Frozen Banana Truffles

Directions:

Melt 1 c. chocolate chips (You can use dairy free ones if you’ve got a milk allergy) over low heat with 1/2 c. cream or coffee creamer. Slice 3 bananas into bite sized pieces and dip each one until coated with the melted chocolate. Place on wax paper. Sprinkle with any toppings you’d like. (Crushed oreos, almonds, coconut flakes, sprinkles, etc.) Allow to freeze until completely solid. (A few hours) When you bite into them the bananas will have the consistency of ice cream bites. YUM!

That’s the tagline on my twitter page and over in the sidebar here on this blog. And it makes me laugh when I read it. And a few people (those blessed souls that actually read the taglines on twitter pages and things like “about me”… bless their hearts) have remarked to me that it made them laugh as well. And it’s funny to me because it’s true (although I do really love yoga) I am an ice cream freak. If there were a 12 step program for ice cream addiction recovery, I’d have started over at least 4 times by now.

But my love affair witch ice cream has a tremulous past. You see, I was born with a very extreme intolerance to lactose. So extreme, in fact, that I couldn’t eat hot dogs (some have whey in them) or Starburst candies (sweetened condensed milk is an ingredient). Not a great situation for an ice cream lover like myself. Over the years I learned the best of the non-dairy variety (Tofutti Cuties) but even the best substitute didn’t stand up to the real thing. Luckily for me, I grew mostly out of my allergy through my teens and now only notice it if I go on a dairy binge. (Dairy binge? Who me? Never…)

And, luckily for my fellow timid-tummied dairy no goers, coconut milk has taken the stage as milk’s best ever substitute in ice cream. It’s so loved, that it’s even made the jump from specialty stores like Whole Foods to the ice cream aisle of your neighborhood Publix. How’s that for luck? But, you don’t have to pay $5 a pint (and let’s be honest here, a pint lasts maybe 3 days… or 1 afternoon if it’s a rough week) for this heavenly goodness. Nope. I’m going to show you how to make it yourself. It couldn’t be any easier and your options for tweaking and flavors are unlimited. Your stomach will thank me later…

Do you see the tiny little black vanilla dots? They are adorable, no?

Ingredients
2 fourteen ounce cans of organic coconut milk (use the full fat kind, trust me on this one)
3/4 cup of sugar (or 1 whole cup if you like it SWEET)
1 Madagascar vanilla bean (or vanilla extract if it’s all you’ve got)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla extract in small saucepan over very low heat. Whisk to combine. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp paring knife and scoop out the seeds. Add the seeds to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. When mixture is fully combined and sugar is dissolved. Chill 1 hour. Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacture instructions or pour into tupperware and place in freezer. Yields about 1 frozen quart. (Depending on how much you eat in the process.) Mine wasn’t quite a pint. ;)

*This recipe is naturally vegan

I looked up a few different recipes online and combined my favorite parts of them, removed all dairy, and then added a few touches of my own. I think it turned out fabulously and is an easy way to consume a bunch of cauliflower (which is a surprisingly versatile veggie, I learned). The cauliflower is soft and similar in consistency to baked potatoes and the creamy sauce is the perfect addition. Top it off with crispy bread crumbs and you’ve got a side dish so good it could easily take over as the star of dinner or a meal on its own. (And I don’t have kids, but I bet that this would be the perfect way to get your kids to eat their veggies!) Continue reading for the full recipe and step by step photo instructions.

Ingredients
1 pkg organic frozen cauliflower
3 tbs Earth Balance (vegan butter)
1/4 c flour
2 tsp salt
2 c soy milk
2 tbs spicy mustard
2 tbs onion powder
1 tsp cumin
4 slices vegan cheddar cheese
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 c. bread crumbs
paprika to garnish

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbs butter

2. Boil cauliflower in salted water until soft and tender

3. After the butter has melted, blend in flower and salt. Wisk until smooth over medium heat until bubbly. Gradually add the milk, stirring continually. Continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens and is compeltely smooth. (About 5 minutes.)

4. Now the fun part. Build the sauce. I wanted mine to have a bit of a bite so I chose to stir in spicy mustard, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. The measurements are also just guidelines. Taste it as you go and add more or less to your liking!

5. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a square baking dish. Drain the cauliflower and layer it on the bottom of the dish. Pour the sauce all over the cauliflower. Break each slice of vegan cheddar cheese in half and lay them across the top of the saucy cauliflower. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly all over the top. (You can add a bit extra if you like, they’re yummy.)

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown and the sauce is bubbly throughout. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with paprika and eat up!

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I happened to have two bananas on my counter and decided to at least give it a try. Lindsey had gone on and on about how amazing it was and I generally agree with her opinions of foods. (She is the first to admit if something tastes like crap, which I appreciate in a vegan food blogger.) Let me tell you, I was blown away by how good this was! And with an ingredient list composed of cocoa powder, frozen bananas, a dash of vanilla, and a spoonful of peanut butter, you really can’t go wrong health-wise. So… try it for yourself and see why I plan on eating chocolate soft serve for breakfast as often as I can! Continue reading to see the full recipe…

To try this amazing feat of healthy food engineering, get ready ahead of time by peeling and freezing a bunch of bananas. You’ll need 2 per serving.

Ingredients:

2 peeled, frozen bananas
t tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs peanut butter
2 drops pure vanilla extract
(drizzle of honey, if you aren’t vegan)

Method:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until the consistency of soft serve (about 3 minutes).
You may need to break up the frozen bananas to speed the process along.

Serve immediately. Garnish with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, etc. ;)

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