It’s true, it’s Chocolate Day! In other words, almost everyday for us. We try to treat ourselves with just 1 piece of 88% dark chocolate at a time. The higher the dark chocolate percentage, the more health benefits it has.

If chocolate isn’t your thing (we still think Grandpa Bob in our family is a little crazy since he’s the only one around here), how about healthy alternatives to ice cream instead?

“Frozen bananas. Commonly known as “one-ingredient ice cream,” frozen bananas, when thrown into a food processor, develop the thick, creamy consistency of soft serve ice cream. Toss in a little cocoa powder and nut butter to combine with the banana’s inherent sweetness to create a crazy delicious and healthy peanut butter cup “ice cream” treat. It’s a treat that both the intolerant and steadfast ice-cream-o-philes will adore.

Coconut milk. If you are lactose intolerant, frozen coconut milk mimics traditional ice cream beautifully. You could even pop coconut cream into an ice cream maker along with additional flavorings and get similar results as you would with cream, except for the wonderful addition of a light coconut flavor. Plus, the healthy fats in coconut milk are known to assist with weight loss and metabolism. Eat ice cream and keep a trim tummy? Yes, please!

Strawberries. Or, really any berries for that matter. Pop a cup of frozen berries in the blender with a little greek yogurt and raw honey and viola – a healthy and refreshing treat! Realistically, this is more of a frozen yogurt than ice cream, but hey, it’s creamy and cold and full of berries! Who cares?

Cashew cream. Similar to coconut milk, soaked cashews, when blended with water, create a naturally sweet cream. For a basic icy alternative, blend it with soaked dates/maple syrup and vanilla, freeze, stirring occasionally, and you’ve got yourself a plant-based ice cream that tastes absolutely delicious. Or, perhaps more easily, pop it all into the food processor with frozen fruit to make creamy soft serve.

Kale smoothie. You read correctly. All it takes is a little kale, soaked cashews, frozen bananas, dates, vanilla, and ginger. Stuff it all in your favorite blender and watch the miracle ensue! How healthy and delicious does that sound? 

Don’t suffer from the ice cream blues. There are plenty of options out there for ice cream lovers who are looking for healthier alternatives. Do you have a good, healthy ice cream alternative?”

From “5 Incredibly Healthy Foods That Taste Like Ice Cream” By Jordyn Cormier