I hope you’re stocked up on avocados because I have tons of great ideas for how you can use them. We’re just getting started. Avocado is an ingredient I use almost everyday in my kitchen. It’s versatile, delicious, and oh so creamy… What’s not to love? I can have it any time of the day.

Avocados contain a wide range of nutrients and phytochemicals that benefit overall health. It has been shown to:

have positive effects on total cholesterol (TC)
promote heart healthy lipid profiles
support weight management
support healthy aging (1)

Avocado for Breakfast – Yes, Please!

It’s no secret that I love avocado toast for breakfast (I’ll share a list of my go-to recipes below!), but I absolutely love sneaking avocado into my meals and drinks is so many other ways too! For instance, adding as little as ⅓ of an avocado to any smoothie so creamy and buttery, not to mention the healthy fat content (2) helps keep me full until lunchtime or even early afternoon!

Avocado is also a must in my kids’ favorite breakfast burrito. For a heavy lunch that’s meant to fuel me for a long afternoon of work or activities, I like adding it onto my quinoa salads.

Basic Avocado Toast – Gimme Delicious
Avocado Toast with Chorizo and Pepperdew – Olive Magazine
Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon and Red Onion – What’s Gaby Cooking
Bacon and Goat Cheese Avocado Toast – The Kitchn

5-Minute Avocado Toast Recipes

As I mentioned earlier, I love avocado toast for breakfast so I’ve tried my fair share of recipes over the years. There’s a reason why this is such a popular breakfast or snack food these days. It’s so easy to make, plus it’s so darn good. Make sure you use toasted or crunchy bread for best results, and don’t be afraid to load up on toppings.

Avocado for Dessert

Last but certainly not least, avocado can be used to make wonderful desserts as well. No avocado recipe list would be complete without a dessert option, and I’m happy to report that I have some stellar recommendations for you to try. I’ve found that avocado is especially good with chocolate, so without further ado, let’s talk about this chocolate avocado ice cream recipe.

I’m not allergic to dairy, nor have I sworn off dairy, but I always have guests over that steer clear of dairy so I’ve learned to make recipes that appeal to everyone. That said, this dairy-free recipe ice cream is a hit each and every time.

Are Eggs Considered Dairy?

Your typical dairy ice cream recipe would contain egg yolks and/or heavy cream. According to the USDA, dairy refers to products and foods made from milk. These products include yogurt, milk, butter, ice cream and cheese. So no, eggs are not considered dairy. The heavy cream on the other hand, is considered dairy.

Why Go Dairy-Free?

Understanding the term “dairy-free” is crucial not just for your personal needs but in accommodating other people’s requests as well. For instance, dairy-free is not interchangeable with lactose-free, vegan, milk-free, or allergen-free.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is a disaccharide found in dairy, milk products, and mammalian milk. (3) Upon consumption of lactose, the body converts it into glucose and galactose with the lactase enzyme. However, deficiency or absence of lactase may result in lactose malabsorption.

Common signs and symptoms include:

Flatulence
Abdominal Pain
Abdominal Bloating
Nausea & Vomiting
Diarrhea

An estimated 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, and is most common in African Americans, Hispanics and Asians. (4)

Milk Allergy (Dairy Allergy)

A milk allergy is a common food allergy in young children. An individual with milk allergy is often allergic to one or both of these protein components in milk: whey and casein. The body’s immune system reacts to these proteins with symptoms such as hives, swelling, itching, wheezing, difficulty breathing, or even loss of consciousness.

Veganism

Veganism is a type of diet that excludes animal-derived ingredients and products such as eggs, meat, dairy products, cheese, etc. Since milk, heavy cream and eggs are derived from animals, they are not considered vegan.

If your dairy-free recipe still includes eggs, it is not considered vegan.

8 Substitutes for Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes

If you think that your options are very limited when it comes to non-dairy ice cream, you’re definitely wrong. These 11 substitutes for dairy prove that dairy-free ice cream can be creamy and delicious too.

