Coconut Avocado Frozen Yogurt

We meet under the cover of darkness.  At the agreed upon time he arrives, dimming his headlights as he slides his car easily next to mine - always backing in, never front first.  My heart races ever so slightly with anticipation as I step from my car casually checking over my shoulder looking for the others.  After a quick hug in greeting he asks, "You're sure you want that many?" to which I respond without hesitation, "Yes... Absolutely yes.".

Taking my favorite reuseable bag from the back seat, I make my way to the back of his car and he opens the lift to reveal the goods.  A gasp escapes me as I take in the bounty.

At this moment LeRoy arrives with his bag quickly followed by Todd.  We all share the excitement as Pablo pulls buckets from the back and tells us to take as much as we'd like.  And we do.  Probably more than we need, but I know my neighbors will be happy.

Some  perfectly ripe, others set to be ready in 3-5 days, I gather the beautiful green orbs as LeRoy and Todd do the same.  All the while Pablo takes handful after handful and passes them out to other moms in the parking lot.

Over the years, I don't think I've ever been so thankful for a friend's job.  You see, Pablo works in an area of Temecula, CA that has access to my obsession... the beautiful and healthy California avocado.  Allowed to gather the ones he finds on the ground, the recent Santa Ana winds have dropped an abundance that would end up going to waste, and hence, Pablo has been keeping all of us Dance Moms and Dads happy with the extra fruits of his labor as we meet for dance pick-up on Thursday nights.

With my avocado bowl overflowing, I've searched high and low for avocado recipes and have been enjoying avocados in more ways than I ever knew possible.  Today's special concoction?  A delightful Coconut Avocado Frozen Yogurt.

Pale green in color, the exceptionally creamy - yet low in fat - dessert uses low-fat coconut milk as a base in combination with my favorite, tart Greek yogurt and two perfectly ripe avos.  The citrus zest of limes and lemons brings a bright burst of flavor making this dessert a tropical treat.  Not exceptionally sweet, this froyo may not be a favorite with the kids, but it did the trick for me.

Here's hoping those winds keep blowing.

Coconut Avocado Frozen Yogurt 
About a year ago I tried Avocado Ice Cream for the first time.  Initially hesitant, the first bite had me hooked and I've been trying to recreate the experience ever since.  With my plethora of ripe avocados, a version of this recipe from Fine Cooking caught my eye.  Rich and creamy, we've removed some of the fat by using light coconut milk and non-fat Greek yogurt.  The coconut milk, yogurt and avocado combine to create a rich and ultra creamy confection worthy of guests.  Not exceptionally sweet, this somewhat tart and tropical froyo is right up my alley.
Adapted from Fine Cooking
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1 can light coconut milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 cup Greek Yogurt (we used Fage - nonfat)
1 Tbs finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbs finely grated lime zest
2 medium-firm ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
2 Tbs Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice

Place coconut milk in a large saucepan over medium heat on the stove.  Heat just until simmering, stirring frequently.


In a small bowl, place the sugar and 4 egg yolks and whisk to combine.

Measure 1/2 cup of the hot coconut milk.  Add about 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks and whisk.  Add tablespoon by tablespoon, whisking after each addition until the entire 1/2 cup is whisked with the egg yolks.  (This is done to prevent the eggs from curdling).

Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens slightly, enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 4 minutes.  Immediately pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Stir in the yogurt and zests and cool the custard completely.

In a blender or food processor, purée the avocado with the lemon and lime juices and about 1 cup of the cooled custard until smooth. Fold the avocado mixture back into the custard. The mixture should be thick, creamy, and pale green.  Freeze the custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the frozen yogurt to an airtight container and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Liv Life note:  I actually prefer this Frozen Yogurt soft, like the soft serve at the local shop. 

Coconut Avocado Frozen Yogurt Churning.  Shot with my new toy... a Lensbaby Composer for Canon.