Picture your last “first date” experience… in all of its fake smiling and
awkward glory.
You ask polite questions about your date’s background, navigating treacherously
away from controversial subjects like religion or past relationships. You
innocently pose questions like “Do you have any siblings” or “Are you close with
your parents” while trying to chew, nod approvingly, and smile in all the right
places. It's like cramming for a high school exam.
Inevitably in these situations, I’ll gently lead the conversation to food, and inquire about my dates’ favorite food choices, food allergies and any cooking interests they may have. (If he doesn’t enjoy eating, that’s a dealbreaker!)
I have been known to, between questions about their pets and my horrible Will Ferrell movie references, inquire about his favorite ice cream flavor. (Mine: Tossup between Mint Chocolate Chip and Rocky Road.) I ask this question on the first date because I adore ice cream. The texture, creamy flavor and endless varieties make it the perfect dessert indulgence. It holds its own special place in my junk food guilty-pleasure file.
This Badass thing is all about balance, so I eat healthy but I do occasionally enjoy this sweet treat. I just seek out lower-sugar options and keep my portion size under control.
Today I come to you, fellow ice-cream lovers, with another option: Banana “Soft Serve” Ice Cream.
It’s a safe bet to assume that at any juncture, barring a nuclear fallout or closeout sale at Ann Taylor, I’ll have a few bananas chopped into pieces and frozen in freezer bags in my freezer. The humble banana is a life-saver for this Badass Foodie.
I've talked about the versatile bananas' usefulness in baking, like the sweetness and moisture it lent my Oatmeal Agave cookies. It adds the same oomph to oatmeal.
But today's “recipe” might change the way you think about bananas. This is so simple I’m almost embarrassed to write about it, but it's so delicious I really have to share with the Badass Army. It’s fat free, low calorie, all natural and requires one ingredient and one piece of machinery.
Yup, you read correctly. Watch and learn, grasshopper – your world is about to change. You might want to buy stock in Chiquita.
The process is simple:
1. Freeze 2 to 3 bananas
- This is important – you want them to be completely frozen before you begin.
- I recommend peeling and slicing bananas at their ripest point, right before they turn completely brown. I like to place in the freezer on a non-stick baking pan for about 4 hours so that they slices freeze individually before placing them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. This ensures that they don’t stick together in one banana-ish clump, and you can use a few slices at a time for smoothies, baking, etc.
2. Place frozen banana in clean food processor
- My food processor is one of my favorite kitchen tools, though before I was gifted a beautiful Wolfgang Puck processor by my mother this Christmas, I found this recipe also works with a mini-blender – though that method called for additional patience, time and a few expletives.
- If you don’t have one, a food processor is a great investment in your healthy cooking arsenal.
3. Turn on processor and walk away
- Let the bananas process for about 5 minutes to whip as much air as possible into the bananas, stopping every few minutes to scrape down sides.
- Optional – I like to add a splash of milk and about a teaspoon of agave nector or natural sweetener while the bananas are processing. It tastes great without it, but I do think it helps the overall consistency.
- If you used less than completely ripe bananas, you will probably want to add a little sweetener. Remember – fruit develops its natural sugars over time, so riper fruit = sweeter fruit= better ice cream.
4. Done!
- After about 5 minutes, you will have a beautiful, amazingly smooth banana “ice cream” mixture to wow your taste buds.
- Seriously, this tastes so much like banana ice cream, you may fool yourself.
The first time I tried this, I was pretty skeptical. I enjoyed bananas in oatmeal and as an occasional pre-run snack, but I was reading a lot of vegan healthy living blogs that touted this as amazing and delicious, so I gave it a try.
But, as soon as I tasted this, I got it. Enjoying ice cream is about texture and consistency – it's not dependent on the cream, fat and sugar. The whipped bananas provide that cool, sweet, smooth fix for hot summer nights, and keep me from craving after-dinner ice cream.
Now, because I just can’t help myself, I started experimenting and discovered several variations:
- Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Note: Unfortunately, this banana “soft serve” won’t store in the freezer or refrigerator if you have leftovers. It hardens and falls flat if placed back in the freezer, so try and make only the amount you think you will need. Since you are incorporating a significant amount of air into the bananas, 1 banana easily serves one person.
The Nutrition of 1 medium banana
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol : 0 g
Calories: 108
Potassium: 400 mg
Dietary Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 1 g (2% of daily recommended value)
Bananas help heart heart and muscles:
- Bananas contain a high dose of potassium, which is an essential mineral for heart and nervous system healthy.
- Potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction and plays an important role in muscle-influenced activities including heart function, digestion and muscular movement.
Bananas can make you happier:
- Bananas contain tryptophan, one of the 20 amino acids which are building blocks of proteins.
- Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin, which has a calming effect on the brain and acts as a mild sedative. The only way our our body gets its tryptophan is through our diet.
Bananas are good for your blood!
- As one of the highest sources of naturally available vitamin B6, bananas help your body make hemoglobin.
- Vitamin B6 is also essential for antibody production to keep your immunity healthy.
- It also helps to convert carbohydrates to glucose and thereby maintains proper blood sugar levels.
Bananas keep you feeling full!
- A single serving (one medium-sized banana) contains 4 grams of fiber – substantial for a single serving of any food.
- This helps you to feel fuller longer, which helps you control calories.
The Moral of the Story
Healthy cooking doesn’t have to be difficult. It doesn’t have to involve pricey tools, specialty ingredients, expensive cuts of meat, an immaculate backyard herb garden, or a take-home personal chef who looks like Jamie Oliver. (But a girl can dream, right?)
If you are willing to open your mind and try suggestions from other Badasses, you may be surprised
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve raised my eyebrows at a food suggestion (“Um… bananas…. In a Blender? Big whoop. Can I have my pint of Chunky Monkey back now?” ) only to be eating my words later after I tried it myself.
And check out these other blogs to learn more about just how good 'cooking' can be without the heat!
http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/
Coming tomorrow: The Badass CEO reveals the three exercises she'd take with her on a desert island.
