Melanie Lampro

Your Vegan Ice-Cream Revolution Starts Now!

Like many of you, I’ve got a soft spot for ice-cream. You may already know that I’m a bit obsessed with the stuff and if you follow me elsewhere, you might also know I co-host UKGiftHour, where I sort of moonlight as the unofficial (but very enthusiastic) Breakfast Club chef and where I’m always trying to find legitimate ways to have ice-cream for breakfast. It’s more of a justification than an excuse, honestly. For a long time, as a vegan, my options felt incredibly limited. Then, when Messrs Ben and Jerry rolled out their vegan versions…let’s just say my freezer (and my sugar intake) took a bit of a hit. I mean, it was practically forcing me to eat it – what choice did I even have?

But the good news is, ditching the dairy (and the refined sugar) doesn’t mean ditching the deliciousness. In fact, it opens up a whole new world of creamy, dreamy possibilities.

“But doesn’t store-bought plant milk have a lot of other stuff like sugar in it?” I hear you cry! Yes, it does, but significantly less. Even sweetened versions have around 3–6g of sugar per 100ml, while shop-bought vegan ice-cream can pack in up to 20g for the same amount. So you’re still scooping a big win. Obviously, making your own plant milk is an option. That’s something I am rather tempted by and considering purchasing one of these Salter Plant Milk Makers. Let me know if you have one and if they are worth it!

I had previously picked up a Ninja CREAMi® to help me cut down on the sugar my ice-cream habit was forcing me to eat, and it’s been a game-changer for experimenting. You might be surprised how easy it is to whip up incredible frozen treats with just a few simple, whole ingredients.

So, for the (hopefully) sunny month of July (and possibly beyond), I decided to find a way to have ice-cream for breakfast. Every Saturday and Sunday. It’s really not a stretch from yoghurt or cereal (breakfast staples) to ice-cream, is it?

Why This Challenge?

I wanted my vegan ice-cream to be indulgent but not a sneaky sugar trap. That’s when the aforementioned Ninja CREAMi® came in and totally changed the playing field. Now, I’m inviting YOU to join me in creating something fun, flavourful, and a little bit healthier, without sacrificing the scoop.

🥨 The CREAMi® Dream Challenge: Share Your Vegan & Dog-Friendly Ice-Cream Recipes!

Calling all ice-cream lovers! If you’re ready to transform your frozen treat game, grab your Ninja CREAMi® (or your ice-cream maker of choice) and get creative. Whether you’re churning out creamy vegan masterpieces or whipping up frozen delights for your pup, I want to see what you’ve got!

Join the challenge:

• 📅 Start anytime – no deadline, just deliciousness
• 🌎 Tag your recipes with #FreezingVegan
• 📱 Share in the comments or tag me in your posts on X

🍌 My Starting Point: Simple & Sweet Successes

I’ve already found some winners in my quest for healthier scoops, and here are a couple of easy-to-follow favourites that work beautifully in the Ninja CREAMi®:

Simple Sorbets: Pour 100% fresh fruit juice (orange juice with a dash of ground nutmeg works well) into your Ninja CREAMi® tub container and freeze for 24 hours. Once fully frozen, process using the ‘Sorbet’ setting. 

Vanilla Magic: Start with a plant milk and vegan cream base (I like The Coconut Collab® Double Cre&m), then blend in splash of vanilla extract and a couple of chopped dates (optional). Freeze the mixture in your Ninja CREAMi® tub for 24 hours. Once fully-frozen, process as ‘Light Ice Cream.’ Add carob chips after the first spin using the ‘Mix-In’ setting if you like.

Sometimes I add a little cacao and/or coffee to the ‘Vanilla Magic’ version but you could really add whatever takes your fancy.

I take Ancient & Brave Radiant Collagyn – Vegan and True MCT Oil daily as well so I’ll quite often have a breakfast ice-cream (or smoothie) with those added, too.

Anyway, these are my go-to basic recipes but I wanted to spice things up a bit and asked Artificial Intelligence (AI) to lend a scoop! Here’s what it churned out…

💫 AI-Powered Inspiration: Ideas to Launch Your Next Frozen Favourite

🌬 Creamy Fruit Powerhouses

Start With The Ultimate Base! Blend 2–3 frozen ripe bananas until smooth. Pour into your Ninja CREAMi® tub, freeze for 24 hours, and process using the ‘Light Ice Cream’ setting. Re-spin as needed.

