Maple and Oat Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

Happy spring, everybody!

This is what spring looks like in Mississippi:

These pictures also represent someone who had been completely irritated and annoyed for a solid week and is trying really hard to think peaceful and kind thoughts in her mind.

The struggle is real, folks.

I didn't think I would be so happy to see spring because I love winter so much, but, yes, I am happy spring is here. Spring has won me over. *Standing ovation by blogger for spring*

And since the days are getting warmer, I've got a great little recipe today that will cool you off,  Maple and Oat Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches.

BUT WAIT!

This recipe is pretty darn healthy. (And no doubt, when it is published, the healthy police people will stop by and leave a comment about how I messed up and what I did was not 'really' healthy, and blah, blah, blah.)

But I am still going with my thoughts that although this recipe may not be perfect, we really liked it, there are some healthy things in it, and I feel really good about.  So there.  Baby steps.

Here are my notes:

--You will absolutely need to line your pan with foil, to lift out the frozen layers.

--You could probably leave out the 5 teaspoons of maple syrup in the ice cream part if you want--the banana ice cream is sweet enough without it, but I just wanted a subtle maple flavor throughout.

--You could probably substitute with honey instead of maple syrup.

--I am proud of myself because I didn't use any sugar other that the maple syrup. *big cheesy grin*

--I used 5 bananas, but that could probably be adjusted depending on how thick you want your middle layer to be.

Maple and Oat Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches

Printable Recipe

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts

5 medium very ripe bananas, peeled and cut into small chunks and completely frozen

5 teaspoons maple syrup

1. Heat butter and 1/2 cup maple syrup in a small sauce pan, whisking until melted and smooth. Place the oats and walnuts in a large mixing bowl. Add the maple syrup mixture and mix to evenly coat.  
2. Line two 8 x 8 inch square pans with foil letting foil hang over sides, then lightly spray with cooking spray.  Divide the oat mixture between the two pans, pressing firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Freeze until very firm, about 3-4 hours in deep freeze.
3. Place the bananas in a food processor with 5 teaspoons maple syrup and process until smooth and creamy. 
4. Immediately spread the banana ice cream evenly over one frozen oat layer.  Carefully lift the other frozen oat layer out of the pan by using the foil, then peel the foil off and place on top of the ice cream, pressing down slightly.  Freeze until firm.  Remove from pan using the foil to lift it out, then cut into bars quickly.

Tip:  I peel my very ripe bananas and freeze them on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  When they are frozen they go into a ziplock bag to store in the freezer for smoothies or ice cream.  

Aaaaaaand...here is my grandson and his freckles.  Because I can.

Two Ingredient Dark Cocoa Banana Ice Cream

You guys.

I've been seeing one ingredient banana ice cream float all over the Internet for a couple of years now, but I always told myself that it probably tasted like baby food and no thank you please.

But one day I realized I had an overaccumulation of bananas in my freezer, so I thought I'd give this "ice cream" everyone was raving about a try.

Now listen and listen good, I am not even stretching the truth a little bit when I tell you that this is delicious.  This is my go-to dessert when I want to be all healthy and stuff.  The texture is very, very much like soft serve ice cream.  It's really hard to believe but it is.

AND THIS--->>>  To me, it does not overwhelmingly taste like bananas.

I love bananas, but I want it to taste more like ice cream and it does.  To me.  Others may disagree.

If you are a banana hater, this is probably not for you. But if you're not and you want something healthy, creamy, cold, and delicious, you should give it a try.  Read my notes below, but honestly, it's a cinch.

Just think, it's non-dairy and no added sugar.

My notes:

--I like to add dark cocoa powder to mine.  I am not a fan of dark chocolate, but I LOVE the dark cocoa powder.

--There are lots of recipes out there with different mix-ins like peanut butter, Nutella, honey, nuts, etc.  I wanted to keep mine fairly healthy and simple.

--Give the food processor a little time to whip it up good.  Several minutes depending on your machine.  Mine is just a mini one, so it takes a bit.

--Depending on how hard the bananas are frozen and how powerful the food processor is (mine is not very powerful), it is helpful to add a teaspoon or two of heavy cream, half and half or regular milk to process easier.  I guess this would make it 3 ingredient, but you don't have to.

--It can be placed in the freezer to firm up a bit, but I love it soft and creamy.

--Ripe bananas are best.  I peel my very ripe bananas and freeze them on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  When they are frozen they go into a ziplock bag to store in the freezer for smoothies or ice cream.  

Two Ingredient Dark Cocoa Banana Ice Cream

Printable Recipe

1 medium very ripe banana, peeled and cut into small chunks and completely frozen

1 heaping teaspoon dark cocoa powder

1. Place the banana in a food processor (a mini one works well) and process until almost smooth.  
2. Add cocoa powder and process until very smooth and creamy.  Eat immediately or place in freezer to firm up.

