Craving a creamy, decadent ice cream without the dairy, sugar, or guilt? Meet your new favorite dessert: one-ingredient banana ‘nice cream’! Using a special attachment on your juicer, you can transform frozen bananas into a silky-smooth soft serve in minutes. It’s a brilliantly simple treat that’s naturally sweet, incredibly low in fat, and packed with potassium. Get ready to be amazed by the magic of a single frozen fruit!
Ingredients
• 4 large ripe bananas, peeled and frozen
Instructions
1. For the best texture, use very ripe bananas (with brown spots), peel them, and cut them into chunks before freezing solid on a parchment-lined tray.
2. Set up your masticating or twin-gear juicer with the blank plate or homogenizing attachment, which replaces the standard juicing screen.
3. For the thickest, firmest results, chill your juicer parts and serving bowl in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before you begin.
4. Gradually feed the frozen banana pieces into the juicer’s chute.
5. Watch as perfectly smooth, soft-serve style ice cream is dispensed into your chilled bowl.
6. Serve immediately for the best texture.
Nutritional Information
• (per 1 cup / 250 mL)
• Calories: 169
• Protein: 2 g
• Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrate: 43 g
• Potassium: 726 mg
• Calorie Breakdown: 4% protein, 4% fat, 92% carbohydrate
Pro Tips
• & Variations
• For the Food Processor Method, blend 2 cups / 500 mL of frozen banana chunks with up to 1 cup / 250 mL of non-dairy milk in a food processor until completely smooth.
• Create a Mixed Fruit Sorbet by processing 2 frozen bananas along with 2 cups / 500 mL of other frozen fruits like mango, strawberries, or blueberries.
• Make it Chocolate by adding 2 tsp / 10 mL of cocoa or carob powder for each banana, feeding it into the juicer along with the fruit pieces.
FAQ
Q: How can I add more protein to this banana nice cream
A: To boost the protein, you can add a tablespoon of your favorite plant-based protein powder, a spoonful of peanut or almond butter, or some hemp seeds. Feed them into the juicer along with the frozen banana pieces for a more nutritionally dense vegetarian treat.
Q: Is this recipe suitable for a whole-foods plant-based diet
A: Absolutely. This recipe is a perfect fit as it uses only one whole fruit ingredient—bananas—with no added sugar, oil, or dairy. It’s a simple, clean, and delicious plant-based dessert.
Q: What if I don’t have a juicer with a homogenizing attachment
A: No problem. As noted in the Pro Tips, you can achieve a similar creamy texture using a food processor. Simply blend your frozen banana chunks, adding a small splash of non-dairy milk as needed to help it blend until smooth.
Q: Can I store leftover vegetarian nice cream
A: This dessert is best served immediately for that perfect soft-serve texture. If you must store it, place it in an airtight container in the freezer. It will freeze solid, so you’ll need to let it thaw on the counter for 10-15 minutes before scooping.
