This no-churn vegan peanut butter ice cream requires, no joke, just 6 ingredients, and that's including sea salt. Better yet, you'll only need to spend 10 minutes in the kitchen to make it. It's ultra creamy, easy to scoop, nutty, sweet, and just the right amount of savory. It's delicious all on its own but to up the decadence, top it with chopped dark chocolate, cacao nibs, or fresh berries // berry compote for a dessert rendition of PB + J.
I promise, we will absolutely talk No-Churn Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream. But first, I want to talk about something else. Have you heard about the cycle of the 3 P's? Perfectionism, procrastination, and paralysis? Up until last summer, I certainly hadn't. If you haven't a clue what in the world I'm talking about, good, allow me to explain. Alternatively, if you're eager for ice cream chit-chat (I feel you), scroll past the paragraphs below and begin reading after the next ice cream photo. . .
Between coming down from the excitement of last weekend's festivities and battling a pesky summer cold, I've been struggling to keep pace with what seems to be an unending list of to-do's this week. Since this is my last week of work before Dan and I leave for a three-week trip to South Africa (super excited—details to come in Friday's post), I placed about twice the usual number of tasks on my to-do list. Too many to-do's + summer cold + pressure to finish everything this week = what I've come to refer to as "perfectionistic procrastination paralyzation station." Just for kicks, try saying that ten times fast without faltering.
The Cycle of the 3 P's: Perfectionism, Procrastination, Paralysis
In all seriousness though, the cycle of the 3 P's is a real thing. And it's a pesky one at that. No matter where you hop on the triple-P wagon, one p leads to another, leads to another, leads to another, and before you know it, you're spinning in circles (and I am too).
Despite a nearly lifelong (not-so-) merry-go-round with it, my first time hearing about this funky cycle was just last summer. It was June, and I was just beginning to dig into recipe development and photography for the book. I would start each week with an organized schedule of daily to-do's (i.e., two recipes on the to-test list and two recipes on the to-photograph list each day). This was absolutely a manageable amount of work—in fact, it was almost identical to the work I did for the blog each and every weekend—but I repeatedly stalled and tackled other tasks instead of hunkering down on book work.
Even with a well-organized system and a precise list of to-do's, I found myself unsure how or where to start. Instead of starting, I either froze and stared off into space (paralysis) or I cleaned the house, repeatedly checked emails, randomly found things to re-code on the site, wrote and photographed blog recipes, surfed Pinterest for photography inspiration, etc. (procrastination). Although I felt "busy" and was technically accomplishing a variety of different tasks, none of those tasks were the right ones to be directing my attention toward. Because the "right task" to attend to is almost always the one that's making us the most uncomfortable—that nagging, intimidating to-do that stirs up feelings of vulnerability or unease. The one that, once it's complete, will provide momentum and motivation to effortlessly encourage us forward in the direction we've set our sights on.
Nearly three weeks into this cycle, instead of having 30 book recipes photographed (again, totally doable), I had only photographed five. Frustrated, defeated, and confused, I typed the words "paralyzed by procrastination" into the Google search bar. Seconds later, the titles from a flood of search results all pointed to the same thing: I was caught in the cycle of the 3 P's.
Information is power and by identifying the cycle as well as its underpinnings, I learned how to halt and even prevent it. Of course, there are still times (read: this week) when I unintentionally hop on the triple P wagon and go for a spin. But it rarely takes more than a day or two to figure out what's happened and then I regroup, recenter, and hop off.
Perfectionism:Â The Root of the Cycle
For most people, myself included, the cycle starts with perfectionism. The biggest B of all the P's in my experience. The idea that something has to be perfect causes me to procrastinate (P²) and when the tasks build up to an insurmountable height, I freeze (i.e., Paralysis—P³). The funny thing about perfectionism? It pretends to be useful when, in reality, its sole and self-proclaimed "useful" function is to prevent us from doing anything that's actually worth doing. It's a self-sabotager extraordinaire.
For example, last summer my internal dialogue was sounding a whole lot like this. . .
The recipes have to be perfect or the book will be a failure. The photography has to be perfect or the book will be a failure. The book has to be perfect or I'll be a failure. Since everything has to be perfect, I should spend hours and days and weeks waiting to start because sometime in the future perfection will be possible and it will be possible for me to make this perfect. But right now I can't make it perfect, so I shouldn't even attempt to do it.
FALSE.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, still shame on you, Perfectionism. You are a false promiser, an opportunity squasher, and a dream dangler.
If we chase perfection, those hours we delayed eventually become days, the days inevitably become weeks, the weeks become months, and the months become years. I don't know about you, but I don't want to end up years deep in my hopes and dreams without a thing to show for it because I was waiting for perfect. Because although perfection would love for us to believe her sneaky tale, she just isn't attainable.
But guess what, we don't have to wait for perfection to accomplish our to-do's, goals, or even our dreams. Perfectionism is just a mask we wear to protect ourselves, and if we peel back that bossy, naysayer mask, we'll discover perfectionism's true identity: a fearful little mouse. Seriously. I envision a little mouse sitting in the driver's seat of a piece of machinery that's far too big for her britches. For you, maybe it's a fearful lamb or even a fearful lion. Feel free to imagine whichever frightened little critter feels most meaningful to you.
