With Memorial Day behind us, Summer has un-officially kicked off and I couldn’t be more ready! We’ve already managed to get in a picnic and a BBQ to celebrate. Also important to the commemorating of this lovely season. Ice cream! Am I right?

With all the adjustments I have made to my diet and how great I feel these days, while I very much subscribe to the notion of balance and the occasional treat being part of maintaining a healthy and accessible lifestyle, I also always apt to first reach for healthier whole food options, when possible. This recipe celebrates fresh, in-seaon nutrient-dense whole foods – bringing the treat vibes of what usually would be loaded with dairy, refined sugar and gosh, who knows what else.

Banana ice cream certainly isn’t a new thing, but I have to say, playing with the flavors I am still absolutely surprised every time I make it, with just how delicious and “real deal” it is. This particular rendition was created last year during cherry season. I even made it at one of my Whole Foods cooking demos and it was a huge hit.

The key is freezing the bananas when they are quite ripe, as this is their peak sweetness, plus of course, high quality chocolate, then again, in my mind this is always a must. Get your fruits prepped ahead and you can literally have a tasty, appropriately sweet dessert ready in about 5 minutes.

[print_this]Cherry Chocolate Chunk Banana Soft Serve {gluten-free, paleo-friendly and vegan}
serves 2-4

• 3 frozen ripe bananas, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 cups cherries, pitted and frozen (divided)
• splash of unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks (70% +), cacao nibs or raw chocolate chips, plus a bit more for topping

Place banana chunks, 1 cup cherries and splash of milk into blender/food processor and blend until just combined. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times or add another splash of milk to help the mixture move. Add in chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup cherries, fold in by hand until combined. Serve immediately topped with shaved dark chocolate, cacao nibs or raw chocolate chips.

You can also freeze and serve this for later as a harder ice cream. Place ice cream into a sealed container and freeze for at least six hours. Let set at room temp for a few minutes, scoop and serve. [/print_this]

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