Blending frozen bananas creates an incredibly smooth, creamy texture that tastes just like traditional ice cream, without any added sugar or dairy. It’s quick, simple, and requires nothing more than a blender. This recipe is also a brilliant way to use up overripe bananas, helping to reduce food waste. Once frozen, they keep well for several weeks, making this a perfect last-minute dessert or snack option.

Bananas are rich in a specific group of carbohydrates called resistant starches (or ‘prebiotics’) which are a favourite food of our friendly gut bacteria. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, fibre and healthy fat, making it a balanced energy source which helps to keep blood sugar stable. It also contains several vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and magnesium. Cherries contain a cocktail of anti-inflammatory compounds, vitamins, minerals and even natural melatonin (a hormone that supports healthy sleep rhythms). Finally, my favourite ingredient, dark chocolate, which is packed with polyphenols (powerful anti-oxidants) and several minerals, including iron, adding both flavour and nutritional value. 

 

Ingredients

• 4 ripe medium sized bananas

• 4 tablespoons peanut butter (try to avoid the brands with lots of sugar and palm oil)

• 50g dark chocolate (ideally aim for 85%), broken up into chunks

• ½ cup of cherries

 

Method
1. Peel the bananas and then chop each into 4 segments, pop in a container and freeze them overnight. 

2. When ready to make your ice cream, place the banana and peanut butter in a food processor and blend until smooth.

3. Melt some dark chocolate to drizzle on top (you can place the chocolate in a glass bowl on top of a pot with boiling water for a few minutes or use your microwave) and add a few cherries on top!