I always gravitated toward lavender scented things because there is something so calming about it and it has just the right amount of floral notes. But I never thought about adding it to food until I saw Meryl Streep in “It’s Complicated” make the world’s best honey lavender ice cream. There were many amazing foods in that movie but the ice cream really intrigued me. It got me thinking and craving so I whipped up a batch. Like most ice cream, it was made with tons of sugar, heavy cream and even a splash of food coloring. I’m not gonna lie it was delicious and just as intriguing as it sounds.

I don’t follow the same recipe anymore because I uncovered an ingredient that makes ice cream making so much easier and even more delicious. The secret ingredient is…..coconut milk. And I’m talking about the canned, full fat kind that should be everyone’s pantry staple. Coconut milk is one of my favorite ingredients because it’s so versatile and you can make so many different savory and sweet dishes with it. I always keep a few cans (or more) in my pantry.

Another great tip is to use frozen blueberries instead of food coloring. It will give the ice cream that beautiful lavender color and it’s chemical-free. It’s a perfect springtime dessert to enjoy while you unwind after a stressful day. Or like Meryl, enjoy it while taking a bubble bath. Either way, it will melt stress away.

Lavender Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 (13.5 oz) cans full fat coconut milk

2 rounded tbsp. dried culinary lavender

Handful of frozen wild blueberries

1/4 cup agave or honey

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Once it boils, reduce the heat to med/low and add the lavender and blueberries. Simmer for another 5 minutes and make sure to mash up the blueberries with a fork so they release their color. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator for a few hours to cool completely.

Strain the mixture into a medium bowl (make sure to squeeze out all of the moisture from the blueberries and lavender), add the agave, vanilla extract and sea salt and whisk until combined. Pour mixture into a ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can eat the ice cream right away or place in the freezer to harden. Make sure to take the ice cream out of the freezer to soften for about 10 mins before serving. Enjoy!

***If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can pour the ice cream mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Once throughly frozen, add the ice cream cubes into a food processor and blend until smooth.