Remember my post last week about healthy back-to-to school meals and meal prep? Well, now it’s fine for a fun after-school / afternoon snack idea! Heck, you could make these Banana Ice Cream Sundae Bowls for breakfast, snacktime or even dessert, depending on how you top it off. But first, snacktime.
Let’s be real – snacking is always fun. But it can be really hard, whether you’re a kid or adult, to find snacks you can actually get excited about when you have a ton of food allergies or restrictions, whatever your reason. Which is why I was super excited to meet the amazing people (Hey Jamie and Kathleen!) from Enjoy Life at the DC Gluten Free Expo this summer, where they told me about all the fun snacks they’re coming out with this year! Ohhhh yes.
It’s hard to find gluten-free snack-type things without a ton of nuts in them. No, I don’t have a nut allergy, but I don’t feel great (and my skin doesn’t look too great either) when I eat too many of them, or have too much nut flour. So it’s super fun that Enjoy Life’s cookies and snacks are totally nut free!
My favorite snacks of the bunch: the Nut & Seed Mix (Mountain Mambo & Beach Bash) and the mini cookies. Because MINI THINGS! You know how much I love them. Mini silverware, mini dishes, mini desserts, they’re all just so freaking cute! And match my tiny hands. It’s fine. Oh, and did I mention the soft-baked cookies? You remember those super delicious, but super gluten-and-dairy-and-junk-filled red bag Nabisco cookies? Yep. You do. These taste JUST like those, but won’t wreck your insides. Gluten-free cookie GOLDMINE, right here. Anyway. These are perfect snacks to take in between school and practice / the gym in the afternoon, or even as a little dessert. But if I’m home and craving a snack, I like to get a little more creative.
The result: these banana ice cream sundae bowls. Remember being at school (or at the pool in the summer) as a little young’n and the make-your-own ice cream sundae bar? Think of this just like that. You make the banana ice cream (which is suuuper quick and easy), and then pull out any toppings you want. Current favorite in this bowl: sliced banana and fig, Mountain Mambo Trail Mix, and maybe some chocolate chips. And if I’m feeling in a more dessert-y mood, I’ll crumble up some of the mini cookies and throw them on there too!
But this bowl is all you. Feel free to switch up the fruit, add a drizzle of sunflower seed butter or top with coconut whipped cream. Mix in 1 Tbsp or two or cocoa powder while blending for chocolate banana soft serve! Make it as dessert-y or after school snack-y as you want! The possibilities are literally endless. “We can do it your way, but don’t get crazy.” (p.s. if you understand that youtube quote reference, we are best friends forever.)
- 2 bananas, peeled and frozen
- 2 Tbsp coconut milk (or almond)
- Enjoy life nut & seed mix
- sliced banana
- sliced figs
- enjoy life dairy-free chocolate chunks
- enjoy life mini cookies
- To freeze the bananas, peel them and slice into 4 pieces. Place in a tupperware or resealable plastic bag and stick them in the freezer for at least an hour or two, until frozen.
- Once the bananas are totally frozen, stick them in the food processor or high-power blender with 2 Tbsp coconut milk and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times with a rubber spatula. If it’s really stuck, you can add 1 Tbsp at a time of extra coconut milk – but remember, you’re making soft serve, not a smoothie, don’t add too much!
- When it’s fully blended, transfer to a bowl (or two) and stick in the freezer for a few minutes while you pull out your toppings.
- When ready to eat, pull out the bowls and throw on your toppings of choice. Devour!
This post was sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. All snarky thoughts and opinions are my own, duhhh.
