Green Monster Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream

It’s over 100 degrees in Los Angeles and I’m just not ready to say goodbye to summer without the crisp cooling flavor of mint and chocolate swirled together into a creamy duet. More importantly, I wanted to make a healthy ice cream recipe that you can enjoy no matter if you’re trying to keep your sugar or dairy to a minimum, or just want to find some new ways to incorporate some green into your diet. Perhaps I should’ve named this Chocolate mint nice cream? Sans banana ice cream of course. You do not need frozen bananas for this dairy free ice cream alternative, but you will need dates.

This is one of those recipes you need a high speed blender for since we are going to use uncooked veggies. Without a high speed blender you will taste the spinach because the texture will not be smooth. I’d like to say I’ve gotten a smooth texture without it, but I haven’t–a food processor will not work for this recipe. You will have to omit the spinach if you don’t have a high speed blender, or significantly reduce the portion and blend first with the milk.

This is one of my fam’s favorite recipes. The first time I served it, I didn’t even mention there were veggies because you just can’t tell. By the time it’s whipped and pureed in, you just don’t notice–it just seems like a beautiful food coloring that create this beautiful mint chocolate chip healthy ice cream recipe. 

But who can resist knowing they are getting a full serving of veggies with their dessert once they do know? And since I put the spinach in raw, it’s like you are eating a salad!

Though this healthy recipe does not call for added sugars, this isn’t a sugar free recipe. 

NUTRITION IN 1 CUP SPINACH

27 Calories

.86g Protein

30 mg Calcium

.81 g Iron

24 mg Magnesium

167 mg potassium

2813 IUs Vit A

58 mg folate

There is more nutrition (like vitamin C!), but those are the major ones. Besides the spinach, I love that you are absolutely getting your creamy flavor fix with no dairy.♥

SOME IMPORTANT NOTES AND VARIATIONS FOR THIS ICE CREAM:

1. Why I didn’t use fresh mint: Since I am already pureeing a cup of fresh spinach leaves into this ice cream, I opted not to add any fresh mint since I was nervous about texture. However, feel free to use fresh mint instead of the extract and let me know how it turns out! I just think the nutrition in spinach far outweighs mint. You could also opt to replace the spinach with mint.
2. Extracts: Every bottle of peppermint extract I tried seemed to have a different strength. This recipe is based on a Trader Joe’s peppermint extract, but feel free to trade that in for any mint extract, just add slowly and with frequent tastings.
3. Making Ice Cream Without a Maker: Before I had my ice cream maker (which I LOVE!!!), I frequently made ice cream anyway, it just took longer (half hour vs. about 6 hours). The important things I have found are to make sure there is enough air for a creamy texture and enough stirring to prevent crystallization.   I have accomplished this a couple of ways:
   1. Make the blend of ingredients ahead of time (minus the nut milk), put into ice cube trays, then puree the cubes with the milk on the frozen dessert cycle in a high-speed blender. Put it back into the freezer until the desired consistency.
   2. OR: Pour into a large freezer container (I like using a bread pan for ice cream since long is better than tall for even freezing) and stir every 30-60 minutes to get all the crystallized edges into the center every stir. Your goal is to freeze the ice cream evenly.
4. Making Ice Cream WITH a Maker: I can make this ice cream in about 30-40 minutes total. Since my ice cream maker is a little smaller than most, I took half of it out after it was soft-serve, put it in my freezer containers for later (and to gift!), then ate the rest when it finished freezing. That way, everything freezes evenly. Don’t forget that liquid expands when it freezes, so if you don’t have room…that’s why.
5. Alcohol helps with ice crystals: Usually I will add up to a tablespoon of an alcohol in all my ice cream to keep it from freezing. This time I used peppermint schnapps, but you can also use vodka or any alcohol. I try to keep the alcohol neutral unless I want to taste it.

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Green Monster Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream

Prep Time

15 mins

 

Healthy Ice Cream recipe featuring the flavor mint chocolate chip. But this recipe has several sneaky twists that allow you to have your cake and eat it too!

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews soaked
• 1/2 cup soft-dried dates pitted
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup spinach fresh
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste and desired sweetness
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp peppermint schnapps though optional, the alcohol helps with ice crystals
• 1 tbsp mint extract please add gradually since every extract has different strengths
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or to tastes

Instructions

1. Puree all the ingredients together in a high speed blender until completely smooth (I used the "smoothie" mode on my Vitamix)

2. Follow the directions for without an ice cream maker above, or according to the manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream maker

3. Add the chocolate chips once it has a "soft-serve" texture

In the picture I used a magic shell drizzle and it’s super easy! Just stir equal parts coconut oil and cacao or cocoa powder, add some sweetener and salt to desired taste, and drizzle it on.

Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream would also taste amazing on top of my gluten free chocolate mug cake (soon to come!).

You could also try this recipe with cocoa powder to make chocolate ice cream or greek yogurt for a protein boost.

Enjoy!