Our kitchen is still torn apart – the tile guys are supposed to be here tomorrow and work on Sunday, too. That’s fine with me – the sooner it’s done the sooner my life gets back to normal. So, I’ve been doing lots of modified, simple cooking because it takes so long to find my pots and pans.
This super fast “ice cream” has been a stand-in snacks lately. It’s one of my favorites – it requires no cooking and i’s naturally sugar-free and gluten-free. The rich, creamy texture makes you think you’re eating something that’s so bad for you but it’s not. It’s a great way to use up those ripe bananas, too.
When my bananas start to get over-ripe, I peel them, cut them in half, score them without cutting all of the way through (this makes them easier to break into small pieces when I need it later), wrap them in plastic wrap, and put them in the freezer.
I’m posting my favorite variation, but you can substitute any frozen fruit for the blueberries. Mixing the banana with the other fruits keeps the texture smooth. Also, the banana is sweet enough to eliminate the need for additional sweeteners. I use cottage cheese to add some protein and give this a texture much closer to real ice cream and the nuts for a little fat. You can use yogurt but will end up with a runnier texture. Bananas without a fat or a protein send me reeling.
If you want to try a dairy free, pure banana version visit Kim at Gluten-Free is Life for her Banana Ice Cream. She’s right about holding on to the food processor…it’ll jump around on you at first.
And, if you have a minute stop by The Gluten-Free Post and see my review of Kozy’s Kitchen – a gluten-free restaurant in Dallas.
Find more food inspiration at:
- Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker’s
- Amy’s Finer Things Friday
- Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
- The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
5 Minute Blueberry Banana “Ice Cream”
Makes 1 serving1/2 banana, frozen and chopped into ½ inch slices
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
1 tablespoon of your favorite chopped nutsPut the banana and blueberries in a small food processor or blender. Process until it’s in small chunks. Add the cottage cheese and process until smooth, scraping sides down as necessary. Put your “ice cream” in a bowl and top with chopped nuts. If desired, return to freezer for 5 minutes or so before eating.
Hint: This tastes the best when made with very ripe, frozen bananas. Under-ripe bananas taste starchy.
