SOLVING SUGAR CRAVINGS--WITH MAGIC ICE CREAM

Uncategorized Jul 09, 2020

In last week’s blog you read about the six simple strategies that could help you to get closer to your ideal weight…

And your ideal health.

In other words,  strategies to help you become not only a lighter... but also a calmer... happier... and more energized you!  (Who wouldn't want that?)

But if you’re like most people, you probably struggle with that sixth strategy on that list: cutting out sugar.

Hey, I get it.

It’s not your fault!

We are genetically predisposed to prefer sweet tastes over sour and bitter. In prehistoric times, this contributed to human survival.

Sweet taste equalled a source of high calories from healthful fruits and vegetables.  This supplied the body with needed energy to stave off starvation.

By avoiding bitter, poisonous plants—and thereby avoiding death—our species instinctively knew that “sweet” meant “safe”.

Ironic, isn’t it?  Today over-consumption of sugar, especially in refined form, is a major driver behind “the big three”—cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Is there a way to have your cake and eat it too?

Definitely. 

You can have your ice cream also.

By using bananas as your source of sweetener, you can make sweet treats without added sugar.  And without the problems that sugar creates.

Bananas, on the other hand, are packed with nutrients:

  • Vitamins and Minerals—potassium, magnesium, and manganese, vitamins B6, C, and folate (unlike sugar that robs your body of nutrients).
  • Dopamine and Catechin that serve as antioxidants.
  • Fibre—pectin (and resistant starch in less ripe bananas) that act as prebiotic nutrients to feed beneficial gut bacteria; moderate blood sugar levels; and reduce appetite by slowing the emptying of your stomach.

 

And now for the recipe: Magic Ice Cream!  It is fast.  It is easy.  (Always my criteria for a good recipe.) Plus, it has all the smooth, creamy goodness of ice cream—with no added sugar whatsoever.

 

MAGIC ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

3 large ripe bananas, peeled, chopped, and frozen

¼ cup (60 mL) organic natural smooth peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut cream

½ tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract

½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt

 

INSTRUCTIONS

The secret to this recipe’s success is to have all the ingredients assembled and ready to go before you take the bananas out of the freezer.

  • To prepare coconut cream: Chill a can of coconut milk (upside down) in refrigerator overnight to allow the solids to separate from the coconut water.  Open can, and drain liquid, reserving it for another use, such as your next smoothie.  Store solids (i.e., coconut cream) in a container in the fridge.  It will stay fresh for a week or two, ready and waiting for  you when you want to make Magic Ice Cream. (One can is enough for more than one recipe.)
  • Place the frozen banana chunks into a food processor and whirl them around until the bananas look like small marbles.
  • Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add peanut butter, coconut cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Process until smooth and creamy. Don’t over blend or you will end up with banana soup.

That’s all there is to it.  Serve immediately.  Makes 2-3 delicious and magical servings!

 

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