When I was little, my dad and I would take long drives during sticky hot humid summer nights with the windows down and the radio blasting. He would come to a stop sign and would let me choose the direction. The cicadas would sing in the tall elm trees that lined those back roads of Oklahoma. But somehow, no matter where we would end up on our random winding drives, we would always stumble upon a Braum’s, an ice cream and dairy chain in Oklahoma that rivals Dairy Queen.

My eyes would light up at the sight of the ice cream mecca. It was a welcomed cold treat, providing respite from the heat. He would always order a buttered pecan mix and I would always order a pineapple or lime sherbet freeze. It was our Sunday evening ritual.

This recipe is a diary free homage to that pineapple sherbet that I used to enjoy during those hot humid nights. This recipe is also inspired by this week’s recipe for the Food Matters Project – Raspberry Cabernet Sorbet chosen by Jenny of Simple and Amazing. Be sure to check out the original recipe which uses frozen fruit to create the sorbet and does not require an ice cream maker.

So what is the difference between sherbet and sorbet?

Sherbets typically have dairy and quite a bit of sugar whereas sorbets are dairy free but still typically have quite a bit of added refined white sugar. I am always looking to lower or eliminate refined sugar from recipes. So I decided to use canned pineapple in 100% pineapple juice and added full fat organic coconut milk, making it a paleo-friendly, refined sugar free, and dairy free sherbet/sorbet.  The added lime juice provides a punchy tang similar to sherbet. This is a guilt free summer treat that has become my new Sunday evening ritual! Mmmm…

I used an ice cream maker to make this sorbet. However, you can make this without an ice cream maker. Simply add to a shallow pan and place in the freezer. Stir the mixture with a fork every thirty minutes for about 4 hours. Or another method is to freeze the mixture in a shallow metal pan or ice cube tray until solid (6 hours). Break into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth.

Freeze leftovers….if you have any.  Remove the sorbet container from the freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving for scoopability. Yes…that’s a word. It’s mine. Use it. I don’t mind. Impress folks. You are welcome.

Coconut Pineapple Sorbet (Paleo-Friendly, Dairy Free, Vegan)

Ingredients

• 15 oz can unsweetened coconut milk (full fat)
• 20 oz can of sliced pineapple in 100% pineapple juice
• juice from 1/2 lime

Instructions

1. Puree pineapple in blender or food processor. Add coconut milk and lime juice to blender/food processor. Mix well.
2. Add to ice cream maker and freeze according to instructions.
3. Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and let harden in the freezer for 1 hour.
4. Freeze leftovers (what leftovers). Remove from the freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving.