Ignacio and I are 2 weeks into our month-long Vegan Diet Challenge and things are going well. We're finding it easier to live without meat, but living without dairy? Not so simple. (And by not so simple I mean damn near impossible). Now I know I'm not an expert on statistics or anything, but I'm pretty sure cheese is the #1 killer of vegan diets across the world. I'm missing valuable seconds, minutes, even hours of totally fatty ooey gooeyness, and I just don't know if I can make up that kind of time). Pizza Commercials and Pinterest, formerly my happy places, are now (temporarily) my worst enemies. It's like every woman in the world is pinning a new recipe for a now creamier mac n' cheese and every-single-freak'n-kind-of-butter cake, while Papa John sticks it to me time and again with free topping offers (I love you, RGIII, but you're killin' me, smalls). When this madness is over I'm pretty sure I'm going to O.D. on string cheese, grilled cheese and real full-fat and all the fixins ice cream. I'll take the rockiest road by the gallon, please. Or better yet, maybe my restaurant will let me order a drum of it! And that won't fit in my freezer so I'll have to eat it all! Take that, spare tire and veganism!
Sick of being punked by most non-dairy ice creams at the supermarket, I decided to come up with my own vegan-friendly dessert. Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana and Dark Chocolate "Ice Cream" Aww yeah! It's healthier than most and doesn't lack creaminess or flavor (insert oooohs and ahhs here). The fatty in me also had to take it one step further and drench the "ice cream" in a rich chocolate sauce for a scandalous vegan sundae. Vegan or not, this is the perfect end to any meal.
What you'll need:
(for the "ice cream")
- 3 ripe bananas- sliced, then frozen
- 1/2 cup peanut butter - I used crunchy
- 1 bar of vegan-friendly dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup Almond Silk or soy milk
In a food processor or blender, puree the peanut butter and frozen bananas until smooth (about 2 or 3 minutes).
Add the milks and puree until everything is incorporated.
Add your chocolate bits and pulse until combined.
Pour your "batter" into a freezer safe container.
Cut a round piece of wax paper and line the inside of your "ice cream" container lid. Freeze your container until the mixture is frozen through (about an hour or two).
Pop the top and enjoy!
For those of you that would like to take it a step further:
What you'll need:
(for the chocolate sauce)
- 1/2 package of vegan-friendly dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
Pour your chips into a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, boil your coconut milk. When the coconut milk is bubbling, pour it immediately over your chocolate chips and begin whisking.
Whisk until the chocolate is creamy and smooth.
Freeze a margarita glass and dip the rim in the chocolate if you'd like.
Fill the bottom with grapes and layer a few slices of kiwi on top. Scoop a ball of ice cream right on top of the kiwi.
Drench the ice cream and fruit in the chocolate sauce and top with shaved almonds for a Vegan style sundae.
With the left over sauce lay sliced fruit or clusters of raisins and nuts on a sheet of wax paper. Drizzle each cluster with the sauce and refrigerate until the chocolate sets.
