Vanilla Snow Cream

In a completely unfair turn of events, the universe said to Minneapolis yesterday, "See this Spring-y type joy oozing out of every surface? Every blade of new grass? Hear the call of every cheerful little birdie saying winter is over? Well, it's all a bunch of hooey! I'VE GOT YOU IN MY CLUTCHES, MINNEAPOLIS! Any notion you had about spring, blue waters, dry pavement is all a fantasy! It will always be WINTER and I will always RULE YOUR LIFE!"

To which Minneapolis responded by flipping the universe the bird. You suck, universe.

I had to skip a run yesterday, which of course caused me to lose my ever-lovin' mind to a bad case of cabin fever. "What to do what to do what to do I'm stuck in here and I can't get out and if only I could run everything would be better," I thought, over and over again. But as I sat on my couch, brooding, some silly phrase about turning lemons into lemonade floated through my distressed noggin (which is ironic, considering lemons only grow in warm climates) and I decided that the only way to get myself out this funk would be to make ice cream.

Strolling into the kitchen with a new sense of purpose, I was about to request a bag of ice from my soon-to-be-home hubby when I realized with a start...there's ice all around me! I buzzed up a quick ice cream mix, pulled on my boots, and went outside to collect my bounty while giggling like a school girl. "Take THAT, universe!"

I took life's snow, life's irritating winter blast, and made snow cream.

The mix is super easy, and makes a deliciously smooth concoction in the end. Grab your blender and puree:
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups soy milk (unsweetened is best...that way the sugar content is under YOUR control)
1 1/2 cups sugar (naughty)
12 oz silken tofu (that's one package)
2 tbs vanilla extract

Blend until smooth then put the whole thing in the fridge while you prepare your ice cream maker (if you're so lucky as to have one, or to have friends you give you one for your birthday--Becca and Alli rule). Mine involves layering ice and rock salt around the outside of the container, like so:
I had a little bit of ice left, so I started with that. Then I marched out into the world, took handfuls of that evil white stuff I'm so tired of looking at, and put it to work for ME.

Stuff.
Smash.
Go.
40 minutes later...snow cream and a happier (although still obsessive) Shelley. Winter really is starting to loosen its grip, but until it finally leaves me alone I will laugh it its face like a crazed lunatic while holding its sweetened remains in a bowl.

(recipe adapted from Veganomicon)