Vegan Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

It was disgustingly hot and muggy here in Massachusetts yesterday, and I felt inspired to make something light and refreshing to help beat the heat! So, fresh mint chocolate chip ice cream was therefore created in my kitchen.

We have a plethora of fresh mint growing in our front yard right now. We didn't realize when we planted a tiny mint plant in the ground last summer that it would spread like wild fire. I've had to come up with many recipes to use up as much of the mint as possible, and this is a recipe that I will be making over and over until I go to culinary school.

The chocolate chips add a great crunch and texture to this ice cream, and surprisingly the mint gets so ground up that it does not create a strange texture whatsoever (so no need to worry about that). Chocolate and mint are an obvious classic combination, so you definitely don't want to leave out the chocolate in this recipe!

The fresh mint creates a slightly different mint taste than peppermint extract does. You can taste the freshness of the mint leaves, and it is very refreshing, especially on a hot hot day. You have to try this vegan, healthy, absolutely delicious and decadent ice cream asap! Enjoy!

Vegan Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 can light coconut milk

20 drops liquid stevia (or 1/4 cup honey)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

1. Combine the coconut milks, stevia, vanilla and mint leaves in a blender until the mint leaves have broken up into very tiny pieces. Add the chocolate chips to the blender and blend again until the chocolate chips have broken down.
2. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream machine and churn according to directions. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the freezer. (Optional: you can add 1 tablespoon of vodka to the mixture to reduce ice crystals from forming in the freezer).