Vegan Cherry Coconut Ice Cream

 I’ve tried my hand at vegan ice cream before (check out this vegan Cherry Garcia), but recently I’ve been blending up all kinds of different ice cream-esque creations (including my favorite adult beverage as of late involving watermelon and tequila). Today, we’re making Vegan Cherry Coconut Ice Cream with fresh coconut, cherries, and ice.

Let’s talk coconuts. You can buy them young or mature; mature are the brown variety you probably picture when thinking of this fruit. They contain less water and have firmer meat than the young variety. In nature, young coconuts have an outer green shell. You can find them in the refrigerated produce section at grocery stores. They’ll be tan (the outer green shell will have been removed), wrapped in plastic, and will look round with a pyramid-shaped top. Inside the outer tan shell is another inner brown shell which is what actually contains the coconut meat. You need to cut through this outer tan husk and then crack open the inner brown shell to get to the meat and water. If you’ve never cut into one before, this video will help.

This may seem like a lot of work but is so, so worth it. (Fresh coconut water is one of the best things ever!) Plus, check out these impressive coconut health benefits:

• It helps with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
• It improves good (HDL) cholesterol, which helps with heart health.
• It helps to keep skin and hair healthy (and is also a fantastic moisturizer in oil form).
• Coconut water is low in calories and packed with electrolytes, which help to keep our bodies properly hydrated.
• Coconut meat helps to restore harmful oxidative tissue damage.
• Coconuts are satiating, helping you to feel satisfied and full.

Enjoy the recipe!