Strawberry Banana Soft Serve

CSC India 10:39 Paleo Grubs, Strawberry Banana Soft Serve

If you are at all obsessed with searching Instagram for all the latest food trends like I am, then you have probably heard of “nice cream”. It’s definitely the coolest thing since real ice cream—pun intended. Just in case I’m the only person who is obsessed with what other people are eating (I hope I’m not the only one), I’ll give you a quick break down. Nice cream starts off as just frozen bananas and then it’s blended into ice cream oblivion. You place your bananas into a blender or a food processor on high speed until they turn into a smooth and fluffy treat. This is taking the vegan and health food world by storm. Most versions that I see are usually bananas, cocoa powder and a sort of nut butter (drooling). It’s so delicious and trust me when I say that you should really try that sometime (if you haven’t yet) but I have, many times but this time I was on a hunt for a fresh new twist to my usual banana blend.
Strawberry and banana is a classic flavor combination and perfect for summer because you can giant, juicy strawberries by the barrel for dirt cheap. I like to freeze them right away for future homemade soft serve use. I added full fat coconut milk to this recipe to give it more of creamy texture and flavor. I also added chia seeds for nutritional boost and a little protein and extra fiber. You can literally add chia seeds to just about anything and you will instantly raise the nutritional value by like, a lot—I like to sneak it in where I can.
This recipe only takes about five active minutes to make and it legitimately tastes like soft serve frozen yogurt. By the way, I am not calling it “nice cream” because, maybe it’s just me but I always feel like that refers to a banana-y taste and this recipe tastes very strawberry-y with just a hint of banana. No overwhelming banana here! Feeling like a more on-the-go sort of frozen treat? After you blend your ingredients together, return the soft serve to the freezer for two to three hours and you will have yourself a more scoopable ice cream like texture. You know, the kind that’s great for scooping into ice cream cones and adding loads and loads of sprinkles.
If you have ever sat there with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s in your hand, dreaming of a healthier way (and less harsh on your tummy) to Netflix and chill, then this healthy soft serve is the answer!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups frozen strawberries
2 frozen bananas
¼ cup coconut cream (see notes)
1 tbsp. chia seeds
Instructions
To make the soft serve, you must pre-freeze your fruit. Chop your bananas into small pieces and remove stems from the strawberries then place them in an airtight container to freeze overnight.
To separate the coconut cream from the coconut water, place the can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the can and carefully open it. Scrape off the top layer of cream to use in your soft serve.
Place the frozen fruit and coconut cream into a high speed blender until smooth, stopping to scrap the sides as needed.
Once smooth, add your chia seeds and continue blending until completely incorporated.
Serve immediately for a soft serve texture. For a more solid and scoopable texture, pour the soft serve into an airtight container and freezer for 2 hours and then remove with an ice cream scoop.
NUTRITION FACTS serves 4
Calories 140
Fat 4g
Carbohydrates 26g
Protein 3g