by Texas Homesteader ~
When it’s hot outside I make a cheap, healthy, gluten-free frozen sweet treat. It’s a healthier version of ice cream using frozen bananas & berries.
(Note: Some links in this post will take you to other related articles for further information. But links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)
Healthier Version Of Ice Cream
It’s hot, hot HOT out there, y’all! Here in NE Texas it seems it went from winter to summer with nary a mild spring day between!
So I’m focusing these days on serving cooler foods and cold desserts. But I wanna keep it healthy too.
RancherMan LOVES ice cream, especially when it’s this hot outside. But it’s just not healthy to indulge in such a high-fat treat too often.
So I started making a cold dessert ‘ice cream’ using frozen bananas for the sweetness and frozen berries for an extra punch of flavor.
Choosing Healthier Cold Sweet Treats
I’ve written before about making a mock fat-free ice cream using frozen bananas and pudding mix.
It’s healthier than actual ice cream. And the pudding makes this ice cream more creamy and less icy.
But I was looking for something even a little healthier.
Healthier Frozen Treats Using Bananas & Berries
Now I’m using only bananas and berries for an even healthier sweet treat.
And making this healthier sweet frozen treat using frozen bananas and berries literally takes only minutes. I literally just loosely chop the fruit & plunk everything into my Ninja blender at one time. Done & done!
That’s important y’all – I don’t want to spend time in the kitchen.
A cold, sweet treat that’s healthy & cheap plus fast & easy to prepare? Yes please!
Eliminating Waste By Buying Fruit CHEAP!
This healthier ice cream is super cheap. When our local grocery store begs customers to buy those over-ripe bananas by offering them for almost nothing, I snatch them up by the bunches.
I do the same thing with other various quick-sale fruits & berries. It seems this ripe fruit is even more sweet than its less-ripe counterpart.
Plus I’m helping eliminate food waste by snatching up food that the store may have had to throw away soon. AND I’m doing it for less money! #winning
When I get them home I freeze the fruit & peel the bananas and seal them in freezer bags. Then I toss everything in the freezer.
Making Healthier ‘Ice Cream’ From Bananas & Berries
Here’s how I make my healthy frozen treat:
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Three frozen bananas,
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1 cup frozen strawberries,
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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2 tablespoons of honey from our own apiary
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Then I bring out my trusty *Ninja Blender.
Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE that thing??!! This Ninja rocks, y’all!
I try to share all the items we use & love in our Homesteading Tools tab above – feel free to check out our faves!
How Do You Blend Frozen Fruit To Absolute Smoothness?
Blending frozen fruit has never been easier, y’all!
I chopped the bananas & tossed them into my Ninja blender.
Then I chopped several frozen strawberries – about a heaping cup’s worth. You can add as much as you like though.
I added the chopped strawberries to the Ninja. And I also tossed in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a couple of tablespoons of honey because RancherMan likes his desserts sweet.
Then I give it all a quick whir until it was all blended together smoothly.
How Soon Can You Eat Your Frozen-Fruit Ice Cream?
This recipe makes a soft-set type of ice cream ready to eat right then, right there.
But if you want your sweet treat firmer you can toss it into the freezer for about an hour.
Flavor Options For Frozen Blended Fruit
If you have flavored liquid creamers it’s super fun to toss in a couple of tablespoons for a little extra sumpin’ but it’s totally not necessary.
In the past I’ve added French Vanilla or Hazelnut and RancherMan really seemed to like it.
But it’s delicious one way or the other. And quick to prepare too. Here’s the recipe:
Did you make this frozen sweet treat? Please rate the recipe in your comment below!
Healthy Banana & Berry 'Ice Cream'
When it's hot outside it's refreshing to eat ice cream. But it's not healthy to eat it every day. How about this sweet treat - frozen bananas and berries blended into smoothy ice-creaminess. #TexasHomesteader
Ingredients
- 3 Frozen Bananas, chopped
- 1 heaping cup Frozen Strawberries, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Honey (optional for added sweetness)
- 2 Tablespoons French Vanilla or Hazelnut Flavored Liquid Creamer (optional)
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Can be enjoyed immediately as soft-serve consistency, or placed in freezer for 1 hour for a firmer treat.
~TxH~
Other Easy Desserts
Cakes, Pies, Cobblers
- Depression-Era CRAZY CAKE – No Butter, Eggs or Milk
- Homemade Peach Cobbler
- Easy Instant Pot Cheesecake
- Mason-Jar Cheesecakes
- Homemade 3-Ingredient Graham Cracker Crust
- Apple Crumble QUICK With Pie Filling
- Strawberry Shortcake Dessert
- No-Bake Lemon Icebox Pie
- Fresh Pear Cake
- Easy Cookies-n-Cream Ice Cream Cake
Muffins, Breads
- Chunky Apple Cinnamon Muffins Or Bread Loaf
- Cantaloupe Bread w/Pecan Praline Glaze
- Easy Blueberry Muffins
- Fast Dessert: Spiced Rum Fried Apples
- Pumpkin Bread (with Cake-Mix Shortcut)
- Healthier Banana Bread Recipe
- Rich, Chocolaty Homemade Brownies
- Healthier Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies
Cookies
- Cake-Mix Cookies – Only 3 Ingredients!
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Double Chocolate Banana Chunk Cookies
- Light & Airy Cotton Candy Meringue Cookies
Puddings
- Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe
- Banana Pudding – A Hug From The South
- (make your own homemade Vanilla Wafers too!)
- Making Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
Ice Cream & Other Desserts
- Easy Homemade Peach Ice Cream
- Healthier ‘Ice Cream’ Using Bananas & Fruit
- Cherry-Pie Tortilla Rolls
- Triple Chocolate Truffles
Dessert Toppings
- No-Cook Chocolate Frosting
- Stir-n-Pour Drizzle Chocolate
- Quick Homemade Whipped Cream
- Easy Honey Glaze
- Homemade Whipped Cream (Sweetened With Honey)
- Cherry Pie Filling From Frozen Cherries
- Peach Pie Filling From Canned Peaches
See All Recipe Posts
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I have to try this.
We love it, Joe. And it’s healthy too! ~TxH~
I have pureed fruit (in my ancient/non ninja blender) then poured it onto a baking pan to freeze and later just scraped if off with a spatula and it was kind of like sorbet. I have also used it as an addition to an apple or other fruit pie.
I was thinking about using it as an addition to apple or fruit pie too Candace – just wondering what flavor wouldln’t clash with the pie. (I typically enjoy vanilla ice cream with pies or cobblers) Thoughts?? ~TxH~
I own a champion juicer and it has, what they call a homogenizer. I freeze fruit and run it through that. It makes the fruit nice and creamy.
Now THAT would streamline a cold dessert, Nancy! ~TxH~