Healthy, Vegan, Easy Dessert
This vegan version of ice cream is made from four simple ingredients, comes together in less than 15 minutes and is a decadently delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth without any guilt. Serve it to company and listen to them rave!
Nice cream is an ice-cream like dessert made from frozen bananas that turn into a velvety and sweet soft serve like puree. Economical and loaded with fiber, bananas, add natural sweetness and creaminess and are a key ingredient in nice cream recipes.
Here we kick it up a notch by adding cherries, which are really the star of this recipe! Abundant in vitamins C, E and packed with antioxidants that reduce heart disease, cancer, inflammation and swelling associated with arthritis and gout, this superfruit adds tremendously to this wholesome yet scrumptious dessert. Fold in some dark chocolate chips for added decadence and to satisfy that chocolate craving! And, yes, a nice dark chocolate has some health benefits!
I love the simplicity of this dessert – -a few plant-based ingredients, no need for specialized equipment like an ice-cream maker, just a simple blender or food processor will do, and endlessly customizable!! Plus, it’s ready in minutes (with some pre-planned freezing of the fruit)!
One of my little tricks is to add a complementary drizzle or topping. Sure, you could go for premade sauces, but this easy Amaretto Cherry Almond glaze is good for you, super delicious and doesn’t taste anything like a typical vinegar – trust me! So BE BRAVE with me, give it a try, and let me know what you think!
Happy Indulging without the Guilt!
Amaretto Cherry Nice Cream
Ingredients
4 cups frozen banana slices (about 4 large bananas)
3-4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (more if needed)
1 teaspoon O&V Amaretto vinegar *
5 cups pitted and chopped cherries, either fresh, or frozen
Amaretto Cherry Almond Glaze
2 tablespoons O&V Amaretto Vinegar *
2 tablespoons O&V Cherry Almond vinegar *
2 tablespoons Runamok Maple Syrup *
Preparation
If using frozen cherries, thaw half the cherries and chop them into halves or quarters
If using fresh cherries, pit all the cherries and freeze half of them with the banana slices, chopping the remaining half of the cherries.
In a high-speed blender or food processor pulse the banana and frozen cherries together until crumbly. Stop and scrape down sides as needed. Add 3 tablespoons of almond milk and the amaretto vinegar. Blend continuously until smooth and creamy, adding more milk as needed to get a smooth soft serve consistency to the nice cream.
Remove to a freezer safe container and fold in the chopped thawed or fresh cherries. You can serve the nice cream immediately as a soft serve dessert, or freeze for a few hours for a more scoopable hardened consistency.
Make the Amaretto Cherry Almond glaze by combining the two vinegars and the maple syrup in a small pan. Over medium heat, bring it a gentle simmer until reduced by half. Allow to cool (if it is too sticky and reduced, add a little additional cherry almond vinegar and stir in till you reach a good drizzling consistency).
Scoop the nice cream into a serving dish and drizzle the top with the Amaretto Cherry Almond glaze.
Serves 6
Total Time: 12 minutes (plus time to freeze the bananas and cherries)
Notes
* The Amaretto vinegar adds a delicious nutty and almondy flavor to the nice cream and also when combined in the glaze. It can be replaced in the nice cream by a little almond extract but you will lose the slightly tangy flavor of the vinegar. The Cherry Almond vinegar is absolutely delicious as a drizzle and can be used without the Amaretto vinegar (although it will make the drizzle less nutty in flavor), just replace the Amaretto vinegar with additional cherry almond vinegar. There is no easy substitute for the Cherry Almond vinegar in this recipe.
* I love using the Runamok Maple syrup which is readily available in most Oil & Vinegar stores. For a little whimsy, use the Runamok Sparkle syrup to add a glittery finish!
Categories: Dessert, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Sweets, Vegan Ice Cream, Nice Cream, Cherry, Cherry Almond Vinegar, Amaretto Vinegar, Runamok Maple Syrup, Healthy Dessert, No Bake Treat, Easy Treat, Fast Dessert
