Tropical Banana Ice Cream is a healthy, natural, dairy-free, all-fruit dessert made with no added sugar, featuring frozen bananas, pineapple, and mango whipped to an ice cream-like consistency. It's decadent enough for dessert yet healthy enough for breakfast!
Chopped salted cashews OR macadamia nutsfor garnish
Instructions
Place frozen banana slices, frozen pineapple chunks, frozen mango chunks, coconut milk, and vanilla in the bowl of a large food processor. Process for several minutes, pulsing and/or scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to keep things moving. At first the fruit will look chunky, but it will eventually begin to smooth out. Process until the "ice cream" looks silky and creamy, which will probably take between 3 to 5 minutes. Scoop into bowls, top with toasted coconut and chopped nuts, and serve immediately.
Notes
If you don't have a food processor, this recipe will also work in a high-powered, heavy-duty blender.
I usually keep a carton of coconut milk in the fridge. But if you don't have any on hand, you can use just about any liquid: regular milk or cream, almond milk, canned coconut milk, orange juice, etc. The purpose of the liquid is just to get the food processor or blender moving. You can add a splash more liquid if necessary, but use as little as possible to prevent the ice cream from having a runny consistency.
To toast coconut, preheat oven to 350°F and spread shredded coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely and stirring occasionally, until flakes are lightly browned.
Banana ice cream is best enjoyed right after it's made. You may freeze leftovers, but it will lose its soft, creamy consistency. If you must freeze it, breaking it into chunks and pureeing it in the food processor once again before serving may help to restore its original consistency.