We All Scream For... Nice Cream?

Ice cream, especially pints of ice cream, can be a common pitfall for people who struggle with sweet cravings. They can be a calorie-dense food that's easy to overeat. Take a look at the nutritional facts of a pint the next time you’re in the frozen aisle at the grocery store—you may be shocked at just how small a single serving size really is. 

Still, there’s a reason the saying goes “We all scream for ice cream”—ice cream is delicious, and for many consuming it brings back childhood memories. There's really nothing quite like it... unless...

Luckily, there's a way to have your ice cream and eat it, too—meet "nice cream." 

What is Nice Cream?
Nice cream is a healthier version of ice cream that has no added sugar or dairy. Creamy blended frozen fruits (especially bananas) make up the base instead of milk and eggs. It's a great alternative to traditional ice cream for a few reasons:

• Dairy-free and vegan: Plant-based nice cream is naturally free of dairy products and eggs, which means fewer calories and fat.
• Healthier option: Nice cream is often lower in calories, fat, and sugar than regular ice cream. You also get all of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber from the fruit.
• Easy to make: You just need a blender or food processor and some frozen fruit to whip up a batch of nice cream. No ice cream maker is required!
  
  

How to Make Nice Cream
As its name suggests, nice cream plays nice and is easy to make at home.

1. Fill a food processor or high-speed smoothie blender at least halfway with frozen bananas. (Pre-cut frozen bananas also work, and take the trouble out of removing the peel.)
2. If your blender is not powerful, you can add a little bit of liquid (such as non-dairy milk) or a fat (such as a nut butter) to help the banana mixture to come together.
3. Pour the frozen mixture into a large bowl or loaf pan. Add your flavors and other mix-ins (see below for some ideas) and stir.
4. Freeze the mixture for at least two hours. Once the nice cream has reached your desired freeze amount, scoop some out, grab a spoon, and enjoy! 

Nice Cream Recipe Ideas
While the plain banana flavor is delicious, we all need to mix it up with some mix-ins sometimes. Need some inspiration for upgrading your nice cream flavors? Look no further:

Nice cream goes beyond bananas. Whether you don’t love the taste of bananas or are just looking to experiment, other types of frozen fruit can be substituted. Smooth-textured fruits with less water content, such as mangoes, papaya, and even avocados are alternatives you can use to make the creamy nice cream base instead of bananas.

Whether you use nice cream as a delicious way to wrap up your meal or as a cool way to beat the afternoon snack attack, nice cream can help make your healthy diet one to scream for!

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