If you’re worried about staying off the naughty list this year with your health coach but want to indulge in some holiday treats, add a bowl of nice cream to your menu. Nice cream revamps the idea of store-bought ice cream and recreates this delicious chilly treat by giving you a nutrition solution that will leave you sweetly satisfied. Plug in your blender and think in threes: base, milk, and flavor. Then you’ll have a nice cream that’s at the top of everyone’s gift list.
Nice cream is taking over foodie social feeds, especially those vegan food bloggers who love their sweet tooth. I’ve been adding it to my movie night menu and testing it out on my friends.
Go Bananas
The best solution for scrumptious nice cream is frozen bananas. These icy bananas will give your nice cream that thick and creamy texture without the extra fat of real cream and sugar. Don’t let your skepticism scare you away from this idea. Bananas are a fantastic source of potassium and really do mimic that hand-churned texture. Even if you don’t love the flavor of bananas, creating nice cream from them is well worth keeping your balanced snacking plan on track.
Call the Milk Man
If you’re looking to make this craving health conscious, and especially if you’re keeping this vegan, a non-dairy milk will work wonderfully. Most nice cream recipes call for about two cups of milk. To stay calorie conscious, use unsweetened almond milk. There are plenty of other non-dairy milks to choose from as well, like cashew, coconut, soy, and even hazelnut. If you’re partial to dairy, shoot for skim or low-fat milk.
Festive Flavors
Berries are also a wonderful way to add tangy, sweet, or subtle flavor profiles to a scoop of nice cream. Strawberries and blueberries and nice, but don’t be afraid to mix things up with pomegranate, pineapple, or cherry. You can use frozen or fresh, just pick your thickness. The more frozen ingredients you add to your blender, the thicker your cream will be. If you get in a bind, just add a few tablespoons of milk to even things out again.
If you’re looking for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients, add avocado. I was a little nervous the first time I tossed some avocado in my blender, but it created a marvelously creamy texture that even my roommate loved. Not only will this make your nice cream a festive, creamy green for Christmas, but it will also add a dose of healthy fats. When your taste buds and your body are both happy, that’s the perfect nutrition solution in my book.
If you’re searching for a way to refuel after a workout, but are craving something sweet, nice cream will hit the spot. Adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder to a blender of nice cream this treat a more balanced nutrition profile.
Just be sure you don’t overpower the natural flavors of the fruit you’ve already added to your mixture. If you’re wanting to keep a raspberry tang, stay original with banana, or keep things fresh with avocado and mint, choose a vanilla-flavored protein powder. For something a bit richer, try adding a chocolate-flavored protein powder—just pay attention to the sugar content. Remember, strive for balance in your exercise and nice cream bowls.
12 Days of Nice Cream Toppings
Take some inspiration from an old-fashioned sundae bar and finish off this balanced snacking solution with these tasty toppings:
- Crushed peppermint
- Muddled mint leaves
- Cacao nibs (check these out if your wanting a vegan chocolate fix)
- Fresh, sliced berries
- Slivered almonds
- Crushed unsalted cashews
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Shredded coconut flakes — let it snow!
- Chopped dates or figs
- Chia or poppy seeds
- Nut Butter—heat this up and it’s even better.
The next time you’re craving a trip to the ice cream parlor, or planning a fun get together with friends, remember that some treats are nicer than others. Nice cream is certainly at the top of my wish list.
Share this article on your social feeds and give your friends a sweet and health conscious treat for the holidays.