won’t! If it’s a musical instrument, you’ll make some terrible sounds. If it’s knitting, you’ll end up with a snarled clump of yarn. Sadly, our culture is obsessed with the fairy tale of everyone being awesome right away. We want instant gratification from everything we do. This makes it hard for us to want to try anything new because we worry about how we’ll look if we’re bad at it. What we forget is that it takes a lot of hard work to get anywhere worthwhile.
This challenge is going to take some time. It could be months and months before your wood table is done or you’re able to run a 5K. That is a good thing. The patient hard work will help you grow your abilities and build tenacity. You might even find that you have discovered a new passion.
Q&A
Q: I want to learn how to play guitar and be in a band. But a lot of my friends are already really good musicians. Won’t it be demoralizing to start so far behind?
A: It’s brave to try something new because we’re vulnerable when we’re total beginners. It can feel embarrassing to be just starting out, playing basic scales while our friends can play actual songs really well. I remember taking a beginner’s ballet class with a bunch of girls who were three years younger than me, experienced, and about a foot shorter. I stuck out and felt like a giraffe.
Bethany Hamilton points out that it’s always best to try to focus on our own efforts—and avoid comparing ourselves with others. “It’s okay to strive to be your best,” she said. But you don’t need to be the best.
So when you’re starting something new and you’re surrounded by more experienced people, try to keep your focus on what you’re doing. This will help you let go of comparison and embrace your inexperience!
MINDFUL MOVEMENT
WARRIOR FLOW
Building on Warrior II, this movement is a flowing, dance-like sequence of poses that helps us feel strong. It’s also great practice for sending power and energy out into the world. After doing this sequence you may feel more confident tackling whatever challenges await you.
1. Stand on any flat, even surface. Place your feet wide apart, but not so wide that you feel unbalanced.
2. Turn your right leg out to the right side, perpendicular to your left foot. Now turn your left toes slightly in to the right. On an inhale, press your feet into the floor. Lift both arms out to the side, parallel to the ground. On an exhale, bend your right leg. Take a few breaths here in Warrior II.
3. Leave your right leg bent. On an inhale, lift your right arm over your head as you bend to the left at the waist. Exhale. Make sure you keep opening your right knee to the right as you turn your torso to the left. Feel a stretch in your waist on your right side and in your left hip. Take a few deep breaths here in Reverse Warrior.
4. On an inhale, extend your right arm even farther over your head. On an exhale, uncurl yourself and come back into Warrior II.
5. Leave your right leg bent. On an inhale, draw your left arm up and over your head, bending to the right at the waist. Gently rest your right forearm on your right thigh. Reach your left arm even farther to the right, to stretch your waist on your left side. Take a few deep breaths here.
6. Inhale. When you exhale, lift your left arm back, parallel to the ground, for Warrior II. Turn your toes back to center. Turn your left leg out and repeat this sequence on your left side.
Raw Mocha Fudge Cake
We often feel guilty when indulging in “rich” treats. Let’s get rid
of that guilt, once and for all. Make, eat, and thoroughly enjoy this creamy chocolate dessert. Be brave and dare to indulge!
YIELD: SERVES 8
Ingredients
CRUST
1¼ cups blanched almond flour
3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup*
FILLING
1½ cups roasted unsalted cashews or cashew pieces
¼ cup coconut oil
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup pure maple syrup*
½ cup cacao powder
1 Tbsp espresso powder
¼ tsp sea salt
Coconut Whipped Cream, for topping (optional)
Instructions
CRUST
1. Grease a 6-inch springform cake pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
2. Add the crust ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spoon until a dough forms. Press evenly into the bottom of the cake pan and freeze for 10 minutes.
FILLING
1. Place the cashews and coconut oil in a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and blend until the mixture is completely creamy.
2. Pour the filling into the frozen crust. Cover the cake pan lightly with tin foil and freeze for 1 hour.
3. Slice the cake into 8 slices. Serve with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
*To make this recipe sugar-free, replace the pure maple syrup with monk fruit maple-flavored syrup.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Mastering this recipe is the perfect challenging project. You’ll be rewarded for your efforts in the best way possible: creamy vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two crispy chocolate chip cookies.
YIELD: 6 ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Ingredients
4 large egg yolks
2½ cups full-fat coconut milk
½ cup classic monk fruit sweetener*
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt
1 batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Instructions
1. Place the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, monk fruit sweetener, vanilla extract, and sea salt, then whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Using a measuring cup, ladle 1 cup of the heated coconut milk mixture into the bowl of egg yolks, pouring it in very slowly while you whisk vigorously. Pour the egg-yolk-and-coconut-milk mixture back into the pan of simmering coconut milk and whisk to combine.
4. Whisk the mixture continuously for about 6 minutes, or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Turn off your stove. Place a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over the top of a large heatproof bowl. Pour the custard through the sieve and into the bowl. Discard anything left over in the sieve.
