Sneaky Vegetable Juice Granita

Summer has officially ended and that makes me sad :(

But I wont accept that yet so I will hold on to the season for one more day by making frozen desserts.

You can’t tell me what to do! I can eat what I want!

So what am I eating today in my rebellion of the seasonal change? 

Its a tropical granita with a vegetable hidden inside. 

So whats the sneaky ingredient….

wait for it….

Carrots!

Total shocker with that electric orange color right?

This ones pretty simple, I just mixed freshly juiced organic carrots, pineapple, ginger, lime and sweetened it with maple syrup for this light, refreshing, and super nutritious Granita/ shaved ice dessert.

Oh and here’s a sweet bonus  the pineapple and ginger aid in digestion so this is perfect after a heavy meal or if you are having a little tummy trouble.

Don’t worry if you do not have a juicer, simply buy some high quality unsweetened carrot and pineapple juice and use a blender to puree some ginger into the juices and strain after. Voila! (I have more detailed notes in the recipe below.)

So hang on to summer for one more day with me and float away with this blissful frozen sneaky vegetable granita. 

Carrot Pineapple Ginger Granita

Serves 4

 vegan - gluten free - grain free - refined sugar free 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Peeled Organic Carrots (or 2 cups unsweetend Carrot juice)
• 3 Cups Pineapple Chunks (or 2 cups unsweetened Pineapple Juice)
• 1 - 3''x 1'' piece of ginger ( see notes if you don't have a juicer)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1/4 Cup Pure Organic Maple Syrup or Yacon Syrup or sweetener of choice

Instructions

1. Using a juicer, juice the carrots, pineapple and ginger (if using bottled juices simply combine them all in a bowl with a lid).
2. Squeeze the lime into the juices and stir in the maple syrup and sea salt.
3. Taste for sweetness and add more maple syrup or sweetener of your choice to taste. (You are looking for it to be very sweet with bright flavors because the flavors dull once frozen)
4. Pour the juice into a 9 x 13 baking dish and freeze it for a good two or three hours.
5. Remove and gently scrape the slushy juice with a fork (it will be more frozen on the sides so mix those into the center)
6. Return it back into the freezer for another hour or two, scrape again and repeat until the entire mix is frozen and scraped into ice pieces (usually takes about three rounds).
7. If you have an ice cream maker place the juice mixture in the fridge for one hour to chill then churn according to your manufactures instructions.
8. Spoon into bowls and eat!

Notes

1. If you don't have a juicer finely chop up the ginger and add to a blender with 1/2 of the juice and puree until blended completely. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to avoid and ginger chunks add to the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe as written.
2. I like to top my granita with fresh lime juice and layer with coconut cream if I'm in need of something a bit more decadent.