Ice cream alternative?

I'm not too much of an ice cream fiend, but there are certain times where I feel like I just /need/ a nice scoop of something cold, sweet, and creamy. 

Herein lies the problem: I can't eat ice cream.  Dairy makes me break out in huge cysts, though I can occasionally have a bit of full-fat ice cream (ANY low-fat dairy wreaks havoc on my complexion, though) without turning into a zit-factory.  It's random, though, and I since I'm about to go on THE vacation, I can't risk it.

I also can't eat soy.  Uber tummy-ache.  Definite no-go.

I bought some organic vanilla Rice Dream tonight, and it tasted like bum.  I love me some good vanilla (my standard criteria for judging ice cream) but this stuff resembled ganky, fetid sugar water.

My question to you, then, is: where can I get some nommy non-dairy, non-soy ice-cream-eque substance?  Is there any brand you swear by?  Calories aren't /too/ much of an issue (I'm in maintenance mode right now) but I'm PMSing something fierce and I'm tearing my hair out on my eternal quest for ice cream.  I've heard of the coconut milk stuff; is it any good?  Cost isn't /too/ much of an issue, either, but I admit that I bought the Rice Dream because a quart of it was the same price as all the pints, at about six dollars.  I'd happily fork that over for the good stuff, though, if anyone has any suggestions?

Thank you!

eat a frozen banana or use a frozen banana in you milkshake to make it superthick it tastes exactly like icecream

what about like Italian ice or something along those lines (I don't think that has dairy in it, right? just frozen water and flavoring).....otherwise, yea I would go with freezing some fruits (banana and strawberries are my favorites)

I've read reviews that the coconut-milk based nondairy ice creams are the best bet. I like So Delicious Purely Decadent, but that is soy so it's out.

There are some fruit sorbets out there that are nondairy, and it's easy enough to make your own - I actually added a recipe on here for a Strawberry Sorbet. It takes a few hours in the freezer, so you have to make it in advance, but it turns out pretty good when you need a fix.

Like someone else said coconut milk based ice cream is best.  Coconut Bliss is what I get. It's so delicious. I'll never go back to Soy ice cream. go to their website to see where you can buy it. :)   The Dark Chocolate is so rich. The mint one is also really good.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.  The frozen fruit idea is a good one (especially for when I'm wanting a cold snack), but when I'm craving ice cream, I want ice cream. xD  My brain is stubborn like that.  I haven't seen any Italian Ices at the grocery store, but I'll keep a lookout.

I can't find any sorbets at my usual grocer, either!  The closest I've found is sherbet, and the first or second ingredient is always skimmed milk.  How frustrating!  We have a couple of health food stores out here, though, and that's where I found the Rice Dream.  I'll take another peek soon, though.  I know they had the coconut milk ice cream, but I balked at the price. 

I used to buy the So Delicious soy creams and /loved/ the taste, and I think it's the same company (Turtle Mountain?) that makes the coconut milk ice cream that I spotted yesterday.  I'm not sure if I saw Coconut Bliss there, but I'm going to check their website like you suggested.  However, if it's as good as you say it is, I'm definitely willing to fork over the money for it.  It's not like I buy ice cream that often, so it's a splurge and a treat.  (Yeah, just don't ask me about the 5$ chocolate bar I bought last night -- priorities, right? ^^;;)

Thanks again for the insight and suggestions.  If anyone else has any input, I'd be happy to hear it. =)

You're welcome.  And smoothies are a yummy treat also. Like you said though.. when you want ice cream you want ice cream!

Coconut Bliss is almost the same price as Haggen daz, but better. Also I read on the site that they ship. LOL  not sure you'd go to such great lengths, but it's an option. :P

I'm just as bad. I bought a $4.40 chocolate bar.  haha

Nut-based raw ice cream! If you can't find it, make it at home! I love it, it's so decadent and creamy :)

According to the Coconut Bliss website, our local natural food store has it.  I must've just glanced right over it.  Yay, I'm hopeful! XD  The chocolate-peanut-butter flavor, as well as the cherry amaretto, seems downright decadent.  I may have to take a drive down tomorrow to check it out. >D

I ate another scoop of the Rice Dream tonight, and again, it disappointed.  Blech. T.T

Heh, what candy bar did you buy?  Mine was this 70% dark Lindt bar with a mousse filling and cherry-chili /goo/ in it.  Z0mg. O.O  SO worth it!  I don't even really care for chocolate, but I have a chocolate-cherry fetish, and I only crave chocolate during my cycle, and yeah.  I was helpless to resist its five-dollar siren song.

