"Ice Cream"

The reason I have called this post "Ice Cream" using quotation marks is because, technically speaking, it isn't real ice cream that we made tonight.

It is ice cream with just one ingredient - bananas.

I cannot take credit for this fabulous idea though.  I'm not sure where it started but I have seen it in several places around the internet like Pinterest for one.  It is also featured in one of the latest issues of the Australian Healthy Food Guide - the only magazine I buy religiously every month.  Full of great tips as well as recipes.  I highly recommend it!  No they aren't paying me to say that ;)

I digress - so yes, banana 'ice cream'.

Firstly you chop the bananas and freeze them.  It is best to use bananas that are not green but also not old and bruised or black.  Those bananas are better off in your banana bread or cake where you want soft ones to mush.

When they are frozen you tip them into the food processor.  Now I encountered a problem here trying to tip them of my plastic container.  They were quite frozen to the sides so I got in there with a knife (I didn't have a hammer) to loosen them and oops - broke my container.  They also came out (eventually with some coaxing - "Who's a pretty banana then hmmm?:") in one big container-shaped blob so I just chopped into it a bit to break it up.

Once in the food processor you just turn it on and watch the magic happen!  If you like you can say 'Abracadabra' a few times but it will still work without doing this.  You will need to stop it a few times to scrape down the sides.  It takes a couple of minutes and at first it doesn't look like it is going to work and get all soft and ice creamy but stick with it and you won't be sorry.

Now I'm going to be honest with you here.  My husband and I loved it!  Tasted great and much lower in calories than full fat diary ice cream.

The kids, however, were not really sold on it.

BUT...

Next time I make it (and I will be!) I am going to add some chocolate chips and a tiny bit of condensed milk for them.  There are also endless other options for jazzing it up - strawberries, mangoes or other fruits.  Ooh what about drizzling some caramel sauce on it?  Of course adding extras means it won't be quite as healthy but we all deserve a treat sometimes (you know - like for getting through another day of the school holidays without duct-taping the kids to the clothesline etc).  

I can see peanut butter/chocolate flavour in my future... but it really is lovely just as it is and I can't wait to make it again!