Banana “Ice Cream”

When it comes to chips, cookies or fried foods, I really don’t have much trouble passing them up. But, one unhealthy treat that I have a borderline unhealthy relationship with is ice cream. No matter the weather or time of day, I can always go for a scoop (or two) of ice cream, which is why this recipe is an absolute staple for me.

Just three ingredients:

• a frozen banana
• a splash of vanilla extract
• a few tablespoons of milk

Okay, so the frozen banana doesn’t look very appetizing as pictured above, but it’s the most convenient way I’ve found to keep them handy. I wait until the bananas are overripe and then i peel them, cut them in half and stick them in a snack-sized Ziploc bag. Then, I have single portion bags ready to go whenever I get an ice cream craving. The convenience factor is key when it comes to choosing this over the ice cream sitting right next to these baggies in the freezer.

Step One: Get a banana out of the freezer. To make it a little easier on the food processor, I cut it into half inch slices.

{maybe it’s just me, but all these banana slices look like they’re making sad faces}

Step Two: Put the slices into the food processor and run it for around 30 seconds. Then, add a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and a 2-3 tbsp of milk and blend again until it has a lighter color and creamy texture.

Step Three: Eat.

Tips:

• Make one portion at a time. If you make a big batch and refreeze it, the consistency becomes sort of icy.
• Mix in a little peanut butter or chocolate for something extra sweet. I like to add chocolate protein powder.