Chocolate is decadent. It’s romantic. It’s indulgent. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day and, as far as I’m concerned, perfect every day of the year!

I love chocolate.  I also love ice cream. If you are like me, you are going to love this mock chocolate ice cream. It’s so good. It’s unbelievable actually. You’d never know it was healthy and dairy free!

It’s made with frozen bananas, cocoa powder, a hint of maple syrup, and, in this case, dark chocolate shavings (but you can add anything to your ice cream, e.g., nuts, fruit, etc.).  This dessert is dairy free so it works for so many of you who are lactose intolerant or for those who have omitted dairy from your diet for other reasons.

To be honest, I’m still amazed that frozen bananas can yield a frozen dessert so close to a dairy-laden ice cream. All you need is a food processor.

So, here’s my new favorite chocolate ice cream recipe! I hope you enjoy it — you may even want to make it for your valentine this year.

Chocolate Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Shavings
Serves 4 

4 bananas, sliced and frozen
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (grade B)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/3 cup of shaved dark chocolate (or anything else you’d like to mix into your ice cream)

In the bowl of a food processor add the frozen bananas, cocoa powder, maple syrup and pulse until the bananas break down into a smooth, ice cream-y texture.  Add the dark chocolate shavings (or your favorite candy, fruit, nuts) and mix until incorporated (depending on what you add, you can either pulse in the food processor, or transfer the ice cream into a bowl and mix the ingredients). Pour the mixture into a loaf pan and pop into the freezer until it hardens.  The mixture, right out of the food processor, will likely be too loose to serve. One the ice cream sets, scoop and serve!