Friday, April 29, 2011

Healthy Cookie Dough Ice Cream!


Happy Friday! 

Any exciting plans for the weekend? I am walking for MS tomorrow morning... followed by lunch with friends!

This weekend is already on to a great start! Partially because I had an amazing dessert today!! And I am so excited to share it with you!!

Healthy Cookie Dough Ice Cream!!

Can all of those words even be used in the same sentence?! Yes, you read right...

And it's healthy! Bananas make up the "ice cream" and cashews, oats, and maple syrup make up the "cookie dough." It's vegan, raw, and gluten free. :)

When I was a kid.. cookie dough ice cream was one of my favorite ice cream flavors! It reminds me of watching "The Secret World of Alex Mack" with my sister. We would eat ice cream almost every night... followed by saltine crackers. Pretty weird, right?

Actually, from what I've learned at Integrative Nutrition... we were naturally trying to create balance! It all makes sense years later: wet & sweet= craving for dry & salty.

Anyways.. on to the recipe!


Ice Cream:
Ingredients:
  • 3 frozen bananas (I freeze my bananas in halves... makes for easier blending.)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:

Puree bananas and vanilla in food processor. If "ice cream" isn't blending well, add about 1 tablespoon water or almond milk.

Cookie Dough:
 Ingredients:
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or agave)
  • 1 tablespoon water (or almond milk)
Directions:

Process cashews and oats in a food processor. Add in vanilla, maple syrup, and water (or almond milk.) Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large plate. Scoop cookie dough onto parchment paper and flatten out with a spoon (or your *clean* hand). Place a second sheet of parchment paper on top of the cookie dough, making sure cookie dough is pressed flat and even. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. (I left mine in overnight.) After it is frozen, cut into "cookie dough chunks"... whatever size you want! Makes about 2 servings.

*Tip: If you have extra "ice cream," freeze in an ice cube tray!

















Have a great weekend!

5 comments:

  1. Haha we totally ate ice cream nightly followed by a package of saltines! I've been wanting to make this exact recipe for a while... can't seem to keep bananas around long enough to freeze. Do you buy gluten free oats?

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  2. Alyssa~ Oats are naturally gluten free! The only reason they wouldn't be is if they are cross-contaminated during processing, storage, and transport. Since I haven't been diagnosed as being gluten-intolerant, I don't specifically buy "gluten free" labeled oats... but if I had Celiac Disease, you bet I would make sure that I specifically bought a certified pure variety.

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  3. this looks like a great recipe! bookmarking for future reference. :)

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  4. YUM! this looks SO good. i'm actually addicted to raw chocolate cookie dough right now...i think it tastes just like it.

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  5. mmm sounds delicious. do you taste any of the banana? I'm not a fan of banana at all.

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