#HealthyVeganIceCream Challenge: Tropical Bliss

For whatever silly reason I have been way behind jumping on the "nice" cream bandwagon.  I may just have to turn my vegan card in for such a gross error, because it is delicious!  I have seen many of the other vegan foodies post their creations over time, but apparently it takes a contest sometimes for me to finally give things a try.  @smallstepschange is hosting a #healthyveganicecream contest that is supposed to be ending today if there are enough entries.  Here is the original contest post: https://steemit.com/vegan/@smallstepschange/healthyveganicecream-challenge-prepare-your-own-vegan-ice-cream-and-win-sbds

I am getting in just under the wire.  Luckily I am fortified by a delicious bowl of this creamy goodness I am about to share with you.  Nice cream is pretty simple--it's usually some combination of frozen bananas blended up with other fruits and add-ins.  It's "nice" because it is generally a whole lot healthier than most of the quarts of junk you can find in the grocery store laden with tons of sugar and inflammatory dairy.  Even the vegan options can still be a bit questionable in their ingredients, so like most foods--might as well make it yourself for the healthiest option!

My entry to the contest is probably not revolutionary, but the addition of the ginger and coconut cream makes it a little bit different than some of the others I have seen recently.  The coconut adds that extra tropical flavor while also adding some healthy fat to assist with the absorption of some of the vitamins in the fruit. If you are used to regular ice cream it can also help replace that mouth feel from the dairy fats in a cruelty-free manner. With fruity treats I tend to like simple so that the flavor of the fruit actually shines through.  @dksart and I are about to head out on a vacation in the Caribbean shortly, so I figured I would channel that feeling in my concoction.  I can't wait to sink my teeth into lots of fresh tropical fruit!  Fresh, in-season fruit truly is blissful as it tastes delicious but makes your body feel vibrant, as well.

Tropical Bliss Nice Cream

• 1 frozen banana, chopped
• 1-2 small mangos, peeled, chopped & frozen
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped pineapple
• 1/3 cup coconut cream*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Place everything in the food processor or high-speed blender and blend together until smooth and creamy!  Serve straight away or put pack into the freezer for 10-15 minutes if you want it really cold or if it started to melt as you blended it.

*I used a can of coconut milk, scraping the creamier part from the top where it separated from the rest of the liquid.  I also added a tablespoon or so of the liquid to get everything started blending together.

Feel free to sprinkle a little bit of shredded coconut on top, but I enjoyed it as is to really appreciate the decadent texture all on its own!

Thank you @smallstepschange for encouraging me to finally try making this!  I will definitely be trying some more combinations soon.  :)

This also a great option if you are trying to #makeithealthy like our friend @woman-onthe-wing.  I know she creates wonderful goodies like this for her family, as well!