Who says having ice cream for breakfast is naughty?
Christmas is just around the corner and I started to think, ‘Have I been naughty or nice this year?’. Well, let’s start with food talk, shall we? On most weekends I normally eat well and cook my own hearty meals and healthy breakfast jar. But I just got a tad bit nervous this morning when I thought about Santa dropping by in less than 6 weeks, just because I only returned from a little indulging weekend in Melbourne yesterday. Oh well, the Yarra Valley wine and flaky Eastern European pastries in St Kilda are simply compulsory, right?
Okay, back to reality this morning (keep an eye on my Melbourne travel guide later in the month!). My body is still struggling to adjust to ‘work mode’ so I thought I’d better give her a rejuvenating treat, in a nourishing way. Staring at an almost empty fridge in 40 Degree Celsius heat here at home in Brisbane, I found four nectarines, a lemon and three frozen bananas. I thought, perhaps I could whip up a storm for an icy fruity raw vegan ice cream, or ‘nice cream’ as I called it.
This raw ice cream recipe is indeed a Mr Nice with no dairy, no saturated fat, no preservatives and no sweeteners whatsoever. In fact, it only contains one ingredient – the mighty bananas! Yes, you’re right, and no ice cream maker needed too. They’re called ‘nice cream’ for so many reasons as bananas deliver a fair few nutritional benefits, check these out:
♥ One banana contains 467mg of potassium providing powerful protection to the cardiovascular system.
♥ Bananas contains tryptophan, serotonin and norepinephrine which help prevent depression while encouraging feelings of well-being and relaxation.
♥ Vitamin B6 in bananas helps protect against sleeplessness, mood swings and irritability.
♥ Save the peels – do you know banana peels make wonderful fertilisers for flowering plants? (source here)
WOW! Gonna love all these guilt-free reasons to indulge in a bowl of raw vegan banana ice cream in a sizzling summer morning.
To jazz up my healthy breakfast bowl with extra fruity babes, I recalled the conversation I had about grilled summer fruit with the guys at my local Barbeques Galore store. Outside on the gas grill or indoors on a grill pan, I’m absolutely excited by the way grilling caramalises the natural sugar in fruits! Slightly crispy and smoky on the outside with a candy-apple like flavour, while staying juicy and fleshy on the inside – some fruity babes are just made for grilling. I had my first attempt making grilled fruits with nectariness just because they’re what I could find in my fridge (and they did extremely well on the grill), but there are other choices that make the perfect sizzling piece:
♥ Pineapple is one of the best choices. It holds up well and the juicy sweetness really bursts when heated.
♥ Tropical fruits such as mangoes, papayas and bananas are excellent too.
♥ Stone fruits including peaches, pears, nectarines and apples can never go wrong on the grill.
♥ Grilled watermelon goes well with yoghurt or in a goat cheese salad.
Ingredients
- 4 nectarines
- A large lemon
- 3 large bananas
- Cinnamon powder
- Coconut oil
Instructions
- Let's start with grilled fruits! Cut nectarines into halves. Do not peel off the skin.
- Coat fruits with a thin layer of coconut oil with a brush.
- Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon powder on both sides.
- Put on the grill for around 5 minutes on indirect heat, or until they turn brown and sugars start to caramalise.
- For banana ice cream, cut bananas into evenly-sized coins. Freeze them in air tight bags for at least 2 hours. Blend the frozen pieces in a small food processor until the mixture turns into a creamy, soft-serve ice cream texture (takes about 8 minutes).
- Serve in a bowl with grilled fruits pieces. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top.
Here are my sizzling hot tips to cook a piece of perfectly grilled fruit:
♥ Pick fruits that are firm and just barely ripened.
♥ Cut fruits into thick slices or halve them. Don’t cube then into small pieces as they won’t hold their shape.
♥ Marinate in lime, lemon or orange juice for a hint of refreshing summer zest.
♥ Brush your fruits with a light coating of coconut oil just before grilling.
♥ Grill over indirect heat which isn’t as intense as direct flame.
♥ Don’t overcook your fruits. Most fruits only take less than 5 minutes to grill so stay close to your grill and keep turning to avoid over-burn as necessary.
♥ Transform grilled fruits into boozy dessert dishes by marinating them with dark rum and cinnamon powder! Vodka and maple syrup also work wonder for most fruits.
Next time I think I’ll be better prepared and grill a few different types of fruits and store them in the fridge overnight, which means I can whip up these decadently smooth banana ice cream breakfast bowls in a matter of minutes! Of course, having them straight from the grill is the most delicious when paring with raw banana ice cream – the hot and cold sensation makes this breakfast bowl full of surprises!
So tell me Dear Reader, have you played with grilled fruits? What are your fav summer fruits to put on the grill? I love experimenting with healthy breakfast bowl ideas so if you happen to have a few up your sleeves do share with us here!
Off to enjoy my wholesome and deliciously nice breakfast bowl – do not disturb.
Until next time, stay well.