What’s your favorite chocolate pairing? Maybe chocolate and strawberries? Or perhaps chocolate and peanut butter? There are so many pairings I adore, it’s difficult to choose. Chocolate and mint is definitely one of them. I’m a lover of chocolate with spice and “crave” chocolate with salt, too.

This month, I challenged myself to create a new recipe featuring a culinary match for chocolate. Since I couldn’t decide on just one, I picked three: bananas, jalapeño, and sea salt! Yep, it’s a bit unique. But trust me when I say the combination in this inspired plant-based gelato tastes exotic.

The banana is the base of this ice cream-like treat instead of rich milk or cream—making it extra calorie-friendly, yet still super creamy and comforting. You’ll grill the jalapeño for extra intrigue. Plus, this chocolaty recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Savor every single sweet, spicy, salty, and ever-so-slightly smoky taste of it!

Hint: This “gelato” provides only 70 calories a serving. That means you actually can enjoy second helpings!

spicy vegan dark chocolate gelato

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• Author: Jackie Newgent
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 3 large or 4 medium fully-ripened bananas, peeled, sliced, and frozen
• 1/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, or to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare a grill or grill pan. Grill the jalapeño over direct medium-high heat until rich grill marks form, about 8 minutes. Discard (compost) the stem and, if desired, up to half of the seeds.
2. Meanwhile, remove the bananas from the freezer and let stand to slightly soften, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the jalapeño, bananas, cocoa, extract(s), and fleur de sel or flaky sea salt to a food processor. Pulse until the bananas are finely chopped. Then puree until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream.
4. Enjoy immediately soft-serve-style. Or freeze and serve scooped. If desired, add an extra pinch of fleur de sel.

Notes

Per serving: 70 calories, 0.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 50mg sodium, 18g total carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 9g sugars, 1g protein

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Jackie’s Culinary Tips!

• Consider using fully-ripened bananas in place of part or all of the cream and/or sugar in a dessert; they can provide so much natural sweetness and creaminess.
• For intrigue in a sweet and healthful recipe, add a hint of spiciness or saltiness for flavor balance.
• Punch up flavor and the essence of sweetness in healthful dessert recipes with pure extracts, such as pure vanilla and pure almond extracts.