Peaches + Coconut Cream Shave Ice

There are a few reasons to despise social media, but getting recipe inspiration is NOT one of them. If it hadn’t been for these quasi-addictive platforms, I might never have come to know about Fat Boy Frankie, and it would have certainly taken me a little bit longer to think about this easy fruity shave ice recipe, inspired by his callout for *unhinged* iterations. Well HERE is mine, and here is why it’s everything this pitta wants to be eating right now.

It’s time to CHILL

One more time for the kids in the back, summer is the time to *chill out.* Because this glorious time comes just once a year, and it’s worth lingering over but also because it’s HOT. And the hotter it is on the outside, the hotter we pittas get on the inside. The hotter we get on the inside, the more stuff we don’t want to happen, starts happening. Things like: cystic acne, rashes, loose stools, indigestion, inflammation, difficulty sleeping and recovering, night sweats, smelly sweat…I could go on. None of these things help us to have the easy-going summer we all want, and the way to combat them is to CHILL OUT. By eating foods that are cooling (but not ice cold!) and by cooling our jets: not overshooting, over-reaching or being overly critical or judgemental of ourselves and others. Softening a bit, and just simmering down is the right way to be to keep the fire-and-water elements at ease in our bodies, and our lives.

So, eating shaved ice will solve all problems?

Eating shaved ice is PART of a balanced pitta management strategy…but simply eating shaved ice everyday isn’t going to cut it. Shaved ice, ice cream, cold drinks and the like are strategies to use in moderation because – since these treats are far below the 98.6°F our foods need to be to process them, our bodies need to amp up digestive fire to warm them up. If you mind immediately goes to the place of “oh, working hard means burning more calories = good” then think again. This kind of hard work is the kind that actually sabotages your metabolism, reduces your body’s ability to assimilate ingredients and will contribute to digestive toxin. So, not good.

In this shave ice recipe, I use a little bit of grated ginger to amp up my shaved peach. This bioenergetically warming ingredient (even used frozen!) helps to boost digestion and keep my digestive system functioning well. When you aren’t making this tasty recipe, you can add a pinch of warming spices to whatever you’re eating or drinking to not only make everything taste better, but to help you digest better too. (Examples: add a bit of ginger juice to your ice cold lemonade or chilled water, a pinch of cinnamon to ice cream, or simply make sure that when you eat a meal AFTER having an ice cold something, that you’re boosting digestion by choosing foods that contain these digestion-revving ingredients!)

What’s the deal with this coconut whipped cream

In this recipe, I highly recommend making your own coconut whipped cream. Yes, I know, *cooking.* The great news here is that unlike whipped cream made with dairy milk, whipped cream made with coconut milk will last for up to two weeks (!!) in the fridge AND it’s easy to digest with fruit. If this step feels like a hassle for you, you can sub in coconut yogurt (my favorite brand is in the recipe notes!) And if you’re a whipped cream kinda person, you can use straight up heavy cream too.

If you are going to dive all into this recipe with me, I have some tips for making the best whipped coconut cream possible:

1. Select a good quality brand of coconut milk (see recommendations above).
2. Chill overnight, not in the freezer for best results.
3. Chilling overnight is key or the coconut cream won’t harden and will likely be too soft to whip.
4. Before whipping, chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes!
5. If your coconut whipped cream is too stiff when whipping, add some of the reserved liquid from the can to help it blend smoother and create more air!
6. See clumps? Keep whipping and scraping down sides, and add some of the reserved liquid from the can to soften the mixture and create more air!
7. Use immediately, OR (preferred) make ahead and chill for 4 hours + where it will firm up even more!

Let’s make fruity shave ice!

First, let it be said that this is MY favorite way to make shave ice, but this may not be yours. Not a fan of peaches? Use pineapple, apricot, plum, strawberry, you get the picture. If you don’t wanna hassle with coconut whipped cream, you could absolutely shave some frozen fruit into a bowl and call it a day…but this way I’m suggesting is so much more fun. Play with flavors/fruits/toppings and make this your own!

What I hope you glean from this fast, easy, decadent yet smart + sensible little dessert/treat/snack is that it’s cool to keep cool! Enjoy my friends!