Instant Chocolate, Banana, Raspberry Ice Cream

Do you believe in magic? Well, you should. Because here’s some proof. Instant ice cream, which is not only quick to make, its healthy- the only ingredients that go in here are bananas, raspberries, cocoa powder, yogurt and maybe a little honey. If you read the back of a store-bought ice cream container, (almost) all of the words are foreign. Like, have you ever heard of the word, “monoglyceride”? I haven’t. Here’s a tip- if you can read the words on the back of a container, you know you’re not poisoning yourself.

Store bought ice-cream is definitely convenient, but in terms of taste, homemade ice cream wins. Here’s the problem: making ice cream at home is, in no way, a fast process- there’s SO much waiting, and stirring, and churning involved. Of course, the end result is pure goodness- sweet and smooth- almost palate-cleansing. I think one of the attractions of ice cream is the texture, and if that’s what you’re looking for, this recipe comes pretty close to churned ice cream. Of course, the flavor is different- after all, this is a low-cholesterol (churned ice cream is made with egg yolks), sugar free, totally healthy recipe. You’ll taste exactly what its made of.

Here’s the magical part of it- when frozen bananas are pureed, they transform into a soft, chilly, crystal-free mixture that tastes almost too good to be true. This is what makes the ice cream smooth. Bananas have a subtle yet sweet flavor. Raspberries have more of a bold, slightly tart flavor- which contrasts the bananas nicely. The cocoa adds a rich, bitter flavor, and finally yogurt in this recipe kind of binds everything together and adds a creamy touch. I’ve made so many recipes with bananas and raspberries because distinctive flavors go so well together. Combined, the product is quite decadent in taste, but actually, there’s nothing in here that’s bad for you.

It should actually be called frozen yogurt. But ice cream sounds so much more decadent, which is exactly what this recipe is.

You can serve it straight out of the blender: Soft-serve. If you’re after that perfect scoop; however, I suggest spooning the mixture into an airtight container and freezing if for a couple hours- make sure to stir it every now and then to prevent ice crystals from forming.

Other than that, enjoy the combination of bananas, raspberries and chocolate in a healthy yet sinful ice cream that you can eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.