Dairy-Free Mint Chocolate Chip

Once upon a time I would have thought there was absolutely no way a decent dairy based dessert could be made WITHOUT dairy. Butter, yogurt or some sort of cream…it just couldn’t be possible! Brownies, frostings, puddings? No way. And DEFINITELY not ice cream.

Flashing forward to now, going through nutrition school and becoming friends with many raw foodists and vegans, I have learned there are many delicious dairy alternatives that can be used to create sweet treats. While these alternatives can still be fattening, chances are they are healthier and easier on our digestive systems than dairy products can often be.

There are some really creative options out there, and this one I found was quite a challenge, but at the same time, not so bad. The ingredients are simple, and it does not require an ice cream maker. I don’t own an ice cream maker (might be on my wish list!) so this recipe worked out perfectly for me. I also don’t have an ice cream scooper, so the pictures could have been nicer if the “ice cream” scoops were more “ice cream” shaped. It is actually quite delicious, and although it does not taste like the real thing to me, it is very close and a good alternative for those who are trying to watch their processed sugar intake and have issues with dairy consumption. If you do decide to stick to regular ice cream, just make sure it has as few ingredients as possible.

Mint Chocolate Chip “Ice Cream”

2 Hass medium-large avocados

1 medium banana

1/4 cup coconut butter (could use coconut oil)

2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey is also fine)

1 tablespoon peppermint extract ( a little more if you want it extra minty)

handful of fresh mint leaves

3-5 tablespoons of Enjoy Life chocolate chips (soy, nut and dairy free)

Directions

Pit and scoop out avocados.

Peel banana.

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips into Vita-mix or high powered blender.

Blend until smooth. Make sure it is well blended.

Place in large deep bowl.

Add in your chocolate chips. Stir them in.

Set bowl into freezer.

Stir every 30 minutes until desired texture is achieved. This can take up to 2 hours with stirring every 30 minutes, so make sure you do this on a day or night where you might be home. You could just leave it in the freezer and tend to it later, but it might be really hard and difficult to maneuver at that point.