Is there anything better than a cool and creamy nice cream on a super hot day!? I think not! And this healthy strawberry banana swirl nice cream is sure to hit the spot!
There’s no melting on a hot day that that ice cream can’t cure! I mean, is there anything better than digging your spoon in to a cool and creamy, refreshing ice cream? Especially one that you can make yourself in minutes and has no chance that someone licked the top of it while it was still in the grocery store? (But let’s not get started on that…)
Besides, aren’t you always looking for something to do with those bananas that are about to start rotting away sitting on your counter? This strawberry banana swirl ice cream is what those bananas dream of becoming! Just throw them in the freezer and you’ll be ready to make this creamy dreamy treat at a moment’s notice.
SO, HOW DO YOU MAKE STRAWBERRY BANANA SWIRL NICE CREAM?
You’ll need:
- Bananas
- Cashews
- Sticky sweetener
- Granulated sweetener
- Strawberries
- Lemon Juice
- Chia seeds or Plant-based protein powder
First thing you’ll want to do is, of course, get those bananas frozen. You can cut them up into small pieces and place them in a ziptop bag first, or just throw them in the freezer right in the peel! I find it a little difficult to peel a frozen banana so I prefer to cut them into smaller pieces, but at least you’ve got options!
You can also make the strawberry swirl ahead of time. Pop the strawberries, sweetener, and lemon juice in a sauce pan and let it simmer until some of the juices are released and the strawberries are soft. From here you’ll transfer the mixture into a food processor or blender. Depending on whether you’re using chia seeds or protein powder will determine what you do next. If you’re using chia seeds, go ahead and add those in to the mixture and then blend it all up until smooth! If you’re using protein powder, blend the mixture up first, allow it to cool to at least room temp (or pop it in the fridge to cool), and then stir in the protein powder. Lots of protein powders don’t dissolve well in warm liquids so if you add it to the warm mixture before blending, the swirl might get a gritty texture.
You can keep the prepared swirl in the fridge for up to a week before making the banana nice cream.
Once your bananas are frozen you’re ready for the next step! Get those naners in the blender, along with the rest of the nice cream ingredients and blend it up until thick, smooth, and creamy. You might have to stop the blender and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure you’re getting all the banana chunk s blended.
If you want to add in any extra mix ins like blueberries, other fruits, crumbled cookies, nuts, chocolate chips, or anything else this would be the time to do it!
Then spread it out evenly into a freezer safe container and swirl in the strawberry swirl using either a toothpick or a knife.
Now you get to choose your own adventure! You can either eat the strawberry banana swirl nice cream right away for a soft serve-like texture, or pop it in the freezer to harden a bit.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FREEZE?
2 hours would get it good and firm. If you leave it in the freezer longer it will harder to being pretty darn solid. No worries! Just leave it out at room temp. for a while to soften up. The whole tray takes about 30 min to get back to a soft texture, but if you portion out smaller amounts they’ll definitely defrost faster.
HOW LONG DOES THIS STRAWBERRY BANANA NICE CREAM LAST?
Well, depends on how quickly you eat it 😛 . But really, it’ll last in the freezer for a few months as long as you keep it sealed up nice and tight. Airtight containers are a great option but if you’re in a pinch freezer bags would work too!
WHAT SUBSTITUTIONS CAN BE MADE
The bananas are pretty important here, so I wouldn’t recommend any swaps for those.
Cashews give a great creamy and pretty natural flavor so nothing’s detracting from the strawberry and banana flavor, but you could definitely use any other nut like almonds or macadamia nuts.
The sticky sweetener is totally up to you! Any thicker consistency ones like honey or brown rice syrup will add a nice texture to the nice cream, but thinner ones like maple syrup will work too. Just be aware of the flavor and how it’s going to play with the rest of your ingredients, taste wise!
The strawberries can easily be swapped out for any other fruit you’d like, unlike the bananas. Again, just think about what you like and will go well with banana flavor. Blueberries, raspberries, cherries, mango, and peaches are all great options.
If you play around with the flavors, let me know! I’d love to see your creations!
Kaylie | Healthy Hacks
Vegan, Gluten Free, Easy, No Bake, Lower Sugar, Oil Free, Soy Free
10 minPrep Time
10 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 4 ripe medium bananas, frozen
- 1/3 cup cashews, soaked*
- ¼ cup sticky sweetener
- 2 Tbsp granulated sweetener of choice
- 1 ½ cups strawberries
- 2 Tbsp granulated sweetener of choice
- Splash lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds or plant-based protein powder
Instructions
- For the swirl, place the strawberries, sweetener, and lemon juice in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally until the strawberries are soft and the juices are released.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender
- If using chia seeds, add the chia seeds in to the mixture and blend until smooth.
- If using protein powder, cool the strawberry mixture first, then add the powder and blend until smooth.
- Place mixture in the fridge to thicken up.
- For the nice cream, blend the bananas, cashews, and sweeteners in a blender until smooth.
- Stir in any extra mix-ins you’d like at this time (like blueberries for a red, white, and blue feel!)
- Transfer the mixture into a freezer safe container.
- Swirl in the thickened strawberry sauce with a toothpick or knife.
- Serve right away for a soft serve texture or place in the freezer for a few hours for a firmer texture.
Notes
The cashews blend easiest if they’re soaked in water in the fridge overnight so they soften, but if you’re in a time crunch you can soak them in very warm water for about 10-20 min.
You might also like:
Healthy Blueberry Banana Bread
High Protein Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cups
