Clean Eating Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

by The Gracious Pantry on May 5, 2010

 

Clean Eating Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

I have to tell you, this is one of the most sinful desserts I’ve had since starting my clean eating program.  It was a recipe that Danica from DanicasDaily gave me at a blogger’s luncheon. If memory serves, she said her sister had passed it on to her.

If you like bananas, and you like ice cream that’s just a little melty, then this is the perfect dessert for you.

It’s soft, it’s fluffy, it’s cold and ice creamy. But guess what….

It’s not ice cream at all! (Shhh, don’t tell the kids! They’ll never know the difference!) It’s just bananas!

Here’s how to make this little bit of chocolaty heaven:

Clean Eating Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
(Makes approximately 4 cups – depending on the size of your bananas)

Ingredients
4 bananas
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. agave or honey

Directions

Step 1 – This is one of those recipes you have to start the day/night before. Slice your bananas into a container with a lid. Put in the freezer over night or until thoroughly frozen. It’s important that they are completely frozen.

Step 2 – Empty your frozen banana slices into a food processor. Add all other ingredients and turn on your processor. That’s it!

Note: You may need to stop the processor a few times and poke at it with a spatula just to be sure you got all the bananas blended. There are always a few rascals in there that like to hide.

Also, this is NOT something you can put back in the freezer after making. This is strictly a make and serve dish. Freezing the finished ice cream turns it into something pretty yucky. So make it and eat it!

Alternative: If you prefer, you can just do the bananas and milk with a splash of vanilla extract. It’s very similar to vanilla ice cream, and you don’t have to add any additional sweeteners like you do when you add cocoa powder.

And just in case you’re on the fence with this one, here’s that photo again to get you salivating. Did I mention there is zero fat?

Clean Eating Chocolate Banana Ice Cream Recipe

Munchkin Helpers:

If you have little ones, here’s how they can help (With close supervision, of course).

Let your kids empty everything into the food processor. They love to watch it mix!

Nutritional Content
1 serving = 1/2 cup

Calories: 82
Total Fat: 0 gm
Saturated Fats: 0 gm
Trans Fats: 0 gm
Cholesterol: 1 gm
Sodium: 18 mg
Carbohydrates: 20 gm
Dietary fiber: 2 gm
Sugars: 13 gm
Protein: 2 gm
Estimated Glycemic Load: 9

Nutritional Information estimated at Nutritiondata.com. Data may not be accurate.

Caution: Any time a child is in the kitchen, they will require close supervision. Munchkin Helpers suggestions should be applied with common sense to your own child, taking their own capabilities into account. Do not assume that because it says here that your child can do something, that they can, in fact do it. Please use common sense when in the kitchen with your child(ren).

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  • Angie

    Okay…just looking at this makes me hungry right now! I have to go grocery shopping tonight or tomorrow night, so I am getting the bananas and doing this!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Yeah! Let me know how you like it.

    And just an FYI, I have another version coming up in a few days. So pick up a can of light coconut milk too. You’ll love it!

  • http://www.kandrphotography.com Kerry

    My hubby and I made this last night – and it was SOOOO good. Thank you :)

    Also – we used a blender – and it worked fine…and my bananas were whole not sliced. Took a bit of work to get it smooth – but it was worth it!!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Hi Kerry,

    That’s great! I’m thrilled you liked it! I don’t have a blender at the moment, so I’m glad you gave me some feedback there.
    It does make it a bit easier if they are sliced though.

    Thanks for trying one of my recipes!
    Tiffany

  • http://www.bakingandboys.com Katrina

    I just blogged about this a couple weeks ago, too. We LOVE it. But ours was plain, now I can’t wait to try it with chocolate!

  • http://www.bakingandboys.com Katrina

    Oh, and try it with peanut butter sometime, too! MM!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Hey Katrina!

    Wait till you see the next recipe!

