Simply Banana (or Chocolate Banana) Ice Dream

Want in on a (probably not wildly known), magical, delicious--and healthy--secret? Seriously, this is one of the purest, finest, and easiest, examples of kitchen alchemy I've ever had the stunning fortune to stumble upon. OK, enough already: bananas make superb ice cream. That's all you need, plus a blender or food processor, that is. Regale your gluten, dairy, egg, and granulated sugar free friends with a snack/dessert that is so splendidly delightful, guiltless, and creamy, it will blow your mind.

Lest my inner conscience tries to expose me as a hypocrite, let me quickly say, I do stand by assertions that bananas aren't the most sustainable food.  They require boatloads of fuel to transport, for one thing. Further, monoculture banana plantations are major contributors to the destruction of tropical rainforests.

However, I am still going to eat bananas. They're packed with potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6. They go with and in about a million things, they fuel workouts quickly and cleanly, and they moisten baked goods. I'm just trying to eat fewer, which also offsets the slight extra cost for buying (kinder to the earth and less chemical laden) organic. Now, a greater proportion of those bananas I consume anyway will be frozen first, which is doubly good news, since the conversion to brown spottiness is a quick one.

I first found out about silky smooth banana cream here, and may I quickly say, theKitchn is hands down one of the most wondrous, mesmerizing, and gorgeous sites I've ever seen. There's a 3-ingredient healthy ice cream posted there I'm going to try later this weekend, so stay tuned. I'll keep you posted.

Once you enjoy frozen pureed bananas for yourself, the possibilities will distract you, be warned. For you athletes who like to incorporate a little whey protein into your diet, this is a great way to sneak it in. A dash of cinnamon's nice, too. And look what happens with a spoonful of cocoa powder...

My sisters and I discovered recently we've all been enjoying this frozen cocoa banana wonder independently of each other, and we all love it. Only while I had the idea as an offshoot of TheKitchn post, Susan discovered it herself, and shared with Laura. But that's neither here nor there...however you discover it, I am pretty sure you, or any ice cream lovers you cater to, will be hooked.