Recipe: Banana "Ice Cream"

Years ago, my friend Amanda told me about making "ice cream" that is banana-based, so it's a healthy alternative. I've tried different frozen banana desserts before (like this banana cottage cheese frozen mousse), but I had never actually made this before. So I found this recipe from the Wholesome Farmhouse Recipes blog, and since it touts only using three ingredients, I was definitely IN.

Ingredients

• 3 Large Bananas peeled, sliced, and frozen
• ½ Cup Whole Milk or heavy cream, coconut milk, almond milk (your choice)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Slice the ripe bananas into small pieces. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on parchment paper and freeze for a couple of hours until solid.
2. Add the frozen bananas, milk of choice, and vanilla extract to a high-powered blender, blender jar, or mini food processor. Blend the banana mixture until smooth, pausing the blending process to scrape down the sides as needed. A good whirl will help achieve the perfect creamy texture.
3. Freeze for scoops or serve soft. For soft-serve consistency, enjoy immediately. For traditional scoops, transfer the ice cream base to a freezer-safe container or airtight container and freeze for 4-6 hours.

This was VERY easy to make, and I added peanut butter to mine (obvi). The Ninja was having a hard time with the frozen banana slices (which surprised me, because you'd think those are softer than ice cubes). So a couple of times I had to stop the machine and mix things around. But the time I could smell metal (like the metal is having a hard time moving), I just stopped the whole process and let some of the banana chunks remain. I made the ice cream while I was making dinner, so I froze it and tried it the next day as "scoops."

I really liked it! Now it helps that bananas are my favorite fruit. But I thought the creamy texture did mimic that of ice cream pretty well. I also had some Hershey's syrup on top, so that definitely made the whole dessert taste like ice cream! I appreciate having a healthier alternative, and it's simple! And certainly cheaper than investing in a Ninja Creami.