Hint: Depending on how hard the bananas are frozen and how powerful the food processor is (mine is not very powerful), it is helpful to add a teaspoon or two of heavy cream, half and half or regular milk to process easier.

Tip:  I peel my very ripe bananas and freeze them on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  When they are frozen they go into a ziplock bag to store in the freezer for smoothies or ice cream.  

Chocolate-Hazelnut Malteds

Happy Valentine's Day!

In case you woke up this morning with Dung Fever or a really bad splinter or even a raging case of out-of-control, over-forty, hormonal issues that make you want to lie in a fetal position on the couch and suck your thumb, I have a quick and easy recipe that you can throw together in a pinch to fill your chocolate quota for this glorious holiday.   You can even send your boo to the store to get the ingredients because they are pretty straight forward and he won't have to call you six times and ask which aisle the "kwi-no-uh" is on and just what the heck does that look like anyway?

 It does NOT get easier than Chocolate-Hazelnut Malteds, folks.

(Alright, *yes* it does if you eat Nutella directly from the jar with a spoon.  But, really, isn't your Valentine worth flipping a switch on a blender?  Yes, he/she/it is.)

These are totally yummy and quite romantic when sipped from one tall glass with two straws.  (But that may be kind of hard when your lying in a fetal position.  Just give him his own.)

Your welcome.

PS.  Be sure to check out this recipe and some more chocolaty goodness by me in this month's edition of eat. drink. Mississippi.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Malteds

Printable Recipe

1/2 to 1 cup whole milk (depending on how thick you want it)

2 1/2 cups chocolate ice cream

1/2 cup chocolate flavored malted milk powder

1/4 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread

Extra hazelnut spread for garnish

Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Place the milk in a blender.  Add the ice cream, malted milk powder, 1/4 cup hazelnut spread.  Blend until smooth.  Place a spoonful of hazelnut spread in the bottom of each of two tall glasses, then pour in the ice cream mixture.  Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle with extra hazelnut spread.  2 servings.

Hint:  Heat a tablespoon or two of hazelnut spread in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.  Stir until smooth.  This makes it easy to drizzle on top.  

Strawberries ‘n’ Coconut Cream Pops

The other day, my husband and I took our grandson strawberry picking at a friend's strawberry farm.

And I had a grand vision of what a delightful, educational experience it would be, but to be honest, my grandson showed his hiny something fierce.  He threw several fits.  He was a tad ungrateful.  He tossed perfectly good strawberries on the ground instead of putting them in the bucket like he was supposed to.  He cried when he got dirty.

No, he screamed when he got dirty.

Second before he hurled this perfectly good strawberry three rows over. 

It was just one of those days.  *Sigh*

And when he went to sleep on the way home, my soul jumped for joy and then I did several fist pumps.  But I did come home with strawberries.

So after we ate what we could fresh, I froze the rest.  And this week I experimented with frozen strawberry pops, and after a failure, this was a success.  Originally I had wanted a strawberries and cream swirled pop, which I did make, but they were just okay.  Nothing to write home about.  But then I spied the cream of coconut in the pantry and * LIGHTBULB.*

The taste is of these are heavenly and it was all I could do to not eat the mixture straight out of the blender with a spoon.  Which is an alternative serving idea.  It's simple, but simple is perfectly acceptable at my house.  Next time I would like to cover them with homemade chocolate magic shell and sprinkle with coconut.

And there will be a next time.

So while your doing all your doings this Memorial day weekend, throw a batch of these in the freezer, and in four hours you will be a hero to your family.

PS.  And speaking of heroes, let's try to make some time to reflect on the meaning of this holiday weekend.

 
Strawberries ‘n’ Coconut Cream Pops

Printable Recipe

1 (15-ounce) can cream of coconut

3 heaping cups frozen whole strawberries

Place the coconut cream in a blender, then add one cup strawberries.  Process until smooth, then add remaining strawberries and process again until smooth.  Place small, disposable plastic cups on a baking tray and pour the mixture into each one, filling 3/4 full.  Place a wooden Popsicle stick in the center of each. (Mixture will be thick enough so that stick stands straight up.)   Freeze until firm, at least four hours.  Can also use Popsicle molds.

Frozen Cookie Dough Wrapped Banana Pops

 

If I wasn't in such a rush today, I would tell you all about this little photo session I had with my grandson last week, and how trying that fifteen minutes was for both of us.

I would tell you  how he "fell down" in a pile of soot and ashes and dirt before I even snapped the first picture, and how deep in my heart, I feel like this may have been a cold and calculated move on his part, to throw the whole session into a downward spiral.  (Three year olds can be very shrewd and crafty, in case you didn't know.)

And I'd tell you how I had to chase him around the yard and beg him to look at the camera while he mocked me with his callous attitude and icy stare.

See his face?  He is scorning his grandmother.

And when he tossed my Nikon D700 to the ground after I set it down momentarily in his little rocking chair, I really started to question his actions.

