It’s finally summer!
And what’s summer without ice cream? Not summer – that’s what it is!
See, I’m from Omaha. I grew up on a diet of all things cow – including gobs of delicious ice cream.
Now, I’m not about to make fellow ice cream addicts go unsatisfied on Gundry diet. I don’t subscribe to deprivation.
So, when I was developing recipes for my new book, I started researching gut-friendly, lectin-light ice creams.
And I stumbled across an incredible recipe on All Day I Dream About Food, a low-carb, gluten-free food blog by a woman named Carolyn.
I tweaked it a bit to add some more plant-based potency…
And the best part?
This delectable dessert will satisfy your ice cream and chocolate cravings without derailing your new #ThePlantParadox eating program. It’s a new twist on an old classic that’s actually good for your gut: mint chip “ice cream”!
Now, there’s one ingredient that might throw you for a loop: AVOCADO?!
But don’t worry. It won’t make your ice cream taste like guacamole! It just gives the dessert an extra rich creaminess.
And FYI: Trader Joe’s makes a great thick, unsweetened coconut cream. Rest assured, it’s in a can free of BPA (one of the seven deadly disruptors I talk about in the book) – so, grab it there if you can. Otherwise, check to make sure the brand you buy is BPA-free and unsweetened.
I made this quick demo to show you how easy it is. I promise this will be a hit with all your family, including little ones!
Mint Choc Chip Avocado Ice Cream (Serves 6)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
What you’ll need:
- 15 oz can coconut milk or coconut cream (BPA-free)
- 3/4 cup Just Like Sugar, or 1⁄3 cup Swerve
- 1 tsp instant coffee powder or finely ground espresso beans
- 2 tbsp (non-alkalized) unsweetened cocoa powder
- One bar 85% sugar-free dark chocolate (chopped)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Haas avocados, peeled and pits removed
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 10 drops SweetLeaf Mint Stevia
- 1⁄2 cup 72% (or more cocoa) sugar-free extra-dark chocolate chips
What to do:
- Put coconut milk, sweetener, coffee and cocoa powder in medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat, until sweetener dissolves and the mix is blended.
- Turn off the heat. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted.
- Place chocolate mixture in a food processor fitted with S-blade or blender. Add vanilla extract, avocados, and mint. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours, until cool.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until well dispersed. Spoon or pour into an ice cream maker (see Note) and churn until thick and set. It will be the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
- Serve immediately. You can also freeze to a firmer consistency and serve later. To do so, transfer to a metal or glass container and cover with wax paper secured with a rubber band.
NOTE: If you don’t have an ice cream maker, put the ice cream mixture into a metal loaf pan or a glass or ceramic casserole pan and place in the freezer. Stir every 1/2 hour to break up ice crystals and keep stirring until desired consistency is reached.
This recipe is truly one of Dr. Gundry’s faves. And you can create your own take on it too. For instance, you can ditch the mint for rich chocolate ice cream, or add grated coconut and Marcona almonds for an almond joy-inspired ice cream. Yum!
