Banana Ice Cream Recipe: Healthy, Delicious and Free of Dairy & Refined Sugar!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

If you’re trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight or just follow a clean diet that enhances your health and well-being, the ice creams sold in supermarkets or at those cute little ice cream shops will leave you screaming for sure! Why?

Because they are loaded with refined sugar, unhealthy fat and a laundry list of processed ingredients you can barely pronounce.

And what about those of us who are lactose intolerant or vegan? We couldn’t eat those ice creams even if we wanted to.

So what to do?

Never fear, your Fit Life Ninja is here with an ice cream recipe that’s totally natural, amazingly delicious, dairy free and good for your health!

Better yet, it’s super easy to make and the ingredients consist of items you’ll want to have in your kitchen anyway. But wait, there’s more…

This recipe is an awesome way to use up overly ripe bananas that you may otherwise throw away. SCORE!

IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU START MAKING YOUR DELICIOUS BANANA ICE CREAM:

Bananas, like all fruits, get broken down very quickly by your digestive system. That’s why it’s very important to always eat fruit (including this ice cream) on an empty stomach.

Otherwise, the digested fruit will sit on top of the other food that’s waiting in your gut to be digested, which can result in painful gas, bloating and cramps because it can’t move through your system quickly enough.

THE BASE RECIPE

Base Ingredients

  • 2 very ripe bananas, sliced & frozen
  • 1/4 cup of coconut milk (like this)
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (like this)
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt (like this)

NOTE: The sweetness of the ice cream is provided solely by the bananas. That’s why they need to be very ripe for this recipe. 

Directions

  1. Let the frozen bananas thaw slightly, because they won’t blend well if they are as hard as a rock.
  2. Once the bananas have softened a bit, blend all the ingredients together in a food processor or high-speed blender until they are smooth and creamy. (Check out the Kitchen / Meal Prep Tools section of my shop to see the blender and food processors I recommend.)
  3. Pour the ice cream batter into a freezer-friendly dish and cover it. (I recommend using glass snapware like this.)
  4. Place the dish in the freezer until it freezes and enjoy. Or, you can dig in right away!

NOTE: You can also refrigerate this delicious mixture and eat it like pudding / mousse instead of freezing it for ice cream. It will keep in the fridge for around 5 days. 

By using just the base ingredients, your banana ice cream will taste like vanilla. You can leave it at that, or have some fun with the flavor variations below.

FLAVOR VARIATIONS

You can easily turn your banana ice cream into different flavors by adding one or more of the following items to the base ingredients:

  • For a fruity flavor: Add a cup of frozen organic berries (strawberries, blueberries or raspberries) or cherries.
  • For chocolate ice cream: Add 3 tablespoons of raw cacao powder (like this).
  • For a healthy chocolate chip experience: Add 1-2 tablespoons of raw cacao nibs (like this). I love making cherry chocolate chip ice cream by adding a combo of frozen cherries and cacao nibs!
  • For a minty flare: Add pure peppermint extract (like this) or use fresh mint leaves. If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, adding mint and cacao nibs to the base ingredients will blow your mind!
  • For a healthful crunch and texture: Add 1-2 tablespoons of raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and/or unsweetened coconut flakes. (NOTE: Stir these items in with the base ingredients after the ice cream is already blended and smooth. If you blend nuts, seeds or coconut flakes on high speed, they will lose their crunch / texture.)
  • For a rich green color with amazing detox action: Add a tablespoon of matcha green tea powder (like this).
  • For added sweetness: If you absolutely must add more sweetness to your ice cream beyond the natural sugar in the bananas, add just a little bit of pure maple syrup (like this). A little goes a long way!

The photo below shows some of my favorite banana ice cream flavor variations: cherry chocolate chip, strawberry and chocolate.

ICE CREAM THAT’S ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH…SAY WHAT?!

Yep, you heard me right. Not only is this ice cream awesomely delicious, it’s actually good for you! Here’s why:

  Bananas. This convenient fruit comes in its own little carrying pouch and is loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals that can lead to chronic disease.

Bananas are also good for digestive health. They are rich in pectin, which aids digestion and gently pushes toxins and heavy metals out of your body. They also act as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of good bacteria in your gut. And, they act as a natural antacid.

More good news…bananas are loaded with tryptophan, which is converted into the “feel good” neurotransmitter in your brain known as serotonin. This helps with mood issues like depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and PMS symptoms. They also help with cramps, swelling and regulating blood sugar.

And get this…

Fully ripe bananas with dark patches on their yellow skin produce a substance called TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor). TNF has the ability to combat abnormal cells in the body and improve immunity, which provides an anti-cancer quality. WOW!

  Coconut milk. This dairy-free milk is often considered a “miracle liquid” due to its ability to build up the body’s immune defenses and help prevent disease.

Coconut milk is loaded with nutrients and a beneficial fat called lauric acid, which is a medium-chain fatty acid that’s easily absorbed and used by the body for energy. Plus, it helps deliver nutrients to the cells in your body more quickly.

The fatty acids found in coconuts are primarily saturated fats, but don’t worry about them raising your cholesterol or causing heart damage like other food sources of saturated fats. They’ve been shown to do quite the opposite…

Coconut milk can help lower cholesterol levels, improve blood pressure and prevent heart attacks or a stroke. 

NOTE: AS with any healthy treat, it’s important to enjoy this ice cream in moderation. Just one or two scoops is a nice serving that will satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your healthy diet in-check.

Plus, staying on track with your portion control will make the ice cream last longer meaning you’ll have more days to enjoy it. YUM!

Did you know…

You can also make delicious ice cream that’s free of dairy and refined sugar using avocados instead of bananas! Click HERE for the simple and delicious recipe!

Cheers to enjoying healthy and delicious ice cream that will rock your tastebuds and benefit your health at the same time!

With love and gratitude,

Kandi

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