Mint Chip Nice Cream Recipe

1First, peel your very ripe bananas and pop them in the freezer. The perfect nice cream banana is past the point where you would want to eat it fresh out of the peel. The skin will be soft and covered all over with dark brown or black spots, indicating that the starches have turned to simple sugars, making them naturally very sweet. Once frozen, cut them into chunks. Bananas that are just slightly thawed blend up creamiest so you can microwave them for 30 seconds, or just let them sit on the counter for a short while. You’ll know they are ready to blend when you can make a slight dent in the banana when pressed.

2A high-powered blender is really helpful when making nice cream as it powers through the frozen fruit creating a super creamy consistancy. I use a Vitamix which has a tamper that enables you to push the food down and around the blade. If you have a blender without a tamper, you will just need to stop periodically to scrape the sides of the container.

3Next add your peeled and de-stoned avocado followed by the bananas, mint extract (or peppermin leaves) and pinch of salt. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the salt, but it will help marry the flavors together. Adding the soft avocado first also helps the blender grab onto the frozen bananas. If you are using mint leaves, make sure they are pepperint leaves. Peppermint leaves give the mintiest flavor and clean taste. Using spearmint leaves can create a grassy taste in your nice cream.

4Blend until the mixture is creamy, pale green and looks like thick frosting. This takes about a minute. Stir in the cacao nibs or mini dairy-free chocolate chips.

5Your nice cream is all ready! You can scoop it into individual bowls or cones, sprinkle with more cacao nibs, or put it in the freezer for later. Helpful Tip: If freezing for later, let it thaw until scoopable before serving.