Healthy banana "ice cream" aka my latest obsession

This simple concoction has become an addiction for me. For Bogdan and me, both, actually. Most nights we put the kids to bed (if Bogdan isn't working late) and blend up a batch, stick it in the freezer for 20 more minutes, and enjoy while catching up on our day (and maybe on the news and Jimmy Fallon as well). It's satisfying, chocolatey, naturally sweet, and so refreshing after a long day. I got the recipe from @wildelyraw on Instagram. It looked so amazingly delicious on her feed, I immediately added powdered peanut butter and raw cacao powder to my grocery list, and stocked up on bananas, of course. Hers was called a milkshake, because it does end up pretty runny after blending. I wanted more of an ice cream you can eat with your spoon, so we put ours back in the freezer for 20 minutes or so. And the trick is to use just enough coconut milk to be able to blend everything together, so it stays as solid as possible.

Recipe for two:

3 frozen sliced bananas
2 heaping tablespoons raw cacao
1 heaping tablespoon powdered peanut butter
about 1/2 cup coconut or almond milk

Blend everything together, separate into two bowls, and put in the freezer to harden up for about 20 minutes, or until you get a thick consistency. Top with your favorite toppings. We like pecans, almonds, walnuts, frozen berries, and chocolate chips.

I let my bananas ripen on the counter until they're getting brown spots, then peel and slice them into a glass container in layers of three bananas per layer, placed in between layers of parchment paper. Otherwise they stick together into one big mass, and you can't pry them apart. Also, this way they're premeasured so you don't overdose on bananas. The consistency is exactly like a quality milkshake, and yes, I'm picky about milkshakes and ice cream in general. Ice cream that doesn't even feel cold in your mouth just feels like you're eating whipping cream and sugar, but a good ice cream has an icy consistency to it that melts in your mouth. The frozen bananas in this version of "ice cream" have a smooth, creamy consistency, which is perfect for imitating the real thing. I honestly would eat this over ice cream any day, especially with nuts--heaven.

Give it a try and let me know how you like it!

xoxo,
Tanya

Raw chocolate coconut snowballs recipe

I've been trying out some healthy dessert recipes over the last several months, and I thought I'd share this one with you (from here). Just like the almond butter fudge I posted earlier, most raw recipes share the same ingredients--they're sweetened with maple syrup, there's no flour or dairy, they include unsweetened cocoa powder, and they always have coconut oil. I thought it was annoying how much coconut oil there was in the recipes I've tried, and the dessert turns out pretty greasy because of it. It seemed unnecessary, as if someone didn't test their recipe well. Then I read this very thorough article on coconut oil and now I'm a BELIEVER. It helps with so many diseases, digestion, it's anti-fungal and anti-microbial, and it is the best moisturizer for hair and skin. More coconut oil, please! I'm trying it on my hair next.

Here is a modified version of the recipe. I added more coconut because it didn't seem to be enough, and I thought there was too much cocoa powder, so I've adjusted the recipe for that. And please ignore the coconut I had on hand (the cheap, sweetened kind). I had it hanging out in my pantry and didn't want it to go to waste, but I would definitely use healthier coconut next time. I also put in both optional items because they're both so good for your body, how could I not?

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup maple syrup (or agave)
1/2-2/3 cup cocoa powder
dash vanilla
optional: 1/4 cup coconut oil
optional: 1/4 cup chia seeds

Dump everything in a bowl, mix it all together, roll into balls and freeze. No baking, no dirty cookie sheets or mixer, no waiting--instant gratification at its finest!

xoxo,
Tanya