DaIry Free Mint Chip Ice Cream

Ice cream is a summer time pleasure that brings back memories of childhood fun. And it’s so refreshing when it’s hot out.

Even if you can’t eat dairy or refined sugar, doesn’t mean you should feel left out. Deprivation is depressing. I avoid that feeling at all costs.

Because ice cream has always been my favorite dessert and treat, my solution is making DIY versions at home. Making ice cream is one of the easiest things in the world, so why not indulge yourself and/or your kids a bit?

Especially when the ice cream recipes are fee of common food allergens and colored with veggies. By making your own, you can control how much sugar goes in and use the healthiest sweeteners available. You can even sweeten with fruit.

I was so inspired by the  We Can Al Scream For Ice Cream e-book. It’s a collection of  24 dairy-free ice cream, sorbet, popsicle and sundae recipes that contain NO nuts, refined sugar, eggs, soy or chocolate. Best of all, the e-book costs the same as pint of organic ice cream.

The recipes were written with the restrictions of the Paleo Autoimmune Diet (AIP) in mind. Translation: they’re good for everyone! And tasty too. I never made ice cream with coconut milk before and it’s just as rich, creamy and delicious as dairy ice cream.

I wanted to share this book with you because  We Can All Scream For Ice Cream demonstrates how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker! The recipe below can be made with no special equipment. So you and your family can be enjoying some ice cream tonight.

That said, when I started making ice cream, I bought myself an ice cream maker because it saves a ton of time, energy and effort. I don’t want to wait a couple of hours for my ice cream. With the automatic ice cream maker you mix the ingredients in your blender, put it in the machine, throw in  chips or other topping 20 minutes later and enjoy a bowl of freshly made ice cream 10 minutes after that.

If you love eating ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet as much as I do, this Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Maker is definitely worth the investment.

I made some honey banana frozen yogurt that was out of this world. It was fun to offer it to house guests because they were delighted and impressed by the homemade stuff. If you want that recipe tell me in the comments below and I’ll post it.

Mint chip ice cream

My favorite thing about this mint chip ice cream recipe is that it gets most of it’s green color from spinach. It’s like having a green smoothie ice cream ( you can’t really taste the spinach).

I love sneaking veggies into my treats as you can see by my recent attempt at cauliflower rice pudding.

There are other ways to sneak healing nutrition in your treats. Simply blend a teaspoon of grassfed gelatin (this is the one I use to dissolve in cold water) into your recipe for extra gut healing action. It also gives it a nice texture.

Another thing I love about the recipe below is that it uses real peppermint extract, which is a known belly soother.

While many of the ice cream recipes in the e-book are made with coconut milk, you can  substitute equal portions of almond milk or full fat dairy for coconut milk. You can even make ice cream from fermented kefir!! Talk about healthy.

Here’s a sample mint chip recipe from the We Can All Scream For Ice Cream e-book.

Mint Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients

½ cup coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon carob powder

1 can (13.5 fl oz/398 ml) of full fat coconut milk

½ teaspoon real peppermint extract ( I use this one)

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Handful of fresh baby spinach

How TO

Pre-freeze your ice cream maker’s insulated container. Or if you do not have an ice cream maker, place a baking dish in the freezer.

Make your ‘chips’ by combining the coconut oil and carob powder in a shallow dish, and place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until completely frozen.

In a blender or food processor, combine your coconut milk, peppermint extract, mint leaves, and maple syrup. If you want a greener looking ice cream, add in the fresh baby spinach. Blend until the leaves are well combined and your mixture is smooth.

Remove your frozen carob mixture from the freezer, and break up the thin, frozen layer into chips with your hands or a fork.

Add chips to ice cream mixture. If using an ice cream maker: pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow the directions for your machine. That means putting the chips in at the very end (20 minutes in). The ice cream is usually done in half an hour to 35 minutes.

Serve when ready.

— or —

If not using an ice cream maker: pour mixture into a baking dish, and place it in the freezer. Freeze for 45 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the freezer and stir it well with a rubber spatula, making sure to break up any hard, frozen sections. You can also use an immersion blender in your baking dish to mix it well. Place the mixture back in the freezer.

Every 30–45 minutes, check the ice cream mixture and mix or churn it, until the ice cream is of the desired consistency. This should take about 2 to 3 hours.

Freeze longer for a harder ice cream, or allow to thaw slightly before serving for a softer texture.

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