Anna Bah-nah-nah’s Vegan Soft Serve

I am such an ice cream addict, and I think I’m one of the few that actually craves it MORE in the wintertime. I originally thought of this recipe because a friend of mine was doing smoothies with plain yogurt + frozen banana, but being vegan I decided to sub out the yogurt for soy milk and see what I got. I put in less soy milk, and the result was really like the consistency of soft serve. In the photo, I actually used a little more milk than usual, so it looks a little more mushy. No matter what consistency you like, this tastes delicious!

Also, I have a few variations on this, but the one I make most often is a runner’s version that I use for fuel about 45 mins-1 hour before a run. This is that version. If you are looking for a smoother consistency, skip the oatmeal and possibly the black sesame seeds.

Anna Bah-nah-nah’s Vegan ‘Soft Serve’

Ingredients:

-2 frozen bananas (chopping first into pieces and then freezing overnight works best)
-1/2 cup milk of your choice (I use soy milk, richer milks work better)
-2 Tbsp (or heaping regular spoonfuls) Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (try Special Dark for an awesomely rich flavor, can be found at Foreign Food Mart Itaewon)
-1 tbsp (or one regular spoonful) black sesame seeds
-1/4 cup dry oatmeal (I use Quaker Oats, also found at Foreign Food Mart)
-1 small spoonful peanut butter
-3 drops Liquid Stevia or 1 small sprinkle Stevia for extra sweetness

Put dry ingredients into blender/food processor first, then add bananas and milk. If you are unsure about the banana to milk ratio, I’d say start with less and you can always add more. Pulse first, and then scrape ingredients back down to the blade. Keep pulsing until you have a smooth consistency. Makes 1-2 servings.

Occasionally, I skip the chocolate and use frozen strawberries. Also, please note that those who are sensitive to caffeine should be careful about using lots of cocoa powder. It’s pretty potent stuff! :

Hope you enjoy!

Photo by Anna Deschatres