- Hide menu

Blueberry Grape Lavender Ice Milk

LoadingFavoriteAdd to favorites

raw vegan Blueberry Grape Lavender Ice Milk served in a white bowl

~ raw, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free ~

Ice milk is light, flavorful, and not as cloying as its richer ice cream cousins… we love our “cousins”… but it takes all kinds to form one big happy family.  So today, I am sharing with you my version of ice milk.

The texture is light and icy, sweet but not over the top, loaded with fresh ripe summer fruits, and to round it out with a softness of flavor… I added a touch of lavender.  Truly, an excellent combination.

Stop and Smell the Lavender

Inhaling the beautiful scent of lavender, as well as taking it internally, has been used to treat neurological issues like migraines, stress, anxiety, and depression.  Even though we are using lavender in our ice cream here… I suggest that before adding it to the recipe that you cup some in your hands, burying your nose in it, and take a few deep inhales.

Culinary Lavender

There are many different varieties of lavender that can be used in cooking, but some varieties are more widely used. If possible look for the following; Lavandula angustifolia, and “Munstead.” These two lavenders have the sweetest fragrance among all species of lavender, which creates flavor in cooking.  You can use the whole flower, stems, leaves, and buds when preparing food but to get the flower buds, in particular, gives a dish a more subtly sweet, citrus flavor.

lavender field in Hood River Oregon

How to Dry Lavender

To dry lavender for culinary use, snip the stems off the plant just after the flowers have opened and hang the stems upside down or lay them flat to dry. If you don’t care for the strong floral taste that they can have, you can dry-roast them to help remove some of it.  I for one prefer just to dry it naturally.

I have the privilege every year to visit the lavender farms near our home.  It is just breath-taking to let your eyes rest on the endless horizon of the sea of lavender flowers.  I never miss the opportunity to go and harvest my own fresh flowers so I can dry them at home for various projects.

fresh picked lavender Ingredients: 

Yields 5 cups

Preparation:

  1. Coconut milk/cream – I supplied two options for the coconut milk.
    • If you make raw coconut milk from Young Thai coconuts, use the least amount of water possible.  Be sure to blend it until very creamy.
    • If you use canned, use the full fat and chill it overnight before using.
  2. In the blender combine the coconut milk, honey, lecithin, lavender buds, and salt.  Blend until creamy.
  3. Hand mix in the jam to leave visible chunks.
  4. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze according to ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions.
  5. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Freezing Suggestions for Ice Cream:

  1. Use an ice cream machine.  Follow the manufactures directions.
  2. Freeze in popsicle molds or 3 oz Dixie cups with a popsicle stick inserted.
  3. Store the ice cream in the very back of the freezer, as far away from the door as possible. Every time you open your freezer door you let in warm air. Keeping ice cream way in the back and storing it beneath other frozen-sold items will help protect it from those steamy incursions.
  4. Ice cream is full of fat, and even when frozen, fat has a way of soaking up flavors from the air around it—including those in your freezer. To keep your ice cream from taking on the odors, use a container with a tight-fitting lid. For extra security, place a layer of plastic wrap between your ice cream and the lid.
  5. To soften in the refrigerator, transfer ice cream from the freezer to the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before using. Or let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Wish to make your own raw ice cream, wonder what machine I might recommend, and more? Click (here) to check out the Reference Library!

 

Raw Blueberry Grape Thyme Jam is sugar free and fresh

Raw vegan Blueberry Grape Lavender Ice Milk with dried lavender sprinkled on top

6 thoughts on “Blueberry Grape Lavender Ice Milk

  1. Alice says:

    Hi Amie Sue, thanks so much for the Blueberry Grape Lavender Ice Milk. It looks delicious. I was wondering if you could recommend an ice cream maker that you use/like. The price range on them is low to quite high and I’ve read that a lot of them don’t do a good job on ice cream whether it’s made raw or with dairy. Thanks. On another topic, I can now tell you that I had a “sense” that something was different about you, that maybe something had happened in your family as you were not quite your usual self. I had that sense several months ago but as often happens I tell myself I’m imagining things. I just want to say that I am with you in spirit and in thought. I think as we get older we need time to ourselves to regroup, to re-evaluate, to make changes. I know I certainly do. Enjoy your trip Amie Sue, I hope you find what you need. Much love. Alice

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Alice,

      First, I want to thank you for your heart-felt message this morning. It means a lot to me. I have been on a path of healing for quite some time but it grew stagnate and I felt it was the right timing to take myself to a new level of healing, inside and out. :) I am so blessed to have a support system around me that allows and encourages me to do just what it is that I need to do. You have a gentle and sensitive spirit. Thank you for being here. :)

      On to the ice cream machine. I use this on: https://nouveauraw.com/equipment/ice-cream-machine-supplies/ and have been happy with it. It is my belief that no home unit will produce the exact same texture as store bought. Those large commercial machines can whip a lot of air into the ice cream batters, in which home units can’t. But with that being said, this unit has helped me to produce wonderful raw ice creams at home… just ask my hubby who polishes them all off. hehe

      Have a blessed day Alice, hugs. amie sue

  2. Nan says:

    Your recipes always get me inspired to get in the kitchen and make something new. I’ve made many of your recipes for friends and family and they are always a hit!
    Thank you for all you do and share. I just recently read that you live in Oregon. I live in SW Washington and I love the ever growing community of heathy, creative people I’ve come to know and love!
    I wish you peace, love and joy.❤️

    • amie-sue says:

      Oh thank you Nan, I really appreciate that you took time out to share this with me. :) Nice to know that we are “neighbors” :) I do love the NW! I hope that you are having a blessed and wonderful day, amie sue

  3. Brenda says:

    This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to make it. However, I am confused about the amount of lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract to use. These ingredients are not mentioned in your ingredient list but mysteriously appear in the preparation process. Please clarify. Thank you so much.

    • amie-sue says:

      Gosh Brenda, sorry about that. I fixed the recipe, I am not sure how it got to so wonky but none-the-less, thank you for bringing it to my attention so I could mix it. Blessings, amie sue

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *