Delicious Dessert without the "Doh!"

A friend of mine from my women's organization is an accomplished gluten-free/food allergen-free cook and recipe writer.  She has a great website and blog with her really fabulous recipes, including things like crispy kale and gluten-free/dairy-free apple pecan torte.

She and I were talking at my baby shower last month about foods and how certain foods can promote inflammation in the body or cause some people to react badly when exposed. I had told her that as much as I love to the taste of wheat and dairy products, they really do a number on my system.  My people (the indigenous Mexican side) were not really meant to eat Old World foods like dairy and wheat.  We're more the corn/maize, quinoa, tropical fruits and veggies, legumes, and fish eaters.

One thing that has concerned me is how to feed Ben in a way that allows him to enjoy treats but without the excesses of refined sugar, wheat, and dairy that are in those treats (and makes them so yummy!)

I told my friend that I absolutely LOVE ice cream. So much so that I really have a hard time just having a little bit at a time.  However, the dairy doesn't settle well with my system and having diabetes doesn't make it the most friendly food to my endocrine system.

That's when she introduced me to Frozen Banana Soft-Serve.  It sounded intriguing! I love bananas and frozen things and anything that felt like ice cream was probably going to be a success.  I decided to give it a try.

It was fabulous! Ben loved it! The texture and consistency of the bananas is JUST like soft serve from Dairy Queen or a fro-yo shop. The flavor is definitely banana but with the right amount of a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder), it takes on a great chocolaty bittersweet quality.  Next time you're in the mood for some ice cream but want to try a substitute that is full of fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and low in refined sugar and fat, give this recipe a run.

Delicious Frozen Chocolate Banana "Soft Serve"
3-4 medium frozen bananas (especially delicious with those too-black-to-eat-throw-'em-in-the-freezer bananas)
1-2 tsps unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
1-2 T plain, vanilla, chocolate soy milk (or rice, almond, coconut, hemp milk. Whatever you choose.)

Directions:

1. Using a paring knife, peel the bananas and cut into chunks.  Place in food processor.
2. Pulse frozen bananas until finely ground.  Slowly add 1-2 T of "milk" and continue to pulse until almost smooth.
3. Add cocoa and pulse until incorporated.
4. Serve immediately and enjoy!