Before I transitioned to a whole food plant based lifestyle my favorite ice cream was mint chocolate chip. I loved the the mint flavor and the texture and flavor of the all the little bits of chocolate throughout the ice cream. As I do with all of my favorite foods I find a way to make them vegan, whole food plant based. This vegan mint chocolate chip nice cream will not disappoint. It uses simple ingredients but the end result is insanely delicious!
Simple, easy and delicious! Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple pleasures like plant based Mint Chocolate Chip nice cream can be so satisfying. The Vitmaix blender produces a lovely soft serve that everyone loves.
You can use the Santa Barbara Chocolate Company 100% pure organic unsweetened Criollo Cacao mini wafers. Purchase them on line directly from the company. If you have another brand of no sugar added chocolate chips feel free to use them. Edited 3/14/23 Trader Joe’s has discontinued their cacao chips and the photo is showing the current unsweetened chocolate mini wafers from the Santa Barbara Chocolate Company.
These are two new chocolate chip options. Look at Whole Foods, Target, Health Food Stores and your local grocery store. Updated 1/9/24
I love my Ninja CREAMI machine to make scoopable vegan desserts. I have tried 5 times to make this recipe in the Ninja CREAMi. It comes out tasting amazing – however the spinach oxidizes when frozen and turns into an army green! It still tastes the same, but oh that color! If you want to freeze it in your pint and spin it using the Ninja CREAMi I highly recommend leaving out the spinach it will look more like chocolate chip ice cream but you will still enjoy the lovely mint flavor too.
If you prefer to have bigger pieces of chocolate – simply stir in the chocolate chips instead of using the machine to do it. Either way is delicious!
Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream – Ninja CREAMi Option
Equipment
- High powered blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe frozen peeled bananas
- 1/4 -1/3 cup fresh mint or to taste could sub 1/8 -1/4 tsp mint extract
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach or enough to make it green
- 1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate chips or to taste
Instructions
- Put the frozen bananas, mint and spinach in the blender container, using the tamper process until everything is incorporated.
- Stop the machine and add the unsweetened chocolate chips and process just until the chocolate is all incorporated.
- Scoop nice cream into serving dishes and garnish with fresh mint and more chocolate chips if desired. Enjoy!
Ninja CREAMi Option
- Put the frozen bananas or very ripe unfrozen bananas, and mint in a high speed blender container like a Vitamix (skip the spinach as it oxidizes when frozen and turns a dark green) using the tamper to push the bananas down into the blade, process until the mint is well incorporated into the bananas and you have a smooth mixture. (Save the chocolate chips for a mix – in)
- Spoon mixture into the CREAMi pint container, being sure to smooth down the top and make it as even as possible. Put the lid on. Place on a level surface in the freezer and freeze for a full 24 hours.
- After freezing for 24 hours you can remove the pint and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes. Remove lid, make sure the top surface is smooth and level, if not use the edge of a spoon to smooth it out.
- Put creami pint on the Ninja CREAMi machine according to manufactures instructions, use the Sorbet setting. When it is done, check and see if it is creamy, if it is a little powdery do a re-spin.
- Once the spin cycle is finished, using a small spoon make a well in the center of the pint add in the chocolate chips and following the manufactures instructions use the Mix-In cycle to incorporate the chocolate chips. Freeze any leftovers in the pint and as long as you have about 1/3 of a container full, you can spin it again another time.Enjoy!
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We are also Holland Bowl Mill Affiliates. The 15 inch Holland Bowl Mill Cherry fruit bowl has a permanent home on our kitchen island. It’s beautiful and useful. The heart shaped bowl makes me happy – I love everything heart shaped! We use our 15 inch Beechwood & cherry bowl (his and her’s) to chop our salads everyday. Eating a salad for one meal every day helped me lose weight and become a size 4. I still eat a salad for one meal a day but now it’s a Big Beautiful Chopped salad and it helps me stay a size 4! See the Chopped Salad Blog Post to find out how you can incorporate a chopped salad into your daily food plan and how you can get a free mezzaluna knife with your Holland Bowl salad bowl order when you use our Holland Bowl affiliate link as well as free engraving and free shipping.
Thank you so much Tami. I thought I would never again be able to enjoy my favourite flavour of ice-cream. I’m so looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks to you and Tom for everything you do and the inspiration you provide. Greetings from New Zealand.
Hi Fiona,
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
Hi, Tami,
The nice cream looks great, but I have a question on a different subject.
My food processor died and, while I don’t use it often, there are some times when I really miss it. I just bought a new VitaMix 2300 Ascent Series and I saw that you got the VitaMix food processor. I am interested to know how you like it.
A couple of things bothered me about it…… My old Cuisinart had the same type of “finger holes” on the discs and chunks of food slipped through them into the shredded or sliced food. Also, the old Cuisinart had a similar rubber gasket inside the lip of the lid and food got trapped in there. Has either of these been a problem for you? Also, it seems very expensive considering that there is no motor included. Of course, that’s the beauty of it with the compactness, ease of storage and ease of use. And it is a VitaMix!!
Thank you so much!!
Hi, Tami,
The nice cream looks great, but I wanted to ask a question on a different subject.
My food processor just died and, while I don’t use it often, I do need it for some things. I just bought a new VitaMix Ascent 2300 to replace my old 5200 and I love it. I noticed that you just got the VitaMix food processor and I wanted to know how you like it.
There are a couple of concerns that I have about it. My old Cuisinart had the same finger holes in the shredding and slicing discs and chunks of food would go through them and mix in with the sliced or shredded items. Also, my old machine had a similar gasket in the lid and food got trapped in it making it very hard to clean. Have either of these been an issue for you? And of course, it’s very expensive since it doesn’t include the motor, but I realize that is the point, making it more compact and easier to use. And it IS a VitaMix!!
If you prefer to private message me, that is fine.
Thanks so much!
Hi Eln,
I am loving the Vitamix food processor attachment! I shred carrots with it and have not had the issue you describe. I have found the Vitamix food processor so easy to clean, My Cuisinart food processor is awful to clean and that alone prevented me from getting it out to use it. I find myself using the Vitamix food processor so much more. I have been very happy with it. You can see my review and a short video on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/shop/nutmegnotebook We have the Vitamix Food Processor in our Amazon shop.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
How far in advanced can I make “Vegan Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream” without it spoiling?
Can I make a lot and freeze it and use it when I want too?
I think it’s ok in the freezer for several days. Beyond that it starts getting a little ice crystals and the texture isn’t as pleasant.
I made this tonight and I’m in absolute HEAVEN! I made it with Japanese sweet potatoes instead since I don’t like nice cream with bananas….but added some dates to it and some plant milk….HEAVENLY!!! Thank you soooooooo much!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Courtney. I sometimes toss in some Japanese Sweet potato in my nice cream but haven’t tried making it completely with it! So glad it worked out for you. Enjoy!
Hi Tami,
Ian really enjoying your videos and blog! Do you know of a current source for the Champion juicer?
Thank you!
Patty
Thank you for your kind comments. I love getting positive feedback. The Champion juicers like many items have been difficult to find during the pandemic. Sometimes you can find one listed on eBay at a very good price. Once in a while they show up on Amazon but it has been hit and miss for the past 2 years. Check Craig’s List and Facebook for local people who might be selling theirs. Some people have shared with us the great deals they have gotten on a used barely used Champion juicer. Good luck!