Banana Ice Cream Sundae with Chocolate & ‘Caramel’

In celebration of welcoming summer, I’m sharing with you a very delicious raw banana ice cream sundae with chocolate and ‘caramel’! Mmm…. how does that sound?! That sounds epic and divine to me! I think the best way to welcome summer’s first day in 2013, is by sharing and eating a healthy, chilling, guiltless ice cream sundae! I think it’s quite necessary, wouldn’t you agree?! 

This delicious and creamy banana ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce is SO good! I love making raw ice creams often, especially out of frozen bananas. Out of all the banana ice creams that I’ve made before  this one has definitely won its share! The ice cream came out really creamier, smoother and yummier! It was very scoop-able; I was very pleased. This may not literally taste like the dairy ice cream, but it sure does have that diary consistency, though! My dad and I have been eating this for dessert recently, and have been in heaven! 

I do not miss the dairy ice cream junk anymore. I know that I can make something that’s even more epic and better for me, my body and the planet! Plus, banana ice cream to me is super delicious! If you love bananas, you know what I’m talking about. And for those who do not love bananas, then you are missing out bananazaly (yes, I am aware that ‘bananazaly’ isn’t a word, but you should know that I make up words!) This ice cream seriously has the perfect consistency that I’ve always wanted with ice cream. 

When I was a meat-eater, I loved ice cream. Well, let me rephrase that a bit: I thought I loved ice cream, but I really didn’t. I thought that ice cream made me happy, as they would say. Now being a herbivore, I realize that I didn’t really love ice cream. I didn’t have a relationship with my food until I became a vegan. I now realize how important it is to not only love your body, but to also love and have a relationship with your food. Currently, this my favorite ice cream. SO good!! *heaven in a glass cup* <3 

I was thinking about making a raw caramel sauce for these, but then I figured I could make raw chocolate sauce, instead! Hey, you can never go wrong with chocolate, especially the healthy version. I actually thought of a great ‘caramel’ substitute, which is coconut nectar! Yes, coconut nectar actually gives this ice cream that ‘caramel’ look and taste. I realized this ‘caramel’ effect when I was scooping out the ice cream into the glasses. I saw this amber-ish color in the ice cream that looked like caramel, and I thought “what a great idea! Coconut nectar looks like caramel!” Adding in coconut nectar as the replacement for date caramel is the ‘lazy’ way out to not making the caramel sauce. But hey, I’m not complaining, though! I like the cool effect and taste that the nectar gives the ice cream.

I started adding coconut nectar over dates in my ice creams lately. You don’t even need to add much sweetness either in your ice cream, as the bananas are already sweet. Plus, if you add other sweet frozen fruits, you don’t even need to add much sweetness. In fact, you don’t have to add sweeteners at all! I have a mega sweet tooth so… I like to add some anyways! 😉 You can add in whatever garnishes you like – this is your sundae now! I added hemp and chia seeds. Nothing fancy, but tasty for sure! 

I think the reason my banana ice creams have turned out so mouth-watering lately, is because I took ripe bananas (they were yellow, but with spots; fresher) rather then waiting until the bananas were super ripe with dark spots and brown. I noticed when you peel and freeze fresh, ripe bananas – they turn out more creamier, whiter and delicious! I am not saying that eating brown bananas is bad for you (it’s actually more healthier for you that way) I am just saying that I prefer freezing them before they start to turn brown. I have my way of liking things. 

Epic Creamy Banana Ice Cream Sundae with Chocolate Sauce & ‘Caramel’ with Super Food Toppings:
serves 2-4 

Ice cream:
5 frozen bananas, peeled
6 pitted dates
2 tablespoons coconut nectar
dash of cinnamon, to preserve (optional, though) 

* be creative with the ice cream! Add in whichever frozen fruit you like such as mangoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, durian, oranges, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, etc. even frozen cashews, too! get creative and fruity with it! 😉 to achieve that ‘ice cream’ consistency, add frozen fruit! if you just add in fresh fruits, you’ll get more of a pudding consistency, rather than an ice cream. add in as much fruit as you want. this is healthy and guilt-free ice cream. 🙂 keep in mind, if you have any leftover ice cream, simply place it in a bowl with a cover, and stir it every 30-40 minutes, until solid. 

‘Caramel’:
heaping amount of coconut nectar (optional) 

Chocolate:
6 tablespoons cacao 
3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
6 tablespoons coconut nectar 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons nut milk (or water. add as more or less. mines was thick, but yours can be thinner – just add more liquid! mines turned out as a mousse!) 

Toppings:
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon hemp seeds
add in whatever you like! this is your sundae now! be creative! here are some ideas to get you inspired and started:

~ goji berries
~ cacao nibs
~ fresh berries
~ coconut shreds
~ raisins
~ dash of cinnamon 
~ crushed nuts, as desired 

* and much more! got a good idea that would be awesome for these to go with? share in the comments below! 🙂 

For the Ice Cream & ‘Caramel’: take out the frozen bananas from the freezer and let it thaw for about 1-2 minutes, just until you’re done making the chocolate sauce. If you place the frozen bananas straight from your freezer to the blender, it will take more muscles, and it will be difficult for you to mix it. Meanwhile, make the chocolate sauce. 

To make the Chocolate: melt the coconut oil and place all ingredients in your blender (or bowl) and blend (or whisk) until creamy and smooth, adding more or less of the liquid as desired to your consistency. Be sure to TASTE it to see if its sweet enough. 

To make the Ice Cream: place all ingredients in your blender, including the coconut nectar ‘caramel’, and blend until creamy, smooth and thick. Blending it into an ice cream only takes seconds! 

For the Sundae: On a plate/bowl/cup, scoop desired amount ice cream and drizzle the chocolate and caramel sauce. Feel free to add in whatever you like: fresh berries, cacao nibs, goji, almonds, etc. if you want, enjoy with a slice of brownies! I encourage you to get creative! Enjoy! YUM!!