for a few weeks now
dw & i have been doing the
100 push ups challenge
i saw this video
and coupled with dw’s desire to
do the challenge in general
we’ve been aching
and pushing
and upping
and challenging
it’s comical, almost
i’ll set aside my latest crochet project
turn down the tv
and we huff our way through
i wish i could say that
my arms are sculpted now
or that i’m so strong i could do
a full chin up finally
but i can’t
not when after we do our sets
we treat ourselves to cake
or ice cream
i think i’m more interested
in the actual completion of it all
rather than the possible
physical end result
thus far this year
that is the only form of exercise
we’ve been doing
there is talk of running again,
doing a race possibly
there is just always something
else to do
a project to undertake
a trip to make
a room to paint
an ice cream flavor to create
and so we make do
this thrice weekly routine
it’s never a pretty sight,
more like comic relief
but always done with great fanfare
and some kind of sweet reward
it’s still mild out
most nights we keep the windows
barely cracked
but as the temps increase
we’ll be making ice cream
frequently
this is our first flavor of the season
inspired by a childhood favorite
as well as a local parlor‘s
attempt recently
spiced coconut pecan ice cream – dairy free
**NOTE: you can use any kind of nuts you want, and you can use any kind of mild ice cream base. sky’s the limit.
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 TBL honey
1 TBL brown sugar
pinch of salt
sprinkle of moroccan spice (that you won’t use all of, can be stored in jar for later use):
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground chili
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp black pepper
preheat oven to 325F.
in a small saucepan, gently heat up the honey + half of the spice mix. take off the heat. place pecans in a bowl, pour honey spice mixture over them and toss until nuts are well coated. spread the nuts on cookie sheet, bake for 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them, stirring them every so often to promote even roasting.
remove from oven and cool for a few minutes
brown sugar + salt and sprinkle over the nuts, toss to coat evenly
ice cream base
2 cans of coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cinnamon stick
tsp of peppercorn
1 TBL potato starch (optional)
heat up 1 1/2 cans of the coconut milk + sugar. stir to mix through. add in the cinnamon stick and peppercorn and allow to gently heat through
in a bowl, separate the yolks, keep the whites for another purpose (maybe meringue icing or a white cake? or in my case, an egg white omelet). next you’re going to temper the eggs. using a ladle, very slowly & gently pour the hot coconut mixture into the bowl of yolks, all the while stirring furiously. you are attempting to bring the yolks up to temp with the hot mixture, but not scramble them. you might need another ladle-ful. when the yolks are warmed through, pour into the saucepan and continue to stir, keeping temp an even low heat. meanwhile, using the remaining coconut milk, add in the potato starch and mix though. it will thicken a smidge, but the purpose of the potato starch is to discourage icicles from forming in your ice cream in the freezer. pour mixture into saucepan and just continue to stir. the mixture will be thick. remove from heat and allow to cool.
when thoroughly cooled, strain through a fine mesh seive to catch all the peppercorns & cinnamon stick. cover and refrigerate overnight.
next day, pour into ice cream maker and whirl according to your maker’s specifications. in the last 2-3 minutes, add in your nuts and allow to churn & mix through. can serve right away, or allow to freeze/solidify for a few hours.
BAM!
you guys, a one year ago this month i started this space. thank you so much for reading along.
asparagus + scrambled egg salad tartine
homemade thin mints
Portuguese Chicken Curry with Chorizo + Olives
dutch oven bread
morestomach 
I always have those intentions too. I finally gave up on running, because I get bored. I just accepted not being cool 🙂 Instead doing some crunches on the floor whenever I can.
Looks like Icecream season has started 🙂 Never had coconut milk based one. I am sure with all those spices, it is heavenly. I would do 200 pushups for icecream 🙂
i find running to be incredibly boring too! dw & i were just saying that we should incorporate another form of exercise to our repertoire, i said sit ups but i think we’re going to go for leg lifts. i’m already groaning!
I love the spice, what a great ice cream!
thanks Laura!
sometimes its the intentions that count..i have been wanting to get into running and run a half this year..and also make many flavors of icecream 🙂
oh your goals are great! i’ll settle for making many ice cream flavors!
This ice cream sounds absolutely amazing. Love all the spices in it!
thank you sini. coconut can have such a certain taste to it, that can be too strong, i think the spices round it out nicely.
Love this combination of flavors Lan! look at you and your husband exercising together, that is so nice.
cheri, thank you! and we’re still going strong! 🙂
I’m so intrigued by all the spices you used! Definitely one to make as I’m sure I won’t ever see this flavor at an ice cream parlor! 🙂
on an aside, you don’t have to add the nuts to the ice cream, you can have them spiced as a snack. in fact, quite a bit of it didn’t end up in the ice cream as we were munching on them ….
I’ve been thinking about exercise.
Just thinking about it.
sometimes that’s all you need girl.
Push-ups are too ambitious, it’s much better to rest on your back and feign working through a 20 min Pilates video; usually I take a nap after 10 minutes (all the stretching!).
Anyway, I’d rather eat beautiful ice cream and smugly pat a happy puffy belly. 😀
valerie, YES. i watch yoga videos sometimes with the reason that i want to prepare myself mentally for what’s to come, then restart the vid to do the actual steps… never happens!
Happy One Year to this space! I love it here! I love pushups as comic relief (mine would definitely promote chuckling……..), desserts as a reward, the flavors of nuts and all those warmed, exotic spices stirred into ice cream. That won’t even hurt your tummy. Wonderful!
–Your photography has improved tenfold! I didn’t even know it could from a year ago, but there ya did it!
sophie, you are always so very sweet and encouraging, thank you so much for your friendship!
This recipe is mouthwatering; all kind of spices in ice cream is just brilliant.
I particularly love your “ice cream container.” 🙂
pang, yes! i was so thrilled to purchase the cups for 25baht each and then i was wondering what to do with them! they make the most perfect ice cream bowls. 🙂
this looks like it would be really good, all the spices would compliment my fave Moroccan chickpea soup recipe. perfect dessert!
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