You scream, I scream, we all scream for … nice-cream? That’s right, this non-dairy, no added sugar dessert is made with nice-cream, which has become an incredibly popular dessert for healthy eaters. Nice-cream is simply frozen bananas blended with a little liquid to create an “ice-cream” like consistency.
The flavor combinations for banana ice cream are endless! Just like traditional ice cream you can add fruit, chocolate, nuts and so forth. Banana ice cream is easy to make and delicious even without added sugar! Plus, it’s packed with all the nutritional goodness of bananas.
When you think of banana health benefits you may think potassium; and for good reason! One banana has more than 400 milligrams of potassium! Bananas are naturally gluten-free, fat-free and cholesterol-free, and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. One banana has about 35 percent of your daily vitamin B6 needs as well as vitamin C, A and E, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, folate, carotene and choline. One medium banana has around 3 grams of fiber and fiber is key for feeling full and managing blood sugar levels.
How to Make Banana “Ice Cream”
Step One: Choose the right bananas, look for ripe bananas with little or no green left on the skin and a fair amount of brown spots starting to form. Ripe bananas are sweeter and easier to digest.
Step Two: Peel the bananas and chop them into thirds (or smaller).
Step Three: Freeze the bananas. You can freeze them on a cookie sheet, in a plastic storage bag or any freezer safe dish. Be sure to leave a little room between the banana pieces, otherwise you might end up with one frozen chunk of banana.
Step Four: Blend the frozen bananas into “nice-cream.” This can be done with a food processor, high-speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec and even some juicers. Another amazing kitchen tool for making perfectly smooth, creamy and delicious banana ice-cream is the Yonanas machine! This kitchen gadget is specifically designed to make Banana ice cream, so of course it works the best and is definitely the easiest.
Because Fall is here, today I’m sharing how to make a Pumpkin Banana Ice Cream Pie with a Gingersnap Crust!
This pie is very easy to make, but it does take some planning. You will need to start at least the night before you plan to serve this dessert and then finish it the next day at least 4 hours before enjoying. The great thing is that it can sit finished in the freezer for a couple of days!
Gingersnap Ice Cream Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- Pie Crust Ingredients:
- 3 cups gluten-free gingersnap cookies
- .25 cups coconut oil
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp water
- Pie Filling Ingredients:
- 5 medium, ripe bananas
- 1.25 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- .25 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- .5 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- The Day Before: Peel the bananas and slice into thirds, place in storage bag or container and store in the freezer. Leave some space around each banana so they don’t freeze together.
- Add the pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract to a small bowl and whisk together, spoon mix into ice cube tray and store in freezer.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the chia seeds and tablespoon of water to a small bowl and mix together, let sit, the chia seeds will start to gel and stick together.
- Place the gingersnap cookies into a food processor and pulse until a sand like consistency forms.
- Add the chia seed mixture and coconut oil to the food processor with the ground cookies and pulse until well mixed.
- Pour the crust mix into a springform pan and spread crust evenly, pressing down.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, let cool, cover and store for the next day.
- The Next Day: Remove frozen bananas and pumpkin puree cubes from freezer, let sit out for 7-9 minutes.
- Run frozen bananas and pumpkin puree cubes, alternating, through the Yonanas machine.
- Stir the filling in a large bowl and then spoon and smooth evenly over the cookie crust in the springform pan.
- Cover and store in the freezer for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible.
- Pull from freezer and remove outside frame of springform pan. Slide onto a serving platter and let sit for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
- *Inspired by Yonanas Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Nutrition
