The sun is blazing, and the days are long. It’s the peak of summer right now, and it’s hot outside. The ice cream truck is circling the block and cooling off with a sugary ice cream treat sounds great, but it’s not the healthiest choice.
Why not make “nice cream” instead? It tastes just as good as ice cream (or maybe even better, since you can choose exactly how you flavor it). You still get all of the creamy, cool deliciousness, but you don’t get any of the guilt! (On top of that, you’ll save money, too!)
This simple recipe only takes three or four ingredients (depending on whether you add the optional soy milk to get your desired consistency). It can be made up in a matter of minutes, and it will have you wondering why you didn’t do this sooner!
This recipe is highly adaptable. If you don’t add the soy milk, you’ll have a scoop-able treat that’s perfect for eating by the bowl or even putting in a cone. With the soy milk, you’ll have a texture that’s more like soft serve and can also be used to make a great shake.
The flavor is also adaptable. This recipe calls for vanilla extract and some cacao nibs. The vanilla helps to balance out the banana flavor (which is already very mild) and create something more akin to vanilla ice cream. Adding the cacao nibs boosts the flavor profile and makes it a little more sophisticated and rich.
You can also consider experimenting with some different flavor extracts. Of course, it won’t be vanilla anymore at this point, but there’s tons you can create.
Consider trying…
- Almond Extract
- Pumpkin Pie Flavoring
- Chocolate Extract
If you want a thicker nice cream, use a blender with a tamper to push the frozen bananas into the blades. This allows them to blend without liquid, keeping the texture creamy and thick. You can also use a food processor for this, but you may need to use more bananas depending on the size. Use this guide on Thrive Cuisine to learn more.
If you don’t have a tamper, simply drop liquid into the blender in small amounts. The less liquid you use, the thicker the final product will turn out.
Vanilla Chip Nice Cream Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 4 peeled bananas frozen
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cacao nibs
- 1/8 cup soy milk (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- Place all ingredients except soy milk in a blender.
- [For thicker nice cream] Blend, using tamper to push bananas into the blades, until mix is smooth and consistent.
- [For thinner nice cream] Add small amounts of soy milk at a time, testing the blender in between additions until desired consistency is met.
- Eat and enjoy!
