If there is one thing that Chase and Emerson always have in stock, it’s bananas. In fact, it seems that on many occasions, the dessert sections have been invaded by banana-flavored treats— banana cupcakes, banana muffins, banana pudding, banana cake—and who could blame them? What else are they supposed to do with all of those bananas? Fortunately, it turns out that there is another treat that can be made with bananas— and I mean solely out of bananas—ice cream! If you are interested in either giving this healthy ice cream alternative a try, expanding your culinary skill set, or helping the dining staff with their banana overload, then the following may prove to be of great use to you, especially when the weather outside starts to warm up this semester.
The first thing to do is to acquire three to five ripe, medium-sized bananas, a spoon or scraper and a blender; getting a blender may be the hardest part of the process. Next, peel the bananas and cut them into thin slices for ease of blending later. Place the slices into some sort of container; laying them flat and leaving a bit of space between each slice to avoid the possibility of them freezing into a giant blob. Freeze the slices in the fridge for at least two hours; do not freeze the bananas overnight. After you take the bananas out of the fridge, place a good portion of the slices into the blender and blend them. The blender may have a hard time at first, so turn it off every few seconds and scrape any banana that may have gotten caught away from or in the blades. Place more slices into the blender and continue this process. The previously-blended banana should help the new slices blend more easily. Eventually all of the slices will blend into the consistency of creamy ice cream and voila, you have yourself a healthy dessert! It really is that easy.
When embarking on this culinary adventure, time is of the essence; avoid waiting too long after taking the slices out of the freezer or the ice cream may be too mushy when you are finally done. It is also suggested that you avoid over blending— it could easily turn into homemade baby food if you are not careful. Lastly, it is worth noting that though one of the benefits of this ice cream is health, there are many ways to spice this desert up. Some tasty additions, healthy or otherwise, include honey, peanut butter, granola, sprinkles, chocolate and other fruits. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find what you like best. If you put in a little work, you can have a creamy refreshing dessert to enjoy throughout the semester, and even throughout the summer, just make sure to snag some bananas next time you are on your way out of the dining hall.