I like food trends far more than I do fashion trends. For one, even if cupcakes aren’t “in,” it’s still socially acceptable to eat them. The black Crocs in the back of my closet, well, I’m saving those for a bad Halloween costume.
One of the biggest food trends this summer has been the one ingredient banana ice cream, which we shared a few weeks ago. For those who love ice cream or have a sweet tooth, it’s got to be the best idea ever. Freeze bananas, blend, and watch it turn in to a creamy ice cream texture that would have you believe it’s the real deal. Except, it’s totally good for you. How could it not be when it’s just bananas?
Well, I don’t love bananas, but I do have a full blown obsession with avocados. That creamy, buttery flavor that’s neutral enough to go with just about anything… could these be my banana ice cream?
I took advantage of a 10 for $10 special at the grocery store and got enough to experiment with avocado frozen yogurt and have plenty for sandwiches, smoothies, and salads all week. Yes, I eat that many avocados. (Hello… they are so good for you.)
I started with six avocados and split them lengthwise so the pit could be removed and the flesh easily scooped out. These avocados were perfectly bright green and separated from the pits without much mess. They were also a little firmer than I might ordinarily use for guacamole, but certainly not nearly as hard as the ones you could play baseball with.
Next, I chopped the avocados in to small chunks, just to make it easier to blend with the hand mixer.
The chopped avocado was placed in a mixing bowl, to which I added one six-ounce cup of plain non-fat Chobani Greek yogurt. I was going for a real frozen dessert, so I wanted to ensure the dairy taste and texture of actual froyo was going to come through. To this I added one tablespoon of vanilla extract and one tablespoon of Truvia natural sweetener. Then, I turned the hand mixer on low until everything was smooth and well combined.
It was totally safe to try the “batter” before placing in the freezer, and even that tasted like a treat! I spooned the “batter” into a freezer-safe resealable container and let it set for about two hours. When the bowl was open, I found exactly what I was looking for – frozen but smooth.
The first bite was exciting because I knew I could have a satisfying vanilla froyo at home just about anytime I liked. The warm vanilla flavor filled my mouth and the only hint of avocado was in a few chunks that hadn’t gotten completely smooth, and that flavor wasn’t uninvited. The bright green was of interest to my toddler and made the food even more fun to eat!
This was a fun dessert experiment that couldn’t have turned out better and one I’ll gladly repeat.
6 ripe avocados, flesh removed
6 oz. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Truvia
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Split six ripe avocados and remove the flesh. Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add Greek yogurt, Truvia, and vanilla extract. Use a hand-mixer on low to combine the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
3. Scoop mixture in to a freezer-safe, resealable container and let sit for at least two hours.
4. Serve four-ounce scoops immediately!
Nutrition (12, 4-ounce servings)
172 Calories, 14.7g Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 14mg Sodium, 9.3g Carbohydrates, 6.7g Fiber, 1.4g Sugar, 3.5g Protein
While it has almost 15 grams of fat per serving, remember it’s the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats found in the avocados. And check out the nearly 7 grams of fiber you won’t get in any frozen dessert! You shouldn’t over indulge in this treat any more than you should any other frozen dessert, but the overall nutrition profile for this is excellent.
One preparation note… this could easily be a homemade batch of avocado pudding, too. I saved a scoop of the “batter” and didn’t freeze it. To this I added about a tablespoon of cocoa powder, blended, and I’m telling you if I’d been blindfolded I’d have insisted that it was a chocolate pudding cup from the grocery store. This recipe lends itself to two desserts in one and no matter which you choose it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser (and no one has to know!).
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