Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream (Vegan, Gluten and Dairy Free)

I have to share with you my dessert tonight because it's too good not to! First of all, because of my deep and unwavering love for cheese, I will never admit that I need to stop eating dairy. Somehow, I can tolerate cheeses, but milk and ice cream give me an (achey) bloated belly the size of a beached whale. Not awesome during bikini season... 

While I gave up milk years ago, I've been on a slower decline from the nightly bowls of ice cream I consumed while in high school. I eat it rarely now, but sometimes cave to the left out feeling of a good summer cone so you can imagine my thrill when I discovered the idea of Nice Cream. 

Adios dairy, hello delicious! 

Feeling ambitious after my homemade Beets, Broccoli and Jalapeno Mac & Cheese (maybe I'll share that recipe with you later), I wanted something a little sweet to complete the palate. Stumbling along my 7-Day Reboot Cookbook from The Urban Monk (http://live.well.org/reboot/), I found the perfect fix. And though it may not be pretty looking, it's delightful! 

(Oh, and if it's still available I recommend signing up for the free 7 Day Reboot. It's full of awesome information and other healthy recipes!)

I used my Young Living Peppermint Oil instead of the peppermint extract, maple syrup and dairy-free Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips in mine (plus a couple chunks of my coconut Theo chocolate candy bar for a half-assed attempt at aesthetics before I devoured it).

Here's the recipe now, enjoy!:

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe avocado

1 ripe banana (frozen is best)

1/4 cup coconut butter or coconut oil few drops of stevia (to taste) or 2 Tbsp maple syrup, raw honey, coconut nectar

1 tsp peppermint extract

1⁄4 cup extra dark chocolate chunks or cacao nibs

PREPARATION 

1. Scoop out the avocado and place in a high powered blender (such as Vitamix or Blendtec) along with the banana, peppermint oil and coconut oil or butter.

2. Blend until smooth. Add sweetener of choice. Taste and add more sweetener if desired.

3. Place in a bowl and mix in the chocolate.

4. Add in your chocolate chips. Stir them in.

5. Set bowl in the freezer. Check on the mixture after an hour and stir. Place back in the freezer until set.