Monday, May 30, 2011

Vegan Ice Dream


Be prepared for a summer revolution (or revelation?).

You know those days when the sun will not stop beating down and all you want is cold ice cream to slowly savor all day long? Here is your answer: an amazingly decadent ice "dream" made solely from frozen bananas. Smooth, creamy, refreshing and HEALTHY! It truly does not get any better than this. It is the kind of recipe that only comes along once in a great while, the kind you make every day and wonder how you ever survived without. Oh man, get ready.

I like to buy a big batch of bananas and freeze them at peak ripeness. Make sure to peel and roughly chop them before freezing, as they are impossible to work with frozen in the peel. There you are: all ready to go with a crop of frozen bananas waiting for you at any moment, stalled in the peak of their perfection, posed to satisfy any summer whim.

Bananas are super high in potassium, which acts to balance out sodium within our system. The ideal ratio is 2:1 (potassium:sodium), which is unfortunately no where near where most of us are on a daily basis. But with a little extra attention, you can increase your potassium through whole foods such as bananas and potatoes (leave the skins on!) and significantly boost your heart health. If you are not a huge potato skin fan, save the peelings and use it to make a broth to cook your grains in throughout the week. Other winners are beets, cantaloupe, winter squash and spinach.

There are a few add-ins that I particularly enjoy, which offer some interesting twists and can take the idea anywhere from breakfast to dessert. In the morning I like to add in ground golden flax seeds and frozen blueberries. Once for lunch, I even added a handful of kale. That's right, and it was delicious. My CSK members today enjoyed it spiked with a splash of soy milk, a dash of vanilla and a spoonful of peanut butter. Bam: Peanut Butter Milkshake. You get the idea....



Vegan Ice Dream
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 bananas, peeled, roughly chopped and frozen

Optional add-ins: 2 tbs. ground flax, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries or strawberries, 1 tbs. peanut butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, dash of cinnamon...

Optional toppings: cocao nibs, toasted coconut, fresh fruit, granola



Directions


In a food processor, whip frozen bananas and add-ins until creamy and frothy (about 2 minutes). Scrape into 2 serving bowls and sprinkle with desired toppings. Enjoy immediately, or store in freezer for up to an hour.


Relax. Eat Well.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Lisa, our mutual friend Megan Rudy suggested I check out your website. Boy am I glad -- I love ice cream, and this vegan recipe looks delish! one question: is there any way to prevent the frozen bananas from turning brown?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to have you :) I think the trick may be to freeze them before they get too super ripe (way before the banana bread state). The outsides will brown a bit in the freezer but you hardly notice it after whipping them.

    ReplyDelete