Hit with inspiration this morning as I was making myself some breakfast, I came up with a new little sugar free, yet still sweet, treat for myself. Of course, I wouldn't be shocked if someone else has already devised this idea, considering it's based on something else I know I've seen on Pinterest dozens of times, but I haven't seen quite this version yet and as I'm a bit enamored with it, I thought I'd share.
So, who doesn't like ice cream for breakfast? Or, at least, maybe you like the idea of ice cream for breakfast, but you're trying to be good. Well, I've found your way out - you can have your frosty treat this morning and have your healthy day, too. This is my all too easy recipe for a yummy, filling, and healthful Breakfast Ice Cream.
Ingredients:
(Note: I'm not very good about measuring out ingredients, so all measurements, except for the bananas, are rough approximates. Eyeball to your own taste.)
2 frozen bananas
1/4 old fashioned oats
1/4 cup nut butter (I used organic peanut butter)
2-3 Tbs. of milk (I used almond milk and you could use any liquid you think might work/taste good, even water)
Directions:
1.) Under hot water, rinse your bananas until just slightly defrosted, but still pretty hard (you want to be able to get the peals off relatively easily, but that's it).
2.) Add bananas and oats to a blender or food processor. Blend until well mixed.
3.) Add milk and peanut butter. Blend until the mixture has a soft serve ice cream consistency.
4.) Spoon into a bowl and enjoy!
Personalize it!
Bananas are naturally very sweet, so you can easily add cocoa powder without additional sweetener and have a chocolate-y ice cream. Or leave out the nut butter out and add different fruits or nuts (or seeds, like chia or flax) or spices (Ooh! Freeze some pumpkin puree, add that and some nutmeg and cinnamon - that would be so delicious!).
Quick note on the ingredients:
So, I chose my ingredients for specific reasons, not just willy-nilly, here's why:
Bananas - these add a really nice, ice cream-like texture. Plus, they're healthy and sweet!
Nut butter - I love nut butters, especially peanut butter, so there's that, but there is also the extra oomph of protein and healthy fats that help boost your energy first thing in the morning.
Oats - Compared to some other carbs, they have a lower Glycemic Index rating, so they release sugar more slowly into your body, so you're not going to crash and you'll not hungry as quickly. Plus, oats are packed with wonderful nutrients, like iron, folic acid (Hey pregnant mamas! Get your ice cream fix this way!), and calcium. PLUS, if you're a
nursing mama like me, oats have been attributed to boosting milk supply (this is a great
article on KellyMom explaining the thoughts behind why). When I eat something with oats in it every morning (like a cereal/oatmeal or a smoothie) my supply usually gets a really good boost. If you're not a fan of oatmeal, this might be a nice alternative.
