Pink Maca Nice Cream Parfaits

Hannah Sunderani
Jul 18, 2017
5 min read

Yep, you heard that right - Pink Maca Nice Cream Parfaits! I am blown away by this delightful blend! I'll suffice by saying that I am new to the Maca Powder superfood craze, and I can only say that I wish I had started enjoying this tasty root powder years ago! Because not only does it have so many health benefits, it's absolutely delicious! The combination of frozen raspberries and banana with maca powder is a perfectly sweet blend, and adds a little more complexity to the traditional raspberry/banana blend.

So why am I all of a sudden preaching this superfood? Nope, it's not a sponsored ad. Truth is I was searching for an all-natural remedy for a little self healing. I hope you have time, because this my friends is a long and personal story...

A few months ago I decided to go off the birth control pill. I wanted to try going au-natural and letting my body get into its regular rhythm. Let's say to allow mother-nature to do it's thing in helping my body create my own hormones. Overall, I've been really happy with the how my body feels after going off the pill - I don't have as much hormonal bloating as I used to (it was really bad for me! And a major factor in going off the pill), and my periods quickly regulated themselves back into a normal monthly cycle with no spotting (another common problem I had), which was awesome! Honestly, it just feels so good to be letting my body do it's own thing, and not adding prescription drugs to the mix. The only setback I did notice, however, is after going off the pill my hair really thinned out. I'm not going to lie, this has been SUCH a drag. Actually, it was one of the first things my mum noticed when she came to visit me, (lovely how our mothers are quick to notice our biggest flaw hey? hehe). And after doing some online research it seemed that this is a common (fortunately only temporary) problem for some women when going off the pill. Let me preface by saying that I'm no expert in the matter, but a typical A-class-hypocondriac-and-online-self-diagnoser, but nonetheless I stand true to the fact that I noticed a lot of thinning of my hair the weeks/months after I went off the pill, and that my research showed I was not the only one experiencing this. The way I understand it is that when you go off the pill your body has to learn to create it's own estrogen again, which can take time, and as a result you can experience temporary hair-loss as your hormones are trying to get back to its natural rhythm. I'll also preface by saying that not everyone has this exact experience; I've talked to a few friends who never noticed any thinning from going off the pill, but I reckon everyone is different, and for me this is how my body reacted to the change.

Fortunately, my hair has started growing back in. I notice it especially when I put it in a ponytail - I look much like a little kid with a gazillion untamed fly-aways! But even with the good news I wanted to add an all-natural booster to help with the proccess. After some more online research I read that maca powder is a natural hormone booster for women - as a result it helps with fertility, regulating menstrual cycles, and hair growth! See here for more details, because seriously I'm no expert. And although I understand you should take everything you read online with a grain of salt, I figured why not add it to my daily regiment and see? After all, it's simply a spice, like ginger or turmeric, so why not reap all the potential health benefits with no risky side effects? I've always been an advocate for letting food be thy medicine.

Best news of all is that Maca powder is so tasty! Maca is a root, like turmeric or ginger but less potent. It is naturally sweet and I'm absolutely in love with the flavour it adds to my nice creams and smoothies. This combo of raspberry, banana and maca is my favourite so far! You'll see that I've also paired this Pink Maca Nice Cream with soaked overnight oats, because I love the combination of the milky breakfast oats with thick smoothie/nice cream. Of course you can forgo the oats and just eat the maca nice cream on it's own, or scooped into cones. But, if you're looking to make your morning breakfast (or snack or dessert) a little more filling I highly recommend adding some soaked oats to the mix.

So, now for the big questions. Has maca powder helped to thicken my hair? Truth is - it's still early days. I've only been using the powder for about two weeks now, so I can't really say. I reckon it will take me 4-6 months to notice a difference. But, even if it gives me peace of mind I'll take it!

And regardless of the health benefits of this delicious root, this Pink Maca Nice Cream is a delight for everyone to enjoy. Whether your needs are fuller hair or a fuller stomach, this Pink Maca Nice Cream with Soaked Oats is just waiting to serve.

Hope you (and your hair) enjoys this pretty in pink maca nice cream!

Pink Maca Nice Cream Parfaits

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 20 mins| Freeze Time: 2-3 hrs (for solid serve)

Ingredients:

For the overnight oats base:
1/2 cups gluten-free large flake oats
1 cup oat milk, plus more if desired
1 tsp maple syrup, or to taste
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
For the Pink Maca Nice Cream:
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen bananas
3 tbsp maca powder
1 shot (1.5 fl oz) coconut milk
splash vanilla

Directions:

In a bowl combine oats and milk. Stir to combine and let soak for 1-2 hours, or overnight.
Push 1 cup frozen raspberries through your food processor using the cheese grater setting. Then push 1 cup frozen bananas through.
Remove grater from food processor and push in the blender setting. Add 1 shot coconut milk and a splash vanilla. Blend nice cream mixture until smooth (2-5 minutes).
Serve soft with soaked oats. Or, for a firmer texture transfer nice cream to a parchment-lined freezer-safe container and cover loosely with foil to help freeze. Place in freezer to chill for 2-3 hours. Set out at least 20 minutes before serving for easier scooping.
To serve divide soaked oats into two jars, and top with pumpkin seeds. Add two scoops each of Pink Maca Nice Cream to jars. Optional to top with red currants and star sprinkles.

Note: Nice-cream will keep in fridge for up to one week, but best when fresh.

Approvals: