I’ve been an ice cream/fro-yo fanatic for most of my life, so when I chose to reduce dairy in my diet, the absence of the delicious dessert was painful. I’ve been experimenting with making vegan ice creams and this recipe is one of my favorites; vegan dark chocolate and frozen cherries mixed with a cashew base. Piled onto gluten free cones, it’s a must-try!

Vegan Cherry Garcia Ice Cream

Serves 4

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•  5-7 drops pure liquid stevia extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 12-16 cubes ice
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1/4 cup vegan (optional) chocolate

1. In a small bowl, cover cashews with water and let soak 4 hours. Drain well.
2. Chop cherries into small, bite-size pieces. If using a chocolate bar (rather than chips), chop into small pieces.
3. Combine cashews, almond milk, vanilla extract, stevia extract, salt, and ice in a high-spreed blender. Process until smooth.
4. Add cherries and chocolate into ice cream mixture, blend for 5-10 seconds until incorporated. Enjoy!

*Note: If you are not consuming immediately, freeze leftovers in small containers. Before serving, pop ice cream back into high-speed blender to allow for a creamier (rather than icy) texture.