No one can refuse a good old chocolate ice cream, but add some orange flavour to it and you have a match made in heaven! This recipe is a fun twist on classic ice cream and is a healthy dessert that is full of creamy deliciousness in each bite.

This decadent chocolate orange ice cream combines two fabulous flavors into one delicious ice cream, rich natural cocoa powder and fresh tangy oranges. Oranges and chocolate is a classic pairing that dates back hundreds of years.

Now…you might be wondering what ‘nice’ cream is….

Nice cream which is a term that has come to represent any frozen creamy treat free from loads of sugar and artificial flavors. It’s called ‘nice cream’ rather than ice cream, just to differentiate the two. Nice cream is a super easy, take on traditional ice cream, yet made very differently.

The concept of nice cream or banana ice cream is not a new one, it’s one of the earliest healthy desserts I remember making when I embarked on my health journey. It’s basically a dairy-free alternative to traditional ice cream, typically made from blended frozen bananas. It is popular among those looking for a healthier dessert option.

You can satisfy an ice cream craving guilt-free with this “nice cream“! Seems so simple, that it feels like you are cheating a bit… but to be honest – it’s delectable stuff. And let’s face it, why make it complicated when something this simple can taste insanely delightful! Once you start making nice creams, you will stop buying store bought ice creams, the creaminess it has is nothing less than any ice cream and the plus point is, it is absolutely healthy!

Why you will love these recipe:

It’s healthy ice cream! There’s no cholesterol or refined sugar added, with plenty of healthy fats to help keep you feeling satisfied.

It’s delicious! Once you taste it, you won’t believe that this ice cream is made from bananas along with a few other simple ingredients. You can make healthy ice cream that is a fun recipe that everyone loves and the best part is that it is nutritious, made with real food ingredients and seriously better than store bought.

This healthy nice cream is just like normal ice cream – super rich, uber-decadent – but it’s secretly healthy and guilt-free!  Yup, that means no butter, no truckloads of refined sugar and no heavily sweetened condensed milk…  just pure, creamy, fruity goodness.

Why I love making this chocolate orange nice cream:

I, like many others, find myself craving ice cream from time to time. However, the average ice cream isn’t always kind to me and my digestive system. It often leaves me feeling heavy as well as leaving me with heart burn and acid reflux. Shop bought ice creams are high in sugar, carbs and full of preservatives and artificial flavourings.  The high dairy, fat and sugar content just doesn’t seem to sit right with me and I struggle to digest it. Every time I have an ice cream, I almost always regret it afterwards because I feel awful!

That’s why I prefer making my own healthier version at home with more wholesome ingredients. This chocolate orange nice cream is so much lighter as well as being lower in sugar and fat. It’s also really easy to make. As I don’t have an ice cream maker, knowing I can blend a few basic ingredients in a blender and eat it in soft serve form right away works perfectly for me!

Unlike most nice cream recipes, I added some yoghurt to my chocolate orange nice cream to bump up the protein and healthy fat content. This makes it a little more balanced and nutritious. The yoghurt also adds creaminess, which makes the chocolate orange nice cream so much more satisfying, satiating and enjoyable.

Chocolate Orange Protein Nice Cream

Nice cream is made by blending frozen chunks of banana to get a creamy, silky texture and is a fun and cooling way to get your protein in. The subtle chocolate flavor blends well with the bright acidity from fresh orange offering a refreshing twist on the classic nice cream recipe.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Healthy Clean Eating

Keyword chocolate orange protein nice cream, chocolate protein nice cream, clean eating dessert or snack, clean eating ice cream, healthy chocolate protein ice cream

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 bananas, sliced, frozen
• 1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt
• 1-2 oranges, juice and zest – depending on how orange-y you prefer
• 1/4 cup protein or collagen peptides powder
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings Optional

• Chopped nuts
• Fresh fruit
• Shredded coconut
• Seeds – hemp, sesame, sunflower
• Drizzle melted chocolate, Nutella or nut butter
• Dollop of whipped coconut cream – recipe below in notes

Instructions

• Add everything to a food processor and blend until smooth.

  Eat immediately as soft serve or transfer to a dish or cake tin and freeze for 1-2 hours for a firmer texture.

  Scoop, add your chosen toppings to serve,

Notes

Homemade Whipped Coconut Cream

Add even more nutrition and healthy qualities to many other dishes with nutrient-dense fluffy, whipped coconut cream.

It’s a dairy-free dessert topping that is not overly sweet and made with simple ingredients. This whipped coconut cream is just as thick, luscious, and creamy as dairy-full whipped cream and ideal for topping cakes, tarts, puddings, hot cocoa, and more.

Made with just 3 ingredients in 5 minutes of active time. Be sure to chill the canned coconut cream or milk the day before you need it.

Packed with healthy fats, tons of other good stuff and amazing flavour to help support a healthy, fit body.

Go here for the simple recipe:  Whipped Coconut Cream 

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If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, protein-rich, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites