I scream, you scream, we all scream for nice cream! Actually, the thing that makes this dessert nice cream is that nobody is screaming — it’s dairy free and therefore no cows are enslaved and abused to bring it to your table. The other things that won’t be screaming are your belt and your wallet because this ice cream alternative is cheap and healthy as well as being cruelty free! And as we sprinkler-dance our way through the final weeks of summer now is the perfect time to become an expert at turning nutrient-rich bananas into gelato that can be eaten any time of the day — even for breakfast! Yes! Somebody cue up Greensleeves!
Here are my top tips for blending up nice cream that would put Mr Whippy to shame:
All you need is: frozen bananas + a good blender + any flavourings you want + crunch contributors
Start with a little splash of liquid, use the tamper and add more liquid through the opening in the lid of your blender as you go. If you start with too much liquid you will have a smoothie and not that awesomely thick have-to-spoon-it-out ice cream consistency
Always have peeled frozen bananas in snap-lock bags in your freezer. Every time you buy groceries, get bananas. As they ripen, peel and freeze them. Get into the habit of doing this. I have one drawer in my freezer dedicated to bananas
Always, ALWAYS buy organic frozen berries. Berries are very heavily sprayed. You can get organic berries in any supermarket now
Sneak a little extra magic into your blend. Whether that be matcha or spirulina or beetroot powder, adding a teaspoon of your favourite nutrient-dense powder won’t affect the flavour but will bump up the superpowers of your scoop-fest.
Last but not least, top it off with some texture! Crunch contributors like the insanely delicious and energy-boosting Power Superfoods Cacao Crunch — these came in February’s The Vegan Box — take your nice cream to the next level. These little nuggest of Mayan magic are my favourite way to add crunch to nice cream but you can also try activated nuts, caramelised buckwheat kernels, shredded coconut or granola!
If you have a proper ice-cream scoop and a little patience you can pop your nice-cream into the freezer for an hour and scoop yourself out an Instagram-worthy gelato bar look-alike. I never have the time or patience so I spoon it straight out of my blender into a glass and get gobbling! Kick the cream and sugar to the curb and make your ice cream nice — for your body (fiber, potassium, vitamin C and B6, oh my!) and for the animals.
Here’s some recipes to get you started:
BLACKBERRY + CASHEW BUTTER NICE CREAM
(Serves 1)
1 cup frozen blackberries
2 frozen bananas
1 heaped tbsp pure cashew nut butter
Splash of coconut water
Blend it like Beckham. You’ll need the tamper. Gobble.
EARLY ENERGY NICE CREAM
(Serves 1)
2 frozen bananas
2 tsp pure matcha powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp rice malt syrup
Splash coconut water
Blend it like Beckham. You’ll need the tamper. Eat up. Power up.
SUNBUTTER BANANA NICE CREAM
(Serves 1)
2 frozen bananas
1 heaping tbsp of sunflower butter
1 tsp rice malt syrup
1 pinch Himalayan pink salt (just a wee one)
A splash of coconut water.
Blend it like Beckham. You’ll need the tamper. Munch!
*Sunflower butter is made from sunflower seeds and is an awesome nut free alternative to PB! It gives this nice cream some oomph so pick up a jar at your local health food store and get creamin’