  • Leigh

    This was really good. My 6 year old loved it and it was something he could make from start to finish with a little guidance. The only thing that went wrong was that I did not cut the bananas up before freezing and the food processor flopped all over the place and sprayed us with milk out the top, LOL. Totally my fault, but it was worth the laugh. I’ll try the coconut tonight.

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Leigh!

    That sounds like a hoot! Definitely important to slice them!

    Also, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. You won the Beach Body Contest! Please contact me for your prize!

    Tiffany

  • http://www.dobox.com/ Bruce

    My hubby and I made this last night – and it was SOOOO good. Thank you :)

    Also – we used a blender – and it worked fine…and my bananas were whole not sliced. Took a bit of work to get it smooth – but it was worth it!!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Hi Bruce,

    I guess I’m lazy that way. I don’t like to do any extra “work” in the kitchen. That’s why I slice them. Either way, it’s a really yummy treat. So happy you liked it!

  • Millason

    This is amazing, but I tweaked it a little bit to make it even better. I bought some Jay Robb chocolate protein powder a while back because it’s sweetened with Stevia and doesn’t have a lot of nasty chemicals. Unfortunately, the stevia made it too sweet for me! So I followed your ice cream directions minus the honey plus 1/2 scoop of the protein powder. It was perfect! 10 extra grams of protein, and the coco powder made it less sweet and SUPER chocolately (which is how I like my ice cream!)

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Fantastic Millason! Great idea! I love Jay Robb products. Especially their protein bars! Yum!

  • Angela

    just cut my bananas to make thie either tonight or tomorrow depending when they freeze! Honey or agave is better? I have both. I have been slipping because of sweet cravings so I am really trying to search some of the desert type recipes on here for those cravings! It looks yummy:)

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Angela,

    You can use either honey or agave. Doesn’t matter. Just know that if you use honey, it will have a slight honey flavor to it. It will also increase the glycemic index. But either one will work just fine.

    Let me know how you like it!

  • Angela

    yes very delicious…My girls and me loved it:) My so does not like bananas so he wouldn’t try it. We will be making this again!

  • Melissa

    I absolutely love this recipe….just made some again tonight, and it totally hit the spot for both the chocolate and ice-cream cravings. My kids loved it too, which is an added bonus!

    I love the idea of adding protein powder….although if this gets too healthy, I might start eating it for breakfast!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Melissa – LOL!!! Ya, the thought has crossed my mind on multiple occasions.

  • Steph

    i made something similar to this, although i wasn’t too fussed about running it in the blender (don’t have a food processor). what i needed was a frozen banana + 20g peanut butter + 45g of light cottage cheese. it was so decadent! frozen bananas are heaps concentrated than unfrozen ones that i don’t need to add any sweetener at all. (although they were pretty ripe when i froze them. hehe!)

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Steph – Sounds good! I’ll have to try it that way. Thanks

  • Dani

    Hi Tiffany, it’s late so I am sorry if I have missed the recipe but is there a coconut ice cream recipe you have that excludes bananas? Husband and one child out of 3 don’t like bananas WTH? Otherwise I am on a mission to find a way to make this dessert as clean as possible. Thanks for your website, you’re such an inspiration xo D

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Hi Dani,

    This ice cream is made out of bananas. It doesn’t work any other way. I have a strawberry smoothie that can sometimes substitute as ice cream. It’s under the craving busters category.

    I’m currently working on a “banana-free” ice cream recipe. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

    Good luck!

  • Linda

    I just tried this recipe for the first time, and I’m eating it now. Oh, yum! It’s got exactly the texture and consistency of soft serve ice cream. I can’t wait to experiment with other flavors! (By the way, I used your clean coffee creamer instead of the milk. Very rich and good!)

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Linda – Fabulous!!! I always get so excited when I get people to love the clean version of something. Yay!

