AVOCADO MINT CHIP BANANA ICE CREAM
I’m an ice cream addict if I’ve ever seen one… a vegan, refined-sugar-free, SCD-friendly ice cream addict that is. ;) I LOVE a good alternative to ice cream that still makes my gut happy.
It’s amazing to see so many dairy free ice cream alternatives coming out, but I still find myself really disappointed in the ingredient lists.
So many include not-so-gut-friendly ingredients like guar gum, xanthan gum, artificial sweeteners, flavors, etc. but are marketed as “healthy” because they are vegan.
And don’t even get me started on the “healthy” low-calorie ice creams that are so popular right now… okay just kidding I’m definitely going to get started on them.
I went through a total Arctic Zero phase (anyone else!?) in college during my disordered eating days because you couldn’t beat the calorie count. Did I even like what it tasted like? Heck no it tasted like sh*tty diluted frozen chocolate water. I also didn’t realize at first that their “lactose free” pints still had whey (a no-no for my tummy). But I convinced myself to enjoy it because it was “healthy”… right?
Let’s look at the ingredients of my OG favorite way back when - “chocolate peanut butter”: purified water, why protein concentrate (milk), organic cane sugar, chicory root, sugarcane fiber, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xanthan gum, natural peanut flavor, sea salt, monk fruit concentrate.
I could go on and on picking a part that ingredient list from the multiple sweeteners and gums to the fact that there isn’t even real peanut butter in it to the fact that they use cocoa instead of cacao (read about the difference here).
I get the allure - a whole PINT for 150 calories!? It seems unbeatable.
But I was always taught QUALITY over quantity when it comes to food growing up and I think that’s a lesson a lot of our country still needs to learn.
So while the old me was more satisfied eating a larger quantity of sh*tty, tasteless “healthy” (expect not) ice cream, the present me would much rather make her own nutrient-dense “ice cream” with no weird fillers and plenty of flavor, healthy fats and real ingredients.
If you truly love your low-calorie pints, don’t feel like I’m shaming you. You do YOU boo. But also make this banana ice cream and you won’t go back. ;)
XO nat
Paleo + Dairy Free Avocado Mint Chip Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 /3 medium avocado
- 2 frozen bananas
- 3/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup cacao nibs
- 1/3 cup almond milk (can sub for other plant-based “milk”)
- 3 Tbsp cashew butter (can sub for other nut butter)
- TOPPING: 1/4 more cacao nibs
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor (if your blender isn’t very strong) and blend until smooth.
- Place in a container and freeze for about 30 minutes or until it hardens a bit (but not all the way).
- Serve with more cacao nibs on top and enjoy!