6. Let the custard cool to room temperature, then pour it into a resealable plastic bag and remove all air. Place the plastic bag in a bowl of ice water until chilled, about 10 minutes.
7. Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and process per manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop the ice cream into a shallow dish and freeze it for 1 hour, while you make the cookies.
8. Once the cookies have cooled and the ice cream is frozen, cut the ice cream into cookie-sized circles using a cookie cutter. Place each circle of ice cream on top of a cookie, top with another cookie, then place it on a plate and put it in the freezer. Repeat with remaining cookies (you will have some extra).
9. Serve the ice cream sandwiches immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer. Defrost about 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving.
*If you’re not worried about the recipe being low sugar, you can replace the monk fruit sweetener with maple sugar.
Very Berry Tarts
Part of being brave is diving in and not worrying about everything turning out perfectly. Try making these tarts and don’t stress if something goes awry. Just enjoy the ensemble of flaky crust, creamy filling, and mounds of fresh berries.
YIELD: SERVES 12–16
Ingredients
CRUST
2 cups blanched almond flour
1 cup arrowroot flour
¼ tsp sea salt
6 Tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
¼ cup pure maple syrup
CUSTARD
2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight in 4 cups of water, then rinsed
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups fresh berries of choice
Instructions
1. Grease two 9-inch springform tart pans with coconut oil and preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix with your hands until a dough forms.
3. Divide the dough in half and press it evenly into the 2 tart pans. Using a fork, poke a few holes into the bottom of each crust. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes.
4. In a high-speed blender, blend together all the custard filling ingredients (except the berries) until thick and creamy. Divide the custard filling evenly between the 2 crusts and spread it out smoothly. Top the tarts with berries of choice, then refrigerate until ready to be served.
5. Slice each tart into 6 to 8 slices and serve. Store leftover tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
CHAPTER NINE
Be Afraid
Follow Your Gut
It’s Saturday night. A group of friends pulls up at your home to pick you up. You’re excited for a night out with them. As you’re about to climb into the car, you suddenly get a pit in your stomach. Weird, you think. These are my friends—what do I have to worry about? Yet you still have a queasy feeling. You shrug it off and get into the car.
Now it’s Sunday night. You’re preparing for your history presentation the next morning. You have to give a ten-minute speech about ancient Rome in front of the whole class. As you picture looking at all their faces, you get the same queasy feeling in your stomach.
What do these situations have in common? In both, your stomach is sending you a message: beware! Our gut is such a powerful communicator that scientists have dubbed it our “second brain.” It contains a network of millions of supersensitive neurons that can detect potentially dangerous situations and send us warning messages. These could be pits in our stomach, goose bumps, or other communications from our bodies.
The question in the moment is, which kind of gut reaction are you having? Is it actual danger that you might not be seeing? Or is it just harmless excitement or nervousness—“butterflies”?
Either way, I try to stay tuned to that gut feeling and figure out what it’s telling me. I start by asking myself, Could I actually be harmed by this situation? If the answer is yes, I try to take the necessary steps to leave the situation and stay safe. If the answer is no, and there is no danger, then I think, This is something you can tackle.
For example, when you are getting into the car with your friends, it might be helpful to think, I’m not sure of my friend’s driving skills, or where this party is. Could I be harmed here? Your gut may be telling you things you need to know. Maybe you decide to bail on the party.
Face Your Fear
Other times, our “second brain” message may just mean that the situation is awkward, embarrassing, or challenging but not dangerous. Like your history presentation. You will feel embarrassed speaking in front of your class. You might even mess up badly. People might laugh! But you won’t be in danger. So wh
en you’re feeling queasy the night before, you can take note of your fear, but then start preparing for your talk.
Speaking of speaking, talking to a group is one of the biggest fears for most humans. I know it wasn’t easy for me at first. But with practice we can tackle anything—even public speaking! Here are a few steps to help face your fear and give a great presentation:
1. Prepare your talk by writing down the major points on note cards. Now, if you forget what to say, you’ll have backup! Practice without the cards as much as possible, so you won’t have to look down a lot during the presentation.
2. Practice while holding a pet or stuffed animal. Say the words as if you’re talking lovingly to that animal, not delivering a speech to a classroom. This will help you get out of your head and into the flow.
3. Next, practice in front of your parents, siblings, friends, or anybody you trust. This will help you prepare for the big day without feeling too nervous. They will still love you no matter how badly you mess up—maybe even more so!
4. Now is the big day. Go forth knowing that you have practiced a lot and you’re ready.
As you go about your day, be aware of any signs that your gut is sending you. You might notice a feeling when you’re about to have an uncomfortable conversation with a friend, or experience a big life change. Whatever the situation, fully acknowledge whatever signs come up.
Q&A
Q: What if I don’t feel a pit in my stomach in dangerous situations? How can I get in better touch with my second brain?
A: A helpful way to connect with our gut is by doing a body-scan meditation. This gets us in tune with our body, so we can better sense if something feels off in our gut.
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