• Chocolate Lovers: Add 1–2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder to the banana base before freezing. Optionally, stir in some carob chips post-spin using the ‘Mix-In’ function.
• Nutty & Rich: Add 1 tablespoon of your favourite nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew) to the banana base. It makes everything richer and creamier.
• Berry Burst: Blend frozen mixed berries into your banana base before freezing for a tangy, fruity kick.
  • My Result #1: I’m calling this one Nanacocoberry Fool. I used fresh, frozen strawberries for this and it tasted very fruity. The texture (10/10) was smooth and creamy; the taste (9/10) was very pleasant and you couldn’t mistake the tang of strawberry but, I probably could have used a few more strawberries as the banana flavour was dominant.
  • My Result #2: Nanacocoberry Fool+ because it was really bothering me that there wasn’t enough strawberry flavour in the first batch so, I used the second tub that was in the freezer and added another cup of fresh strawberries and some carob chips. That was a good move! Texture was still (10/10); the taste (9.5/10). Progress.
• Tropical Escape: Blend banana with mango, pineapple, or passionfruit. Add a little plant milk if it needs help blending smoothly. I’m guessing this will be very similar to Mango Magic, below.
• Mango Magic: Use frozen mango chunks with a splash of plant milk. Freeze and process for a bright, creamy tropical treat.
  • My Result: The texture (9/10) was quite creamy with a hint of a sorbet – I’m a fan! It was a little crumbly after the first spin, but I ran the ‘Mix-In’ setting with some more oat milk and WOW! However, the taste (9/10), while refreshing and just sweet enough, needed more mango though.
• Avocado’s Secret Weapon: Blend in a small chunk of frozen avocado and a teaspoon of cocoa powder. Freeze and churn into a thick, fudgy ice-cream.
  • My Result: The texture (9/10) was indeed incredibly thick and creamy, after adding plant milk – truly fudgy! However, the taste (2/10) was dominated by the avocado and had an unexpected bitterness (possibly used a bit too much cacao powder). While the technique for texture was a winner, the flavour balance wasn’t quite there for me. I re-churned it with some chopped dates and that was an improvement but still only about a 4/10 for taste. Absolutely my fault because I adjusted the amount of avocado.
• Superfood Acai: Blend a frozen acai packet with a little juice or plant milk and some fruit. Freeze in the tub, then process using the ‘Sorbet’ or ‘Light Ice Cream’ setting.

Things went a bit wrong the first time I tried a Mango Magic but, my ‘fresh’ mango let me down, so I had to improvise with what I had. Saved by my smoothie obsession and a freezer full of frozen fruit, I panic-pivoted to a Happy Accidental Banana Berry Sorbet! Two chopped bananas, about 1/2 cup each of frozen blueberries and pineapple, and a tub of coconut-based double cream were blended and then frozen for 24 hours. The mixture was processed in a Ninja CREAMi® as ‘Light Ice Cream,’ resulting in a surprisingly delicious, sweet, and refreshing sorbet-like treat (9/10 for taste) with a slightly soft texture (8/10).

🌾 Surprising Veggies (Yes, Really!)

• Sweet Potato/Butternut Squash Delight: Blend 120ml of cooked, cooled, and frozen sweet potato or butternut squash with 120ml plant milk and a pinch of warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger. Freeze in your Ninja CREAMi® tub, then process using the ‘Light Ice Cream’ setting.
• Cauliflower Cream: Steam cauliflower florets until soft, let them cool completely, then freeze. Blend about 120ml frozen cauliflower with a banana or some mango for sweetness, add a splash of plant milk, then freeze the mix in your Ninja CREAMi® tub. Spin with ‘Light Ice Cream’ or ‘Smoothie Bowl’ for a nutrient-rich base.

🦥 Vegan Yoghurt Wonders

• Thicker Bases: Use full-fat coconut or cashew yoghurt as a main ingredient. Blend with a sweet fruit like banana or mango, pour into your Ninja CREAMi® tub, freeze for 24 hours, and process with ‘Light Ice Cream’ or ‘Gelato’ setting.
• Frozen Yoghurt Bark: Spread unsweetened vegan yoghurt about 1cm thick on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Top with chopped fruit, nuts, and a drizzle of nut butter or melted carob. Freeze until solid and break into shards for a crunchy, refreshing treat.
• Fro-Yo Style: Blend 240ml frozen fruit with 120ml unsweetened vegan yoghurt until smooth, pour into your Ninja CREAMi® tub, freeze until solid, and churn. Re-spin with a tablespoon of plant milk if needed.

🌰 Richer Bases with Nuts & Seeds

• Silky Cashew Cream: Soak 120ml cashews in hot water for 15-30 minutes, then drain and blend with 120ml plant milk until smooth. Sweeten if desired, freeze in your Ninja CREAMi® tub, and churn using ‘Light Ice Cream.’ This makes a creamy, luxurious base for nearly any flavour.
• Plant Milk Blends: Start with a thicker plant milk like oat or soy, and blend with banana, nut butter, or even avocado for richness. Freeze the blend, then spin into a smooth treat with your Ninja CREAMi®.

