pb & chocolate chip banana ice cream

to my fellow canadian friends i hope you're enjoying this holiday monday, and happy monday to the rest of you!

whether you're still up at the cottage hanging out lakeside, or back to work today i hope you can all take some reprieve from the gorgeous early summer weather with this easy, healthy & protein-rich ice cream. 

ice cream need not come from a carton {not that this girl doesn't love a little rice dream once in a while} and can easily be made at home even if you don't have an ice cream maker.  the magical banana plays a pivitol role here - once frozen they really are magical and once blended transform into a soft-serve ice cream-like consistency.  if you haven't tried banana soft serve yet, i urge you to try it!  it's amazing!  the only gadget hitch is that this really does require a food processor - so if you have one tucked away at the back of your pantry, it's time to dust it off.
{ps, sorry mom i know with your raw banana allergy this one is off limits to you...}
 

this is not quite the same as the chocolate-peanut butter ice cream obsession of days off from working at summer camp with this girl, but i'd argue it's just as amazing and then some! 

pb & chocolate chip banana ice cream
makes 1 huge or 2 small servings
2 frozen bananas {peeled & chopped prior to freezing}
2-3 tsp almond milk
2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 scoop vanilla sunwarrior protein powder {optional}
2 tbsp mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs {i used enjoy life brand chips}

place the bananas in your food processor and let it run until the bananas are smooth and creamy.  this usually takes several minutes in my kitchen aid and i stop to scrape down the sides frequently, adding the almond milk a little at a time.  {sometimes i need less milk, sometimes i need more, sometimes none at all - it all depends on the bananas.  and on my patience.}  once the bananas are smooth you've got yourself the basic banana soft serve!  at this point, add in the pb & sunwarrior powder for that super protein kick and blend again.  finally, pour everything into a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

voila!  if you like a soft-serve ice cream, dig in right away and nosh like no one is watching.  i actually popped the bowl back into the freezer {after a big spoonful of course!} for another hour and it firmed up to be scoop-able.
 

since i devoured the last of this yesterday i know i'll be making up another batch this afternoon when i come in from the garden.

also, thanks everyone for the great feedback on my lentil hummus post - glad to know i'm not alone in my undying hummus love!

submitted to wellness weekends