When I tried one-ingredient banana ice cream for the first time it totally blew my mind. I had only just started becoming more mindful around what I was eating and the idea that something so delicious and easy to make could still be so good for you was a bit of a revelation. It looked like ice cream, it had a similar texture to ice cream, and it kind of tasted like ice cream too - this was exciting news.
To make one-ingredient banana ice cream you simply take fresh bananas, peel them, slice them, freeze them, blend them, and voila! You have yourself a creamy delicious soft-serve, with an endless array of flavour opportunities to tempt and tantalise your taste buds. Add in a handful of mixed berries - banana berry ice cream. Add in a tablespoon of cacao powder - chocolate ice cream. Get all gourmet with a drizzle of maple syrup and a handful of walnuts - maple walnut ice cream. Yes, it does go beyond being one-ingredient at this point, but the addition of a few extra simple ingredients only adds to its deliciousness.
In this version I've opted for a raspberry flavoured variety. The bananas in the base are an excellent source of vitamin B6, which plays a beneficial role in decreasing homocysteine levels in the body (and this may help decrease the risk of heart disease). They're also a good source of potassium, which is an important mineral in controlling heart rate and blood pressure, as well as soluble dietary fibre which helps keep our bowels running along smoothly. The raspberries are jam-packed with antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, which help fight free-radical damage in the body, thus playing a role in aging and disease prevention, and the medjool dates are good sources of dietary fibre, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6, niacin, potassium and manganese. All-in-all this is one very healthy ice cream.
Raspberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
4 frozen bananas (peel, slice into coins and freeze overnight)
1 cup fresh/frozen raspberries
4 medjool dates, pitted
Method
1. Add the frozen bananas into a food processor and blend. You may need to scrap down the sides with a spatula. The banana will transition from looking crumbly before going smooth. Sometimes I'll add a little water/milk to speed up the process.
2. Once the banana begins to smooth out add in the raspberries and medjool dates and blend again until smooth.
3. Enjoy either straight away for a soft-serve consistency or pop into freezer for an ice cream consistency.
Serves 3.
