We've got mint growing like crazy in our garden. In fact, we've got many things growing like crazy in our garden, and I'll be posting about our "backyard farmer's market" soon. We're thinking of opening our doors around mid-August, to the public, you know....compete with all the local farmer's markets. haha, jk. But seriously, you should see our garden! My husband has turned into not only the manager of people, but also the manager of a small farm in Columbus, Ohio (aka our backyard). He's so talented :)
Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, on the Lighter Side
Serves: 10 (~1/2 cup servings)
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond or soy milk (or skim milk)
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint
2 cups chilled half and half
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. In a blender mix the first four ingredients until well blended (pulse for about 60 seconds). Pour into a large bowl and add the chilled half and half. Whisk everything together until you no longer feel the grittiness of the sugar, and it's dissolved all the way.
2. Add the mixture to a prepared ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's directions for making the ice cream. Once the ice cream is finished churning, mix in the chocolate chips.
3. Serve cold, and garnished with fresh mint if you desire.
**NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPs diet this recipe is safe unless you are really sensitive to lactose. Most people with lactose intolerance will be able to handle about 12 grams of lactose in a sitting (especially when the lactose is consumed with protein and/or fat, which slows down the digestion). The amount of lactose in one serving of this ice cream is ~2 grams (that is assuming you use almond or soy milk) so it should be fine!
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| Estimated Nutrition Facts for 1/2-cup Source: CalorieCount.com |
Nutrition Highlights: Under 150 calories, Less fat than most ice creams you find on the shelf, plus all-natural ingredients (yeah, I said it, all natural. Let me define: No artificial colors, additives, or preservatives).
What was your favorite flavor of ice cream when you were young? For me it was....mint chocolate chip. Of course, it was the artificially colored green mint chocolate chip that I liked best. Not anymore. Now I can get fresh mint from my backyard, so who needs green food dye and peppermint extract?! Not me!
Other than mint chocolate chip my favorite flavor of ice cream now is peanut butter chocolate chunk, or almond joy gelato (our candy department sells it at work and it's amazing). What about you?
Thanks for reading!
The Candid Rd
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Yay for holidays (and days off ;) )! Glad you had fun! It sounds like you have a fabulous garden this year - I'm impressed with your fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream! My favorite flavor growing up was (and is!) chocolate chocolate chocolate (it had to have at least three "chocolate"s in the name).
ReplyDeletelol, is that right? So you liked the extra triple fudgey chocolate ice cream?! With brownies and fudge and....chocolate chips?! Oh man, yum!
Deleteokay, i need an ice cream makes stat! think coconut milk would work
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ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome you have a back yard where you can grow your own organic stuff! I wish. Someday….
The recipe for the ice cream sounds delicious. I don’t own an ice cream maker tho maybe I can just blend everything on my blender and keep it at that? Lol we’ll see. Have a great weekend!
It would definitely taste good, even not as ice cream....BUT I would recommend the $50 ice cream maker. It's worth it and if you eat a lot of ice cream (like we do) you will get the money back pronto.
DeleteWow, that looks amazing! Glad you had a good 4th, even with the rain!
ReplyDeleteI used to think I hated mint chocolate chip ice cream. Then one day I tried a mint ice cream on top of a thin brownie, where the ice cream was made from mint fresh from the restaurant's garden, the ice cream was fresh-churned, and the brownie was freshly baked.
ReplyDeleteThat was the day I realized I only hated that neon green carton of frozen chemicals in the ice cream section of the grocery store, and that REAL mint chocolate chip ice cream is kind of fabulous. I'll bet this recipe of yours tastes great!
How funny, my husband and I just had a similar experience. I bought mint chocolate chip from the grocery store (about 2 months ago) and it was NEON green (more green than we've ever seen it). Of course, I ate it because I know I didn't want it to go to waste, but Nick took one bite and spit it out! I can't believe how artificial is tasted....gross. I swear it was never like that when we were growing up.
DeleteWe have also been growing a little garden this year- it's pretty out of control at the moment but I'm hoping it actually produces some veggies :)
ReplyDeleteI love mint chocolate chip too, though I now prefer the non-dyed kind which I can get at a couple of good ice cream places around here. I really have to stop being lazy about my ice cream maker. Maybe that will be an August goal, make my own ice cream. I've only done it once before haha.
Hey Kelly! Yes,I go through ice cream spurts, for sure. The machine stays in my cabinets for months at a time, then comes out for a while and I can't stop!
DeleteThis looks incredible! I love that it's lightened up with almond milk. too. I volunteer at a garden for my thesis and there's TONS of fresh mint, so this is totally on my list to make!
ReplyDeleteThe folks we bought our new home from left an ice cream maker. Now I know what to do with it!
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