Nothing makes that little mouse more fearful than uncertainty, because uncertainty has the potential to breed both vulnerability and failure. So in an effort to protect, that little mouse encourages us to delay action until we're absolutely certain we can execute perfectly, thus, also guaranteeing our success. But that sense of certainty never comes, so we end up in a perpetual delay. And sometimes all that stalling comes with the secondary consequence of diminishing motivation, confidence, and inspiration.
At its heart, I think we can all agree that fear is well-intentioned, attempting to protect us from each and every potential threat no matter how big or small. The irony is that the space that holds our fears—be it the thing that makes us feel vulnerable or the thing that could potentially make us feel like a "failure"—also holds our wishes, hopes, and dreams. So it's difficult to have one without the other. Talk about a predicament.
Lucky for us, conquering our fears can be just as rewarding if not more so than achieving those wishes, hopes, and dreams. Seriously. Take a moment to reflect on some of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences or achievements in your life. Was the path that paved the way perfectly groomed with a predictable and certain route to the finish line? Or were there some unmarked roads, funny looking detours, and fear-inducing turns along the way?
Oftentimes, the best paths, the ones that lead to great places, are overgrown and riddled with thorns. However, the act of moving forward in the face of fear and despite thorny uncertainty is the process that leads us to the real magic. We grow stronger, braver, and more determined.
Speaking of determined, despite the longest intro ever, I'm still determined to chat peanut butter ice cream if you are. Ready? Let's go.
This no-churn vegan peanut butter ice cream requires, no joke, just 6 ingredients, and that's including sea salt. Better yet, you'll only need to spend 10 minutes in the kitchen to make it.
Simply. . .
1| Add plant-based milk, medjool dates, peanut butter, cashew butter, vanilla, and sea salt to a high-speed blender.
2| Blend until super smooth.
3| Pour that sweet, creamy, peanut-buttery mixture into a lined pan.
4| Freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm.
5| Scoop, scoop, scoop, and enjoy.
This ice cream is ultra creamy, easy to scoop, nutty, sweet, and just the right amount of savory.
It's delicious all on its own but to up the decadence, top it with chopped dark chocolate // cacao nibs, a drizzle of my 5-minute caramel sauce, or fresh berries // berry compote for a dessert rendition of PB + J.
And be sure to stay tuned, because I'll be sharing a recipe that features scoop after scoop of this dreamy ice cream on Friday! ♥
📖 Recipe
No-Churn Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened cashew milk or almond milk
- 1 ¼ cups pitted and packed soft, sticky medjool dates (about 12 dates)
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened, unsalted natural peanut butter
- ½ cup raw cashew butter*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Instructions
- Line a 5"x10" loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a high-speed blender, combine the cashew milk, dates, peanut butter, cashew butter, vanilla, and sea salt. Blend on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until completely smooth.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the pan. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for at least 8 hours to set.
- Allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften before scooping and serving.
- Store in freezer for up to 1 week.
Notes
**This recipe was inspired by the Unconventional Baker's nutty, no-churn ice cream magic!
Ellen Lederman says
Hmmm---so I just discover you and now you are leaving for 3 weeks? Just kidding---there are plenty of recipes to explore. Hope you have a terrific time.
Will definitely make this, even though I don't mind churning the ice cream (or rather, the ice cream maker doesn't seem to mind churning). I've discovered that homemade cashew butter isn't hard at all to make and so delicious.
One tip I've discovered is to freeze homemade vegan ice cream in individual portions so you aren't repeatedly taking ice cream out to thaw and then refreezing it, thus creating more deadly ice crystals.
I think that your thoughts about perfectionism are also related to having too many choices (and "perfect" is just another choice, albeit difficult/impossible to attain). Have you see Barry Schwartz's TED lecture, The Paradox of Choice (or read his book)? People seem much more content when they finalize a choice and aren't second-guessing what could have been.
And in your case, "good enough" is quite wonderful!
Ashley says
Ellen, great tip about freezing ice cream in individual portions to avoid thawing and refreezing it repeatedly. I cannot wait to give that a try the next time I make a batch. Thanks for sharing!
Also, completely, wholeheartedly agree about the burden of having too many choices and how that, alone, can cause a slew of issues, including procrastination. I haven't seen Barry Schwartz's TED lecture yet, but I'm going to look it up tonight—sounds like something I need to watch! I've read about "decision fatigue" quite a bit and know that I've absolutely suffered from that at times. In a world with an ever-increasing number of choices, it's no wonder we're all burnt out on making decisions!
Thank you for your thoughtful insights! Hope you enjoy the recipe. xo
Jan says
My version of the 3 P's is all about timing.....it has to be the perfect time, temperature, everything in alignment before I can do what I have to do. Right now it's weeding. And I'm such a habit of routine. One task gets out of order and I'm done for. I do the procrastination and paralysis as described. We're such a society of excuses don't you think? There's always an excuse. My mantra is "just get the damn thing done" and move on.
