Yum. This ice is cream delicious and creamy. We’ve been on a homemade ice cream kick at our house. So far we’ve made eggnog (for Christmas eve), chocolate, and plain old vanilla.

Simple. Classic. Delicious.

But, it was time to step outside the box and try something new. I wanted to try a cashew and coconut based ice cream rather than the traditional cream + egg recipe (which, IS amazing but the way). I loathe “heathy” ice cream recipes that have an icy texture and weird ingredients. Keeping true to my nutritional philosophy, I wanted to make a recipe that was tasty using REAL ingredients. No fake stuff. Or processed stuff. So here is my first attempt. There is room for improvement, but I can say that the resulting product was pretty tasty and creamy.

Lately I’ve been obsessed with Flora Rooibos Chai Tea. It’s been my go to mid-morning pick me up. A touch of milk, a touch of honey. Perfection! So I had to incorporate this delicious spicy, sweet flavor into ice cream. It was meant to be!

As I mentioned, I wanted to make an out-of-the-box ice cream recipe. Since vegan, nut-based recipes are all the rage right now, I decided to create my own. I love the creamy texture of cashews, so I paired them with the creamy goodness of coconut milk. The trick to non-dairy ice cream is to include FAT. This recipe is not low-fat at all, it has plenty of creamy texture from the cashews and coconut milk. That’s why it tastes good. But, unlike regular ice cream, this recipe also packs added nutritional benefits.

For the sweetener I decided to use a mix of maple syrup and dates. Mostly because I love the taste of maple syrup. Especially paired with the chai! For a thicker texture I used half dates (1/4 c of each) to create the consistency I was looking for. I think any sweetener of choice would work here.

Finally I needed something to add a little more sustenance. My first attempt at this recipes resulted in a bit “chalky” flavor, as described by Zach. No good. The second time around I adjusted the ratios and added in a banana. MUCH better. I also added cacao nibs for some crunch, which I would highly recommend!

Another important note- I used freshly ground spices. It’s not hard to grind your own and it’s SO SO worth the effort. The fragrance of freshly ground spices is hard to beat. All you need is a grater (cheese grater can work) and mortar and pestle (or bowl and spoon in a pinch).