To celebrate my birthday this year on Sunday 4 December, I decided I was going to host an Ice Cream & Pool Party to celebrate with my family and some of my closest friends. I've had a lot of people ask me for recipes, ideas and other information on my party, so here it is!

The photo above is of Janenne's wonderful brownies with coconut cream that I had requested her make for my birthday.

First, buy and/or make some Ice Cream for your party. I was on a case for Jury Duty all week so I didn't have much time throughout the week to make party goodies. However, each night I'd come home, I'd focus on a particular item to make. First it was the ice cream.

I bought some So Good Ice Cream to use for my ice cream flavours as well as a few more 1 litre tubs for use on the day. I made Vanilla, Raspberry and Coconut ice cream; a Chocolate, Oreo and cayenne Ice Cream; as well as Raw Banana Ice Cream. I made three different types of jelly, a chia pudding, raw cashew cream and various other goodies - see below for the details and the bottom for the recipes.

I also made some Ice Cream sandwiches with both vanilla and chocolate Ice Cream:

On the day, I prepared toppings for the Ice Cream. I decided to focus on healthy as well as decadent options. The below is a photograph of the healthy options consisting of slivered almonds, candied ginger, goji berries and crushed walnuts:

Along with the more decadent option of coconut crunch biscuits, Oreo cookies, chocolate chips and chocolate biscuits:

Here's the layout for the day, I had labels for each item as well:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the layout of the Sundae buffet in pictorial form:

The Ice Cream and frozen section. Ange & Adele both bought me some CocoLuscious Ice Cream and Daniel Humphries made his own banana ice cream in his new ice cream machine:

Consisting of Ice Cream sandwiches, vanilla and chocolate Ice Cream:

Plus my own creations of chocolate Ice Cream with Oreos and cayenne pepper - this was a bit hot, but still good:

Along with my Vanilla, Raspberry and Coconut Ice Cream and the Raw Banana Ice Cream:

We had bowls and spoons as well as a couple of bowls with water so serving utensils could be rinsed. Over the other side of the fridge/freezer was the Sundae Buffet where there were many other dishes and a lot of toppings. Starting with some healthy options of strawberries, mango puree and Rice Cream along with Janenne's wonderful brownies topped with coconut cream:

I also made raw cashew cream, a Chia Pudding (recipe from the Svelt Kitchen & another version from Carrie on Vegan who I met at Vida Vegan Con in Portland, OR this year) and three different types of  Vitarium brand of Jelly - lime, tropical and orange:

Plus chocolate topping, chocolate powder, 100s and 1000s as well as my healthy and decadent topping options:

Here's a photo of the birthday girl with her brownie cake & after the pool:

 

It was an overcast day in Brisbane. Since the first of December, you know Summer, it's been not-Summer weather... And the pool was quite cold. But I couldn't have a Pool party without getting in the pool - people would talk ;) Myself and my friends kept warm by bomb diving and seeing who could last the longest swimming underwater without coming up for air - it was Daniel Hennessey!

Thank you to those who celebrated with me!

RECIPES:

Chia Pudding: recipe from the Svelt Kitchen & another version from Carrie on Vegan

Chocolate, Oreo and Cayenne Ice Cream

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Raw Banana Ice Cream - sprinkle some coconut on top!

Raw Cashew Cream

Vanilla, Raspberry and Coconut Ice Cream

UPDATE February 2012: Here's two how-to videos on how to make the Ice Cream with Oreos and cayenne pepper:

Vanilla, Raspberry and Coconut Ice Cream: