Despite the fact that I spend at least 75% of the winter complaining about the cold, I grudgingly have to admit that I prefer cold weather over the heat.
I mean, you can always put on a few additional layers if you’re feeling chilly, but there’s only so much you can take off; and that’s saying nothing about the fact that heat makes me tired, cranky, and basically takes away my will to live renders me completely useless.
What can I say? I’m Canadian — I’m just not meant for the heat.
This became super evident on my last trip to Vegas. I went at the beginning of July, which you don’t even have to tell me was a bad idea, and I honestly have to give mad props to anyone can survive that kind of weather — and not only survive, but actually function.
It was an average of 43ºC (109ºF) while I was there, and… no, just no. Between the heat and the possibility of running into snakes, scorpions, and other unpleasant creatures, I had a hard time finding motivation to leave the hotel/pool. I’m Canadian — I’m just not meant for the desert.
I am however, made for dessert (see what I did just there? 😉 ); and what’s better than a cool sweet treat on a hot summer day?
How about a cool sweet treat that also happens to be good for you? Because that’s exactly what these Chocolate Banana Nut Pops are — sweet, refreshing, and surprisingly healthy thanks to ingredients like these…
Before I discovered the online food blogging community, I never would have imagined using bananas as a base for frozen treats, and I remember being shocked at how well they actually worked.
I’m not going to try to pull your leg and say that it tastes/feels exactly like ice cream, but it does make a delicious alternative… especially if you’re dairy-free or trying to watch your weight.
Bananas also taste pretty darn amazing when paired with almond butter and chocolate, which just so happen to be the other star ingredients in these pops…
Cold and creamy, sweet and nutty — the perfect way to cool down on those hot summer days. And to make things even better, they’re super easy to whip up!
All you need is 5 minutes, a food processor or blender, and a little bit of patience. Okay, quite a bit of patience — 6 hours of patience — but I promise you it’s worth it!
You can whip these up before heading out for an afternoon in the sun and they’ll be ready to enjoy as soon as you get back.
Or, if you’re anything like me (read: impatient), you’ll drink one straight from the blender while making them and then freeze the rest to enjoy later.
What can I say? Patience isn’t my virtue. Heck, I couldn’t even make it through a photoshoot without stealing a bite…
But in my defense, I had to bite off the melty bit… No? How about… I was taste-testing? Still no? Fiiiiiine.
The truth is that they were just too tempting to resist, and I needed to cool down since I kind of worked up a sweat while shooting. I mean, have you ever tried to lug around a bulky DLSR while dancing around a pair of popsicles during a glamour shoot? It’s tough work!
Especially since your subject is literally disappearing before your eyes. Talk about stress. But I digress. These pops — you need them in your life.
- 3 large ripe bananas
- ¼ cup almond butter of choice (or other nut/seed butter)
- ⅓ cup vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- Add bananas, nut butter, almond milk, and vanilla extract to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth and creamy.
- Pour half of mixture into popsicle molds, filling each one until it is about halfway full.
- Add cocoa powder to remaining banana mixture, and process until it is fully combined. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the banana mixture, filling the popsicle molds all the way to the top before inserting the sticks and transferring to the freezer. Freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, or until completely frozen.
- To easily remove pops, run the molds under hot water or submerge them into a bowl of hot water until they slide out easily.