✨ Unleash Your Flavour Imagination

These are your final touches – stir-ins, mix-ins, and flavour boosters to make your creations truly unique.

• Coconut Goodness: Add 1–2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut or a teaspoon of coconut butter before freezing for rich texture and flavour.
• Nut Butters Galore: Swirl in almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter for creamy richness. Add pre- or post-spin depending on texture preference.
• Protein Power: Add a scoop of your favourite vegan protein powder to the base mixture before freezing. Works especially well with banana and nut milk combos.
• Superfood Boosts: Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of spirulina, beet powder, or matcha to boost nutrients and colour.
• Natural Sweeteners: Blend in soaked dates, figs, or prunes for chewy texture and caramel-like sweetness. One or two per tub is usually plenty.
• Extracts Galore: A few drops of vanilla, almond, peppermint, or citrus extracts go a long way. Add before freezing.
• Fresh Zest: A teaspoon of lemon, lime, or orange zest adds brightness and depth. Pairs beautifully with berry or coconut bases.
  • My Results: I used a coconut base and lemon zest. The texture (10/10) was silky-smooth and firm after running the ‘Mix-In’ setting with a little oat milk (which I had to do twice!). The taste (10/10) was incredibly refreshing, not too coconutty, and had just the right subtle lemon flavour. It was a delicious and successful experiment!

🐶 Bonus: Vegan Dog-Friendly Ice-Cream for Your Ninja CREAMi®

Dogs love creamy treats too! Just be sure to use dog-safe ingredients.

1. Peanut Butter & Banana Bliss

Ingredients:

• 2-3 frozen bananas
• 30ml xylitol-free peanut butter
• 60ml unsweetened plant milk
• Optional: small dog treats

Method:

• Blend, freeze in Ninja CREAMi® tub.
• Use ‘Light Ice Cream’ or ‘Sorbet’ function.
• Add plant milk and ‘Re-spin’ if crumbly.
• Add treats with ‘Mix-In’ if using.

2. Berry & Coconut Dream

Ingredients:

• 240ml frozen mixed berries
• 120ml full-fat coconut milk
• 60ml unsweetened vegan yoghurt
• Optional: 15ml pumpkin purée

Method:

• Combine ingredients in Ninja CREAMi® tub.
• Freeze for 24 hrs.
• Use ‘Light Ice Cream’ or ‘Sorbet’ setting.
• Add liquid and ‘Re-spin’ if needed.

I made a couple of adjustments to this recipe; 1 cup frozen raspberries and blueberries, 1.5 cups plain Alpro yoghurt. Loco loves this yoghurt but he’s only allowed it sparingly and I only intend giving him a little of his doggy ice-cream batch at a time so I wanted it thicker.

It was slightly crumbly when first mixed but I didn’t need to add anything else as it scooped fine. Loco loved it, perhaps a little too much as he got a bit excited and it ended up on the floor but by all accounts, this did not affect the taste – apparently.

I did try some myself, of course (but not from the floor) and I can confirm that is it delicious! I’d eat this myself.

Note from me (and my Miniature Pinscher, Loco): I often freeze plain yoghurt on a licky-mat or let him try a tiny scoop of mine if there are no dodgy (for dogs) ingredients. Please remember to introduce any new treats slowly and ensure they’re safe for your pup!

💡 Tips for Ninja CREAMi® Success

• Start Thick: A thick base freezes better.
• Re-Spin: Your best friend for creamy texture.
• A Splash Helps: Add plant milk to loosen the base.

🌟 Now It’s Your Turn!

Have a healthy, delicious vegan ice-cream (or pup-friendly creation) to share? Drop your recipe in the comments, tag me, or use #FreezingVegan on X. I’ll be sharing my weekend experiments (both triumphs and total messes) there – so come cheer me on or send help if I accidentally create frozen hummus again.

Let me know what AI got so right it blew your mind and what made you raise an eyebrow and say, ‘Erm…no.’ I’m here for all of it!

And if you’ve got a favourite ice-cream maker that’s not the Ninja CREAMi®, do tell – I’m always curious to hear what works for others.

Since I asked AI to generate these ideas, they’re unresearched by me (living on the edge here), so if an idea or recipe here turns out to be your original masterpiece, please let me know. I’m always happy to give credit where it’s due, or remove it if needed. We’re all about sharing the (ice-cream) love!

P.S. I’m seriously considering Lavender Ice-Cream (because in my head it tastes great) and I’m very tempted to give the AI-suggested Cauliflower Cream a go, but I think I’ll start with Avocado’s Secret Weapon; it sounds like a safer bet for a Saturday morning.

Time to shop for ingredients…wish me luck! 🍦🥑