This is without a doubt my favorite way to make a nice healthy ice cream. It’s delicious just as it is, or you can use it as a base and add other ingredients such as a couple of tablespoons of raw cacao powder for that chocolate flavor, or a handful of berries.
There’s no more need to buy “traditional” ice cream which is high in fat and sugar, and which of course is made with dairy milk which is a no-no for vegans or for people who are lactose-intolerant. Instead, you can whip up a batch of this much more nutritious ice cream, and have it in the freezer for when you or the kids are in the mood for a little something sweet.
This ice-cream won’t just satisfy your craving for a sweet treat, but you will be putting a whole bunch of goodness into your body at the same time, plus it will make you feel happy! And I don’t mean just because it has that sweet factor – your base of bananas are high in tryptophan, which is converted into seratonin in your body, which is the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter.
Bananas also provide your body with natural energy, sustain your blood sugar, build strong bones, protect against type II diabetes, and strengthen your nervous system. Their iron content is a bonus if you suffer from anemia, they lower your blood pressure and protect you against strokes and heart attacks.
If you have this ice cream after a meal it will help your digestion, stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria in your gut, and help your body to absorb nutrients thanks to the digestive enzymes in the bananas.
The seemingly simple banana also provides you with a host of natural healing properties. It helps to prevent kidney cancer and colon cancer, protects your eyes from macular degeneration, and helps with calcium absorption to build strong bones. They have high levels of potassium which helps with brain health, and they’re laoded with antioxidants which protect against free radicals and lower your risk of other diseases.
Coconut milk is rich in fiber, vitamins C, B1, B3, B5, B6 and E, iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, and is a perfect dairy milk substitute. It gives the ice cream a silky smooth texture, while lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure, improving your heart health, providing electrolytes, burning fat and improving your digestion. Pecans add a lovely nutty flavor, support your heart health, fight inflammation and have anti-aging properties. They’re low in calories and also help to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
If you haven’t yet tried an ice cream like this, I’ll bet you’re looking at it in a new light now? This makes a nice transition to the soon-to-come autumn and a lovely way to cool during the last days of summer.
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 5 ripe bananas, cut into slices
- ½ cup pecans, raw
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Add the banana slices into airtight plastic bags and freeze them overnight.
- Heat the coconut oil into a non-stick pan, add the pecans and salt, toss to combine and toast for two minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- Transfer the banana slices into the food processor (break up the large pieces stuck together) and pulse to obtain small crumbs.
- Add the coconut milk and process until very smooth.
- Add the toasted pecans and pulse one more time to incorporate.
- Transfer into a sealed freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 hours before serving.
Leave a Reply