Vegan Ice Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Add the coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla bean pod and seeds to a medium pot, and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Dissolve the arrowroot in 1 tablespoon water. Slowly drizzle it into the coconut milk mixture, whisking constantly. As soon as the mixture returns to a simmer, remove it from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl, remove the vanilla bean pod and set aside until the mixture stops steaming, then refrigerate until completely cool.
• Churn the ice cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions (this will take 20 to 30 minutes). Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
• For vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream: As the ice cream churns, add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more to taste). Once the mixture is ready, add 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate, and continue churning until combined.
• For vegan strawberry ice cream: Chop 2 cups fresh strawberries, place them in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons each coconut sugar and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Set aside to macerate while the ice cream churns. You can also crush the strawberries slightly with a fork to create a chunky sauce. Once the ice cream is churned, pour in the strawberry mixture and churn until combined.
• For vegan almond butter swirl ice cream: As soon as the ice cream is churned, drizzle in 1/3 cup almond butter and continue churning for a few seconds to distribute.

Steps:

• In Vita-Mix, blend all ingredients (except cashews and approximately 1/2 the water) until creamy and smooth.
• Add water as needed to keep the mixture circulating through the blender.
• Lastly add the drained cashews and blend till smooth again and a lot of air is whipped into the mixture.
• After that, "chill in the fridge and process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions" is the final instruction on the recipe I base mine on. However, I don't have an ice cream maker at the moment, so I just whip it up good in the Vita-Mix and pour it into little cups and freeze as is. If I've put enough coconut oil/butter into the mix, it will be plenty creamy and spoonable out of the freezer.
• VARIATIONS.
• I ALWAYS make chocolate because that's my favorite! -- I add raw cacao powder until it's chocolately enough for me in the coconut and agave mixture.
• Another variation is adding fresh peppermint leaves and stirring in raw cacao nibs for mint chocolate chip.
• You can also add any kind of fruit.
• YOUNG COCONUT MEAT, WHAT'S THAT? These are available at Whole Foods or ethnic grocery stores, generally. The best price on them is at the ethnic stores. In St Lou they range from $1.59 each to $3.99 each for the same kind of coconut depending on where you buy them. These are not the small, brown hairy looking coconuts, but the shaved white big coconuts. The meat inside them is soft and gelatinous. You use a cleaver to cut a small square in the top, and drink the coconut water out with a straw (or dump it into a glass). It's full of electrolytes -- nature's Gatorade. You can also use it in the ice cream instead of filtered water. When the water is emptied out you hack the coconut in half and scoop out the meat. The amount of meat in the coconut varies greatly -- try to pick coconuts that seem heavy for their size. I will drink the water and freeze the meat until I have enough meat to make the recipe and then defrost it while I soak the cashews. It does require some effort especially when you haven't done it before, but it's worth it!
• ENJOY! :).