Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Dairy Free Chocolate Icecream

Ingredients

1 400ml can organic coconut milk

1 banana (could replace this with a large ripe avocado)

2 Dessert spoons Organic Cacao Powder

1 tspn vanilla extract

2 Tblspn raw local honey (to taste)

Method

• Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn for 40-50 minutes
• Remove to a freezer proof container and freeze for a further 1-2 hours
• ENJOY!

This is a totally delicious ice-cream.  I found using the ingredients in the quantities above gave a really delicate flavour and it is so refreshing and healthy too!. My kids loved it!

- the coconut milk provides you with healthy fats that are immediately converted to energy and used for fuel in your cells.
- the banana provides you with the amino acid tryptophan and vitamin B6 which are co-factors for  serotonin - our happy hormone. It is high in fibre and also helps protect against heartburn, improves digestion and is soothing to the digestive tract.
- the cacao powder is rich in magnesium, iron, tryptophan, antioxidants and chromium (excellent for regulating blood sugar levels)
- raw local honey is protective of your immune system and regular consumption can lessen your risk to developing hay-fever if you are a sufferer.

 Variations

• You could add chopped dates and/or goji berries to add texture and more sweetness.
• You could use xylitol instead of the honey to sweeten. Xylitol is a natural plant sugar that does not affect your blood sugar levels in the way normal sugar does.
• Grate organic dark chocolate and add a couple of dessert spoons through the feeder of the ice-cream maker towards the end of the churning.

Ice-cream machine

You don't need to have an ice-cream machine to make this ice-cream. Just place the blended ingredients in a freezer proof container and whisk every 30 minutes until desired consistency is achieved. The ice-cream machine I have was a very reasonably priced 'special buy' I bought from Aldi or Lidl. It was around the 20euro mark and it does the job perfectly.  I would highly recommend getting one if you haven't already got one