Easy to make "ice cream" substitute

  • Fear not ice cream lovers! Here is a delicious substitute you can make at home. All you need is a blender.

    The basic recipe I used:
    2 frozen bananas (freeze 24 hours)
    1 cup frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit)
    1/3 cup soy/almond/sunflower/etc milk
    1 tbsp vanilla extract (skip this if you use vanilla flavored milk)

    Put everything in a high speed blender and blend (pulse) until smooth and creamy. (You may have to periodically push fruit down with a spoon until it starts to cream)

    Serves 2



    The basis for this recipe is the bananas as they create the "cream" like consistency along with the 1/3rd cup milk (or milk-like product).

    You can add other things like flax seeds, 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and figs or dates for added sweetness. If you like bigger fruit pieces in your ice cream, try thawing out 1/4th cup fruit and pulse in at the end.


    If you try out this recipe, let me know how you like it. Or post your variations =)
  • I have made this before but with plain yogurt, not soy milk. Very yummy! Greek yogurt is a bit better because it makes it even more creamy and somewhat thick like soft-serve, sort of.

    I also have done a variation of banana ice cream with nutella and caramel drizzle on top. So good! You can use peanut butter too or any nut butter you like really.
  • I am wondering why there is no sugar or sugar substitute in in it. Did you miss an ingredient ?
  • You don't need sugar. The fruit has enough natural sweetness to compensate
  • Yep, I do this all the time with just bananas. Make sure they're ripe and peel before you freeze.
  • Ok I will buy some strawberries today, I have everything else. I freeze bananas all the time to use in smoothies.
  • I like to make sorbet with berries and some liquid (I don't measure, I just add about a quarter cup for two cups of berries. If the blender doesn't blend smoothly, I add a little more).

    For the liquid, I'll usually use diet Sprite or Crystal Light lemonade, but you can use other Crystal Light flavors, tea, plain water, almond milk, or skim milk (with the milks it's more like gelato).

    You may want to add a bit of sweetener if you use an unsweetened beverage or if the berries aren't very ripe.