Everyone at some point (sometimes often) buys too many bananas, and one or two end up getting a bit too ripe to eat. There are many things to do with these overripe beauties! One of them is to make a healthy, creamy ice cream. So instead of throwing them away, or composting them, or whatever you used to do – just peel them, cut into large chunks, and freeze them. Then, once you’ve got enough stored up, make something with them.
- 5 or 6 overripe bananas, peeled, cut into chunks, and frozen at least 2 hours (or more; my blender can handle up to about 8-9 bananas, but not really less than 5)
- 2 T cacao nibs (optional)
- 2 T mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 3 T peanut butter (optional)
I added everything else as optional, as you could just make plain banana ice cream, and it tastes delicious. You can substitute anything in with this – I’m going to try adding strawberries next time (or raspberries)! That would make a delicious, more fruity version. Plus, the combination of strawberries and bananas is an amazing classic flavor sensation. I’m definitely doing that next… I think I’ll go buy some extra bananas today… Other things to try can be ginger, mango, coconut, almond butter, vegan nutella, marshmallows and chocolate – the list goes on and on.
Anyway, the method is very simple. If the bananas are crazy frozen, let them sit at room temperature about 5-10 minutes to soften up a little (otherwise the blender can’t work with it). Put all the banana chunks in the blender. Then, on low speed, blend the bananas until they get creamy.
It starts out as little banana chunks, but with patience and continued scraping down the sides and pushing towards the blades (safely! The Vitamix comes with a pusher to use during blending) you get a creamy banana concoction that is just like ice cream. At this point, add your optional fixins and blend again until incorporated (sometimes I like to have slivers of peanut butter throughout, so I blend it less; this time, though, I blended it thoroughly to get the peanut butter evenly distributed). Taste and add/adjust whatever you want.
Remove to a large storage container and freeze! Then have some whenever you want ice cream, but without the crazy calories. Maybe add a few extra chocolate chips (or chocolate sauce). Or fresh berries. Or both!
Plantiful Eats 
Nice treatment of a low fat whole food vegan classic! Vanilla is also nice, or a pinch of lime zest. And here’s a really weird one, but frozen watermelon goes really well with frozen bananas and vanilla. Peanut butter of course, is a sure win. I like that you sometimes leave little slivers of it in the mix. xo
Oooh, I love the idea of lime zest and vanilla! I’ll have to try the watermelon – it does sound odd, but I can see it work. It’d add a nice refreshing sweetness to the “heaviness” of the banana. I’m trying to get M to like bananas, so I’ve been sticking to the traditional pb and chocolate, as he loves those two… Hopefully he’ll start liking the banana if I integrate it slowly. 🙂 xoxo