Ellabella89, you have piqued my interest!  Do you have a recipe?  Thanks!

I'm dying to try the chocolate-peanut butter one.  it's the one flavor i haven't seen though. maybe it'll turn up. :P

Yeah i"m not a big fan of Rice Dream. I think the only rice dream one i had was with peanut butter and chocolate or just chocolate. I remember it being okay, a little strange, but nothing fantastic.

mmmm Lindt has good chocolate.  Mine was one of those all organic ones..  mint dark chocolate (70% cocoa).  I love lindt white chocolate with the mousse filling. yummm. And LOL me too. probably why i went through two cartons of coconut bliss alreadyd and a few pieces of the dark chocolate.

Same for me about the raw nut ice cream. I was googling and found one, but it seems like you need an ice cream maker?  Seemed kind of involved, but sounds like it'd be worth it!

Freeze 2 banana cut into chunks, then throw into a blender- takes a few minutes but makes a delicious satisfying creamy rich tasting dessert...top with melted chocolate/coconut/granola/whatever :)

So I trekked out to the co-op today and found the Coconut Bliss!  However, they didn't have any of the flavors I was pining for, and so I chickened out. xD  Yes, I chickened out.  How the heck does someone chicken out from an ice cream purchase, I do not know, but that was me: the chicken.  Gah!

I did find a couple other things though, and I admit, the price is what sucked me in.  I tried a different rice cream -- Good Karma brand -- and it promised a taste of coconut and mango.  Bleh.  Basically resembled pancake batter. o.O  Not awful, better than the other gunk I bought, but not worth it.  HOWEVER, the star of the show was the hemp cream I got!  Yeah, hemp milk non-dairy awesomeness!  It was coffee biscotti flavored and actually had little cookie bits in it!  I'm thrilled, and it had fantastic stats (140 calories for 75g).  The texture was spot-on, and it was delish.  I highly recommend it.  I think it was called Tempt or something.  Aieee! -happy satisfied-craving dance-

Yeah, I'm kinda a Lindt junkie, and I've even turned my fella into a choccy snob.  He'll reach for a Lindt milk before a Hershey's nowadays. xD  Their 85% dark is just the stuff when I have a craving for pure, unadulterated chocolate taste.

Eh, it's our periods.  Indulgences like this are exactly that, and therefore have no calories.  Fact. -nods-  I think that, if doctors were smart, they'd just write a Rx for it when our cycles rolled around.  "Moody, irritable, and crampy?  Here, here's a 'script for some dark chocolate and ice cream.  Your insurance should cover it." >D  Hehe.

Angel_26, thanks for the suggestion.  I truly love bananas (I go though a dozen or more a week, no exaggeration, by myself) but it's just not the same.  However, I might just take you up your suggestion and make some banana soft serve, then hard-freeze it and pack it into a cone.  Thanks for your input! ^_^

I wouldn't buy it either if they didn't have a flavor i'd be interested in trying.  Especially considering the price. 

Good Karma sounds familiar.  Yeah, coconut and mango? lol meh.  The beauty of the coconut bliss is you don't even taste the coconut. :D  which is good 'cause I'm not actually a big fan of coconut to begin with.

Funny you should mention Hemp ice cream. I just saw some in my aunt's freezer this week.  I'll have to try it sometime!

lol I used to buy those Lindt truffles on a monthly basis.

hahahaha omg a script for dark chocolate and ice cream.  that'd be hilarious to see.

Ooh, let me know how your experience with the hemp ice cream goes. ^_^  My boyfriend was teasing me as I was eating it, saying it was just gonna make me hungrier (heh, munchie humor and all that). 

Just a fair warning, maybe my freezer is set too cold, but it's a sonuvagun to get out of the carton.  I actually had to nuke it for about ten seconds at half power just to get my scoop in there. o.O  Other than that, though: mouthgasm!  I've had it the past three days in a row and I'm doing my best to ration it. -twitch-  Must...resist...

Once my period starts, I'll be fine.  It's the PMS that's killer.

Oooh, speaking of truffles!  My fella was given a couple of pounds of these gourmet French truffles for Christmas, and while we were cleaning his office this weekend, he found a bag hiding in some files.  OMG.  He was going to toss them!  Sacrilege!  Those babies came home with me. >D  There's now a pound of dark choccy truffles beckoning to me from the pantry.

Oi vey...at least it's just water weight, right? x)