I told him he better examine his three year old heart.

But all that is just hopping down a bunny trail and I am pressed for time.  And you're just here for the pops, right?  

So last week it was quinoa.  This week it's cookie dough on a stick.  

Because sometimes I am quinoa, and sometimes I am cookie dough a stick.

And it may be a little bit odd that one instagram photo could inspire a recipe, but it did.  One of my instagram friends posted a photo of cookie dough on a stick and my brain just wouldn't let it go, so I let it mull and this is what happened.

These are fun and good.  I think you will like them.  You may even love them.  I did.  Read the notes.

PS.  I had something happy happen to me.  You can read about it here.  Thank you Just a Pinch!:)

PPS.  Have a wonderful Easter.  And remember the reason for it.

My notes:

-I used two different kinds of cookie dough.  Chocolate chip cookie dough is just classic to me and what I think of when I think of raw cookie dough.  However, peanut butter and bananas and chocolate?  Also classic.  

-You could use your favorite raw cookie dough recipes for this, but these are what I came up with and they worked well.  The peanut butter dough made less than the chocolate chip dough.  I got 6 pops from the peanut butter, and 10 from the cookie dough.

-I like to freeze everything in my deep freeze during the assembly process, but I like to store them in my refrigerator freezer because I have the temperature set to where things that are supposed to be soft like ice cream, do not freeze rock hard.  There is nothing worse than rock hard ice cream.  The cookie dough and banana were on the soft side of frozen and it was quite an awesome experience.

-Mixing the milk chocolate chips with coconut oil will result in a thin, crackly layer of chocolate coating which is WONDERFUL, much like you would find on a Nestle ice cream bar in the store.  It will pretty much harden immediately after you dip it.  This is just basically homemade magic shell.  I found it best to just hold the banana over the bowl and spoon the chocolate over it, letting the excess drip off.

-Now, for the life of me, I cannot remember if I ran out of chocolate and had to melt some more to get through all of my bananas.  It seems like I did but I am just not sure.  So, just have some extra chocolate chips and coconut oil on stand by in case you do run out.  Just half the ingredients and that should get you through. 

-If sprinkling with peanuts, do it immediately after they are coated in chocolate, because, like I said, the chocolate hardens immediately.

-Molding the cookie dough around the frozen banana was not as difficult as I thought it would be.  In fact, it was pretty easy.  Just take your time and if the dough starts to build up on your hand, wash it and slightly moisten your hand.  You also might try spraying your hands with nonstick spray.

-Colorful sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, etc., could be used in place of the chopped peanuts.

Frozen Cookie Dough Wrapped Banana Pops

Printable Recipe

8 medium firm but ripe bananas

16 wooden Popsicle sticks

For the peanut butter cookie dough:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 pinch of salt

1 tablespoon whole milk

For the chocolate chip cookie dough:

3/4 cups butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3-4 tablespoons milk

1/2 to 3/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

For the coating:

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut oil

Chopped peanuts for coating the outside

Cut bananas in half horizontally and carefully insert a wooden popsicle stick into each one, then place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm.

To make the peanut butter cookie dough:  Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed.  Beat in the flour and salt and milk until mixed, and 1 tablespoon of milk to make the dough soft.  (The milk can be adjusted if you think the dough is soft enough or if you think it is too hard.)  Set aside at room temperature.

To make the chocolate chip cookie dough:  Beat the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed.  Beat in the flour and salt and enough milk to make a soft cookie dough consistency. (If you don’t use all the milk, it’s okay.)  Stir in the chocolate chips (however much you think).  Set aside at room temperature.

When the bananas are frozen, press a small amount of cookie dough around each banana using clean, slightly moist hands.  Remove only a couple of bananas at a time from the freezer because they will start to soften.  If hands get sticky, take a break, wash them, then start over with slightly moist hands.  Just press a thin (but not too thin!) layer of cookie dough around the banana.  Place back on baking tray and freeze until firm.

To make the coating:  Place the milk chocolate chips and coconut oil in a glass or metal bowl that has been placed over gently simmering water (or use a double boiler).  Stir until melted and smooth.  Spoon the chocolate over each frozen banana, letting the excess drip off, then place back on the baking sheet.  If desired, sprinkle with chopped peanuts immediately after coating in chocolate.  The chocolate should harden quickly because the bananas are frozen, but place in the freezer if they don’t.  Obviously, store these in the freezer.

I got 6 peanut butter cookie dough bananas and 10 chocolate chip bananas out of my batches of cookie dough, but results will vary according to how much cookie dough is used on each banana.

Tip:  During the assembly process, I like to place everything in my deep freeze with freezes it very hard.  For storage though, I like to keep them in my refrigerator freezer, which is set to a higher temperature so things like ice cream will be frozen but not rock hard.  These are best when they are a little soft. Still frozen, but a little soft.

 

This is a little stinker.