Love your blog, your recipes and your insight.
Ashley says
Oh, Jan, I can completely relate about the excuses to put off starting a task. Love, love, love your mantra! My husband, Dan, once listened to a motivational audiobook (forgetting the name at the moment) that swore by the concept of "eating your frogs first," and I try to remind myself of it whenever I'm avoiding one task in particular. It's the idea that when you do the thing you most dread first thing in the day, the rest of your day (as well as the tasks you complete) unfolds rather effortlessly because the burden of that icky task (i.e., "frog") is lifted. Hope your weeding is going well! ;)
Lee says
I'm dealing with the 3 P's for the last year with my PhD thesis... it's a real problem and very hard to override... but with good support, strong willpower and some life slaps in the face, It's doable :p At least for me! funny enough, I'm very pragmatic with everything else in my life...
Seriously, I wish you all the best and I know that If I manage to overcome this issue, anyone can :) Lovely recipe as always! (I'm pinning it)
Ashley says
Oh man, I can only imagine how feisty the 3 P's got while writing a PhD thesis. The bigger the challenge, the more fierce their behavior. Glad to hear that you overcame them and you're totally right, support, willpower, and a few life slaps in the face are kryptonite to the 3 P's. Thanks for sharing your insights, kindness, and encouragement—it means so much. xo
Karen says
Robert Benchley wrote an hilarious essay about his version of the Three Ps back in 1949:
http://stonesoup.org/meetings/0601/pim.pres/procrastination.pdf
Ashley says
Karen, just read the article and it is AMAZING! Made me laugh because it's so incredibly true. This notion in particular made me laugh, because it is just so true: "The psychological principle is this: anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." The #1 sign that I'm majorly avoiding a task: when I decide to clean our condo from top to bottom when it's completely unnecessary to do so. Thank you for sharing this gem. I have a feeling I'll be reading and rereading it for quite some time to come.
Celeste Jackson says
Never heard about the 3 P's but have certainly lived them and worked to overcome them :) I wonder if this came with time but now I see you younger people discovering so much earlier. It's so nice that you share this important message......by the way the ice cream looks amazing. We have an ice cream maker that Mike loves to use, but I prefer this method myself. Will be trying this soon.
Ashley says
I have you to thank for being so curious about this sort of stuff. I swear, it's a result of spending so much time as a kid listening to wisdom of Tony Robbins, Dale Carnegie, Wayne Dyer, etc. from the backseat of your car. It made me realize that everyone, no matter their age or their experience, can continue to grow and improve. Thanks for that, mom. <3
Ashley says
I really enjoyed reading this and could definitely relate- thanks for sharing! As for the ice cream, I love this idea as we don't have an ice cream maker.
Ashley says
So glad you enjoyed reading along, Ashley. Hope you enjoy/ed the ice cream and that you're having a beautiful start to fall!
Ellen Lederman says
Made it! Felt like I was cheating by not churning it, but it doesn't need it. Totally delicious. Just have to decide if I want to gild the lily by making chocolate magic shell to put on it.
I did follow your cashew butter recipe and now have a lot of it left over (terrible problem, I know). Am wondering about a ginger carrot bisque soup with some cashew butter in it...
Ashley says
So glad you enjoyed the ice cream, Ellen! I hope you went all out and added a chocolate magic shell over top—sounds like an amazing idea if I've ever heard one.
Also, I am so, so very sorry for my slow as molasses response time regarding the cashew butter. I have a feeling you've probably used it all up by this point but if you haven't (or for future reference), I think it would be a lovely addition to a ginger carrot bisque. Great idea. You could also whisk it into a tomato bisque to yield a richer, creamier texture.
Platt College says
Love peanut butter ice cream and it's vegan. Perfect!
Ashley says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and share your thoughts!
kayla says
Would it be possible to make this with maple syrup instead of dates? And if so, how much should I use? Love all your recipes!
Ashley says
Hi, Kayla! Unfortunately, the dates can't be replaced because they're a large part of what makes this ice cream no-churn. However, if you have an ice cream maker, you could certainly try making this with maple syrup. I'd recommend sweetening to taste as I haven't tried the swap myself. Hope this helps and thanks for the kind words!
Jenny says
I'm just now reading this post from a couple years ago and it all rings so true to me in this moment. I clicked for peanut butter ice cream but the real gold here is calling me out on the 3 p's. Thank you for sharing this as it resonate she and gives me the observation I needed to break the cycle and find a little more compassion for myself.
Ashley says
Happy to hear it resonated with you, Jenny! Thanks for taking time out of your day to share your thoughts and kind words—means so much to know that you found it helpful. :)
David says
Hi, I was just wondering why you can store this in the freezer for only up to one week. What in the recipe will go bad for longer in the freezer?
Ashley says
Hi, David! It won't go bad, but it will become a bit frostbitten after a week, which is why I recommend enjoying it within that time-frame. Hope that helps!
David says
Ah, that makes sense. Not that it should be a problem, ice cream never lasts a week in my place! Thanks, Ashley
Ashley says
You're welcome, David! Hope you enjoy the recipe. :)