Living Lindsay

Posts Tagged ‘Navitas Naturals’

Yesterday, I received a wonderful box from iherb.com that was filled with some products that I’ve been itching to try.

Product #1

Another superfood to add to my pantry

Lucuma Powder from Navitas Naturals. Are you familiar with Lucuma? If not, here is some information to appease your curiousity.

(source)

What is it?

Lucuma (loo-koo-muh) is a sweet and edible fruit of the Lucuma tree,  resembling a persimmon in appearance. The orange and yellow pulp of this exotic, sweet fruit was once hailed the “Gold of the Incas,” where it has been cultivated since ancient times. A native to the highlands of Peru, Chile, and Ecuador, the fruit of the beautiful evergreen lucuma tree has been honored spiritually as well as in cuisine due to it’s exquisite composition.

Lucuma is considered a healthy alternative sweetener as it lends a sweet taste to recipes, but is very low in sugars. With naturally occurring beta-carotene, niacin, and iron, lucuma powder is a welcome antidote to notorious “empty calorie” sweeteners.

What does it taste like?

Navitas Naturals Lucuma Powder has a distinctively sweet fragrance and full-bodied, maple-like taste. A deliciously versatile dessert ingredient, lucuma blends well to make alluring smoothies, puddings, and ice creams, and can also be used as a flour in exotic pies and pastries.

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And onto product #2

Move over agave...

Yacon Syrup! Curious about this one, too? Here ya’ go!

What is it?

A South American tuber that looks like a jicima and tastes like an apple, yacon’s health benefits and taste have long been appreciated on its native soils. Navitas Naturals Yacon Syrup is an organic sweetener that tastes somewhat like molasses, and can be used to enhance the flavor of any food needing an extra sweet touch. Plus, with half the calories of cane sugar, and also containing a high concentration of the indigestible sugar inulin, yacon is not just sweet to the palate, but a friendly dietary addition for diabetics and those looking to cut calories.

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So why did I order these products? My friend Ragnhild shared her love for Lucuma ice cream on her blog. It peaked my interest and I started looking into it a bit.

When I discovered that Lucuma has a very caramel-like taste, I immediately wanted to try it. Plus, I’m all about superfoods and natural sweeteners and love trying new things.

So I followed the same recipe that Ragnhild used. Lucuma Ice Kream by Ani Phyo.

I followed the recipe exactly.

All of the ingredients awaited:

Simple recipe

And were then added to the Blendtec.

All ready

Pulverized.

And the Blendtec wins

Then poured into a container and placed in the freezer.

Looks like peanut butter! And that's never a bad thing! Well, actually it can be, but we won't go there...

Let me tell you. I licked my Blendtec clean and used my fingers to scrape every last bit out. It was SO good.

The final product:

Perfect little scoops

The taste is phenomenal – very much like caramel with a hint of maple. But the texture impressed me even more!

Straight from the carton texture

It was just like real ice cream! Not like processed bananas, not like icy milk….Like REAL ice cream.

Ironically, the ice cream truck appeared in our neighborhood as I was taking these pictures. Carter excitedly ran to the window, but I told him we were having ice cream. He was completely satisfied with his little scoop.

Of course, I made some chocolate sauce with cocoa powder and yacon syrup and drizzled that on, too.

I want to stand under a chocolate drizzle

You can’t have ice cream without chocolate sauce, right?

I am so excited to continue experimenting with Lucuma and Yacon. Better yet, I found an amazing deal for Lucuma powder on Amazon.com today. Two bags for $18 with free shipping! You can see that deal here. It’s about the same price on iherb.com and first time customers receive $5 off their first order, making it an even BETTER deal. (coupon code BEV426)

I have many ideas whirling around in my brain and already ordered more Lucuma. Be prepped for Lucuma mania. But for now, I’m going to enjoy my ice cream.

want some?

Tell Me:

Have you ever tried Lucuma powder?

Yacon syrup?

Have a wonderful Friday!

Lindsay