Photo credit: Rachael Ray Show
Aired July 10, 2018
If you’ve seen "banana nice cream" popping up everywhere but haven’t tried it yourself, you’re in for a treat!
WHAT IS BANANA NICE CREAM?
Banana nice cream is a creamy, blended dessert made from frozen bananas and milk—that’s it!
If you want a little extra indulgence, you can mix in anything from pistachios to cookie butter or finish it with a magic chocolate shell.
HOW DO YOU MAKE NICE CREAM?
OK, OK... so it’s not “ice cream” exactly, but with its pleasantly sweet flavor and creamy texture, you could’ve fooled us.
To make nice cream, freeze however many bananas you'd like—and then, once frozen, blend with the milk of your choice until you reach your desired texture. If you prefer a firmer texture, you can always pop it in the freezer to firm up.
Rachael Ray Show
IS BANANA NICE CREAM GOOD FOR YOU?
According to the USDA, one banana contains 110 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrate, and 1 gram of protein. If you blend with whole milk, that’ll only add 37 calories per quarter cup (plus lots of calcium, Vitamin D, and 2 grams of protein).
Unlike regular ice cream which is loaded with sugar, nice cream gets a natural dose of sweetness from bananas, which are low-glycemic which means they won’t spike blood sugar levels. Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Raj is also a fan of bananas thanks to their high potassium levels, which she says can help with bloating.
RELATED: Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
HOW DO YOU FREEZE A BANANA?
You can freeze a banana in its skin, but if you’ve ever tried to peel a frozen banana, you know it can be a challenge!
Our favorite method: peel the banana and place it whole in a plastic bag, then pop it into the freezer. No fuss, no sticky banana chunks, and best of all, no struggling with peeling.
HOW DO YOU GET THE PEEL OFF A FROZEN BANANA?
If you have a frozen banana with the peel on, don’t despair—it is possible to get the peel off without freezing your fingers!
Cut the banana in half, crosswise, so that you have two pieces. Then, cut each piece down the middle, length-wise. Using a small paring knife, insert the tip of the knife between the banana and the peel.
With a little maneuvering, the peel should pop off easily, and you can use the banana for anything from nice cream to banana bread to bananas Foster. Yum!