  • trude wofford

    when I bring home bananas once they start to get a little too ripe ( not yucky or anything) I slice them and freeze for fruit/protein smoothies, thanks to you Tiffany, now I have another wonderful way to not only save money but to have a special treat, Thank you so much

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Trude – You’re welcome! This is one of my little guy’s favorites, and I always feel okay about giving it to him. So happy you enjoyed it!

  • Sheri

    I made this today it was so good. I garnished it with pieces of a mocha protein bar, it was great!!!!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Sheri – Oooh! What a great topping idea!

  • http://practicalpraise.blogspot.com Sarah

    This was delicious! Just curious…how did you figure out that it would stay thick and cold?? We will definately be making this one again!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Sarah – Well, it won’t stay that way for long. Like anything, it melts. Only with this, it can’t be stored in the freezer. It turns yucky. I’m not sure what you mean when you ask how I knew. The bananas are frozen, so like anything frozen, they would have to stay that way for a little while at least. Sorry, not sure if I’m understanding the question. But I’m so happy you enjoyed it!

  • Marny

    I just made this and all I can say is YUMMY!!!! I have been craving frozen yogurt for a while and this really helped to hit the spot! Unfortunately, I had frozen all 4 bananas in one container so I had to spend a while breaking it all down. Since it makes such a large portion, I’m going to freeze baggies with 1 banana sliced in them so I can make single serving portions whenever I want!
    I’m just starting to transition our home to a clean eating one, so I can’t wait to try more of your recipes out!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Marny – What a great idea! I’ll have to try that myself! I’m so used to cooking for an army around here, it never dawned on me to separate stuff in baggies! Thanks for the idea!

  • Jeanne

    Hi ,

    I made this recipe last night for the first time and it was delicious.

    Can’t wait to have this again.

    Thanks for the recipe Tiffiny.

    Jeanne

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Jeanne – I’m happy you enjoyed it!

  • Bridget

    I made this using my small magic bullet cup & using only 1 frozen sliced banana & 1/4 other ingredients. I eat it right out of the cup. Soooooo good that I now keep at least 1 or 2 frozen bananas on hand so I can whip up “icecream” when I get the urge!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Bridget – Good for you! My freezer is never without a large container of frozen bananas! :)

  • Court

    I have been working on breaking my sugar addiction for the past week, and was really craving something sweet tonight, so I made this, minus the agave/honey, and it was still absolutely amazing, I didn’t miss the agave, and it crushed that craving! Thanks for the awesome recipe Tiffany!

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Court – Fabulous!!! I’m so happy it helped!

  • Kay

    Just thought I would add a tip about frozen bananas. I found that if I haven’t taken the time to slice them ahead of time, they are very easy to slice once they’ve been frozen through and it seems to have the same result. Also, for those who might not have cocoa or clean cocoa on hand, substituting unsweetened chocolate almond milk for the milk and cocoa does the trick just fine. @Bridget @Marny – I like the one portion idea-. Because when you have the ice cream urge it’s good to have it all on hand! Thanks

  • http://www.thegraciouspantry.com The Gracious Pantry

    Kay – Wonderful! Thanks for the tips!

  • Anonymous

    Michele – LOL! Glad you like it!!! :)

  • Michele Green

    OMG!!! This totally ROCKS!!! Just got done making it and eating it … yum!!!

  • Mello

    This is totally my go to when I’m craving chocolate ice cream…the texture of the frozen bananas is just like ice cream and you can’t even tell its frozen bananas even my 5 year old gobbled it right up!!!

  • Anonymous

    Mello – That’s awesome!!! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it! It’s one of Mini Chef’s favorites too.

  • Anonymous

    Jennifer – Welcome! I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog!

  • Amy

    just found your blog and just now starting a clean lifestyle…so excited, because ice cream has been a must in my house! So excited to try all of your ice creams. This one is the first for my son’s birthday tonight :)

  • Anonymous

    Amy – Awww, happy birthday to your son! I hope you all enjoy the ice cream. :)

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