I finished everything on my to‑do list except for the afternoon photo walk. I did have a good reason: the moment I stepped outside with my camera it began to snow. Snow plus Kevin’s DSLR made me nervous, so I headed back inside and made macaroni and cheese instead.
A few hours later Kevin came home craving a cool treat. We tossed around ideas — popsicles, milkshakes, a lone carob cluster — and then I said the magic word: ice cream. His face lit up, and ice cream it was.
The best part: you don’t need an ice cream maker for this recipe. It’s vegan and costs under $1.50 per serving. I love ice cream but avoid many store‑bought brands because they contain ingredients I don’t want to eat, such as artificial flavor chemicals and industrial sweeteners. There are good organic and coconut‑based options available, but I don’t want to pay $9 for less than a pint. Homemade is affordable, simple, and much cleaner.
- 1 (16 oz) can lite coconut milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of white stevia (or your preferred sweetener)
- Optional toppings
- Chocolate sauce (recipe below), shredded coconut, walnuts, almonds, dried fruit, or flax
- Combine the coconut milk, strawberries, vanilla, and sweetener in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into two freezer‑safe bowls. Freeze for 1.5–2 hours, stirring or whisking every 30 minutes to prevent it from hardening into a solid block.
- When the mixture reaches a soft‑serve consistency, it’s ready to serve. Transfer to the refrigerator briefly if it becomes too firm, then scoop and enjoy.
View Nutritional Information on the original recipe page (scroll down once there).
- 2 tablespoons full‑fat coconut cream (the thick cream from the top of the can)
- 2 teaspoons cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Pinch of white stevia (or your preferred sweetener)
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Pour over ice cream and serve.
In other news, we ordered an ice cream maker over the weekend and it should arrive by April 30. I’ve already imagined turning a morning smoothie into ice cream for breakfast — and that will absolutely be one of the first things I try. Next up: figuring out an almond‑flour cone recipe. I’m determined to make it happen.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Do you prefer cone or cup?
How did you enjoy ice cream growing up?
My childhood favorite was my dad’s oatmeal cookies sandwiched with vanilla ice cream — the perfect homemade ice cream sandwich.