This MoFo recipe taught me that the simplest method is almost always the best method. I went through three incarnations of ice cream – two that were too fussy and required ingredients that made me feel guilty, not to mention needing an ice cream maker – before settling on something utterly easy, simple, healthy, and delicious.
Below are photos of my first two attempts. Both were delicious, but each failed in their own way. My first version was too icy and the second version, though rich with a gelato-like creaminess, had sunflower oil and pure cane sugar. Guilt. (On the plus side, this second recipe also included a sweet-salty granola, a recipe I’ll be sharing next month.)
To make the vegan version of Number 22 (from Scoop Adventures) on 29 Ways to Honor the Glory of Peanut Butter and Jelly I drew inspiration from Leanne Campbell’s companion recipes to the The China Study, The China Study Cookbook. It’s a classic frozen-banana-cum-ice-cream recipe that you can make in minutes as long as you have icy-cold bananas on hand. All I added was peanut butter and instead of using her (outstanding) chocolate sauce, I created a mixed berry sauce sweetened with dates. Feeling no guilt here.
Peanut Butter-Banana “Ice Cream”
Serves 2-4
4 bananas, cut into slices and frozen
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a food processor, combine the bananas, peanut butter, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract and process until very smooth. You’ll need to scrape down the sides several times. It helps to have the bananas cut into thin slices rather than thick chunks. Spoon the mixture into bowls and top with Mixed Berry Sauce (recipe below).
Mixed Berry Sauce
Makes ~1 cup
1 8 oz. bag frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, & strawberries)
1/4 cup dates, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup water
In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer, and stir occasionally for about 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Process until very smooth (be careful – it’s hot!). Store in the refrigerator until ready to use or use immediately.
Speaking of simple, healthy desserts, have you entered to win a copy of Chef Amber Shea’s lush cookbook, Practically Raw Desserts? It’s easy. Go here. You’ll also find her recipe for Dulce de Leche Spooncream…
Recently I felt the siren call of Spring Cleaning and since cleaning is just about my least favorite thing to do and something I avoid whenever possible, I knew to heed the call when it came. It came in the form of defrosting my small freezer – the one where I keep summer’s extra vegetables, fruit, tempeh, homemade seitan and those cooler coolers (you know, the blue stuff). It wasn’t the ideal day to defrost as it was overcast and cool, but no matter. The freezer was getting dragged outside to melt down. As I emptied the freezer and put things into a cooler to keep for a few hours, I came across several big bags of plump blackberries. Blackberries I’d picked last *mumble mumble* and well, had kinda forgotten about. I had picked blackberries every day for about a week. More blackberries than we could ever eat over the course of several days.
