Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Dairy-free)

It’s Miami Beach. It’s the middle of August. It’s hot as hell out there. Clearly, we are all in the need for a cool down. And in my case this past weekend, that came in the form of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

I think when it comes to making ice cream, a lot of people are hesitant to give it a try because it seems like a process. In fact, it’s actually one of the easiest desserts to make. And especially if you have the Cuisinart ice cream maker which I highly suggest to purchase. For $70, you can make any sort of ice cream your little heart desires. It’s really one of my favorite kitchen appliance 🙂

Howeverrrr if you do not have an ice cream maker (and don’t plan on buying one), do not fear. You can still make this ice cream. Or any ice cream for that matter. Just follow the easy instructions here.

Now back to the ice cream. This deliciously creamy and refreshing Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream will hit the spot on a hot summer day. And the good news? It’s dairy-free. It’s also low fat, free of refined sugar and on top of it all, GOOD FOR YOU.

No cream? No dairy? How does it manage to hold up to the “creamy” reputation? I’m glad you asked. My secret weapon. And that weapon is the green-machine superfood of avocado. I know. Sounds weird/gross. BUT you will be shocked at how A) You can’t taste a trace of avocado and B) How much it adds to the decadent creamy texture.

I didn’t expect that the avocado would work so brilliant in this recipe. And I was beyond excited to happily indulge (guilt-free) all weekend, enjoying one of my all-time fav ice cream flavors. The “dairy” in this ice cream is the avocado combined with light coconut milk. Coconut milk is another fantastic dairy-free substitute for ice cream. However, it tends to be pretty high in fat. So I like to use light coconut milk instead of full fat. But when you do this, sometimes your ice cream will not be as thick and creamy, and will turn out more like a sherbet/sorbet consistency. This is where the avocado comes into play! I promise you can’t taste it – at all! But it provides this amazing cream-texture to the ice cream. And (even better) makes it GREEN! Perfect for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream 🙂

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM (DAIRY FREE)
2 cups of light coconut milk
2 perfectly ripe avocados
1/2 cup of agave nectar (or honey)
1-2 teaspoons of peppermint extract (depending on how minty you want it)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
6 packets of truvia, stevia or splenda (or sugar/sugar substitute of choice)
1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of warm water
1 1/2 cups of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips. Blend well. Pour into your ice cream maker according to the instructions and let churn for about 15 minutes or until the ice cream is stiff. Pour the chocolate chips in about 5 minutes into the churning process so they are mixed in well. Serve immediately, or if you want a harder ice cream texture, freeze in an air tight container (I just used tupperware) for about an hour and then serve. You can store in an air-tight container and come back to it when your ice cream craving comes again! (The natural (and healthy) fat from the avocado and coconut milk will keep the ice cream perfectly creamy regardless of how long its in the freezer. Just make sure the container is sealed tightly).