Coconut Milk

If you love coconut, you’re going to love dairy-free ice creams that are made with either coconut milk or coconut cream. Be sure to use the full-fat variety for the creamy, rich texture that we all look for. The nutty flavor is great as a base for recipes like chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, and so much more.

Coconut Cream

Similar in flavor to coconut milk, coconut cream is quite possibly the best substitute for dairy-free ice cream. This is due to i’s high fat content and minimal water content. The resulting texture is smoother and creamier, and not as icy. Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut cream is thicker and definitely richer.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is readily available in stores, or you could also make your own right at home. It takes very little time to make, and you have the added benefit of knowing that there is nothing else added to your almond milk. Almond milk is lower in fat than coconut milk, so the result will not be as creamy but it still makes for some fantastic dairy-free ice cream.

Cashew Milk

Cashew milk is similar to almond milk–both are readily available in stores or you could make your own at home. WHat I like about cashew milk is it has a bland flavor profile, so it could serve as a very neutral canvass to experiment with.

Oat Milk

I’ve made oat bread, oat granola, oat energy bars, but I’ve only recently tried oat milk. So far, I love the flavor and I’ve used it a few times in smoothies. The flavor of oat milk is also neutral and bland, so it would be a good base for most recipes, especially once it’s sweetened with say honey or maple syrup.

Avocado

Second to coconut cream, avocado is an excellent ingredient for dairy-free ice cream. It’s smooth, creamy, high in fat, and delicious. Paired with the right ingredients, you won’t be able to taste the avocado at all, but the resulting ice cream will be rich and decadent all the same.

Banana Puree

Banana puree is a favorite among vegans for making ‘nice cream’ because it makes for a creamy base that adds sweetness to any recipe. The key to this is using fully ripe bananas that are plenty sweet.

Nut Puree

Nut milks are great for dairy-free ice cream recipes, but so are nut purees. Nut purees are higher in fat than their nut milk counterparts, and have more volume to the mixture. The nut puree helps to bind all the ingredients together, resulting in a thicker mixture. Dairy-free ice cream made with nut purees tend to be a little chunkier than their nut milk counterparts, so make sure to work that texture to your advantage.

Does Avocado Ice Cream Have the Same Texture as Real Ice Cream?

Bear in mind that this recipe for homemade chocolate avocado ice cream is tons healthier than your regular store-bought variety, so the texture will be slightly different. As long as you follow the directions, the texture will come out great.

Do not freeze longer than 3 hours and make sure to mix it well every 30 minutes. This prevents the mixture from freezing solid while still allowing it to solidify into ice cream.

How to Make Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream

Coconut milk is made with the fleshy part of the coconut. The coconut flesh is grated and soaked in water. Once you’re ready to extract, make sure to skim the top first. This coconut cream is thicker and more opaque than the rest of the liquid. It also has a higher fat content than the coconut milk.

Once the coconut cream is skimmed from the top, the remaining liquid is your coconut milk. Make sure to use a cheesecloth to separate any coconut flesh bits from mixing into your coconut milk.

How to Make Nut Milk

Nut milk is very easy to make at home. All you need are your nuts, a food processor, and water. You could also add salt, sweetener, vanilla or cinnamon for flavor. You could use almonds, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pecants, walnuts, or any other nuts for this.

First, you’ll want to soak your nuts in water for about an hour or two. This softens the nuts and helps to release more flavor into the water. Once it’s soaked through, simply take your raw nuts and water mixture, and blitz together in your food processor until your nuts are finely ground. The liquid should be slightly cloudy and almost opaque.

Once it’s blended, simply strain the liquid with a cheesecloth. You can store your nut milk in the refrigerator for about a week or so.

More Healthy Avocado Recipe Substitutes:

Easy Avocado Ice Cream Recipe (No Eggs, Dairy or Added Sugar)
Incredibly Fudgy Avocado Brownies
4-Ingredient Avocado Toast Recipe

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