Homemade Banana Ice Cream

It’s 90+ degrees outside and you’re looking for the perfect thing to cool you down, while satisfying your sweet tooth. I came across this recipe for non-dairy banana ice cream a few months ago. Instantly, I fell in love with the idea. If you’re like myself, with an intolerance to most dairy, you probably search high and low for a simple, cost-efficient, alternative to ice cream.

I’ve tried everything from soymilk based ice creams, to those that even use coconut milk. The problem with these alternatives is that, though comfortable for us to digest, they’re not too comfortable for our pockets. I recall paying from $3.99 to even $4.99 for a pint of non-dairy ice cream, and frankly, the quality was quite poor.

What I like about this banana “ice cream” is that it’s simple to make, it tastes amazing, and it’s healthy for you! Think about it, for my ice cream, I just used:

3 Bananas

½ cup of peanut butter

A sprinkle of Ovaltine

1/2 cup of soy milk or almond milk (for milkshake)

After peeling each banana, chop them up into small, coin sized pieces, and place them into the freezer for about an hour and a half. Then, add the banana slices to the blender to purée. Following that,  you can add peanut butter for texture and a nuttier taste, that’s reminiscent of my favorite ice creams.

If you’re looking for a more creamier ice cream base, or simply want a “milkshake,” add your milk alternative; I used soy milk. After blending, remove the banana purée, put it into the freezer to chill, and sprinkle some Ovaltine on top for taste!

For feeding more than 1-2 people, I would use more than 3 bananas. Other variations of this recipe use honey, cocoa powder, and other light ingredients to give it a little kick.

FoodSpotting: Buttercream Philadelphia

There’s something very unique and exciting about getting your sweet fix from a truck. Perhaps it stems back to our childhood memories of Mister Softee. You remember don’t you? The second you heard that lighthearted jingle, sometimes well before dinner was made, you ran outside with money in hand. Similarly, dessert trucks are very much the rage today, especially in urban settings.

For today’s food spotting, I had the pleasure of seeking out the Buttercream cupcake truck. If you’re looking for a miniature piece of heaven in your mouth, make the visit! Unlike Mister Softee, this cupcake truck does not drive from block-to-block for customers. Where are they located? Well, that’s for them to know and for you to find out. Seriously. Follow them on twitter (@ButtercreamPhl) if you want to know their weekly and daily stops in Philadelphia.

What did I have? 

The peanut butter cream is very rich and delicious, harmonizing well with the banana cake base.

Banana Peanut Butter

Chocolate Chocolate Ganache

Don’t be fooled by its simple appearance. This is no ordinary cupcake. Reminiscent of a chocolate cake that you go back to for seconds, I wish I bought a few more.

http://www.buttercreamphiladelphia.com/menu

La Crêperie Café

Voilà. This quaint spot, which prides itself with having the “finest crêpes in town,” is located at 1722 Sansom Street in the Center City section of Philadelphia. A restaurant that went unnoticed to me for several months, sparked my interest the second I received a Groupon offer for $15 for $30 worth of French inspired cuisine. Needless to say, with such a bargain, this place was worth giving a chance.

Upon entering the location on a Tuesday evening, I noticed very few people dining in. I would learn later on that this observation could be evidence of a restaurant lacking a strong presence. First, the food I had at La Crêperie Café was not bad. In fact, my entree, La Rebelle, was scrumptious. A pizza like crepe with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and an assortment of vegetables, La Rebelle served as a good introductory dish for those who may be a little hesitant about the foreign taste of the menu.

La Rebelle

Foreign indeed. Keep in mind that La Crêperie Café’s menu, aside from meal descriptions, is in French. So if your high school knowledge of the language is a little rusty, the majority of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts will be hard to pronounce.

Nutella et Coco

To accompany my savory crêpe, I also had the Soup Campagnarde. Served in a wide, plate-like bowl, this soup included leeks, carrots, asparagus and potatoes. I noticed while eating, some additional seasonings in the dish that made it a bit overwhelming. If you’re looking for a starter to your meal, I would pass on this one, unless you’re a fan of austere soups. To finish the meal, I tried one of many sweet crêpes the restaurant had to offer. Nutella et Coco, a light dessert stuffed with the famous hazelnut spread and coconut, was simple, but delectable. Not too heavy on the nutella, but enough just to blend nicely with the coconut shreds, Nutella et Coco was another winner.

The food that La Crêperie Café had to offer was good overall, but it was the service that stumped me. As I mentioned earlier, the atmosphere was quiet. After being seated, our waiter disappeared for almost ten minutes, with no one else to ask us if we wanted a beverage. First strike. When our food was finally delivered, the waiter neglected to place the food directly onto the table. In fact, we were expected to retrieve everything from his hands. At one point, he waited for a few seconds as we looked in confusion. Fortunately our plates were not too hot! Second strike!

So, there was no third strike, but the the first two gave me reasons to not return to La Crêperie Café. Besides the poor service, the prices did not match up to what I would expect for the portions we received. If you’re a fan of crêpes and see a coupon floating around on the web, give it a shot as I did. Maybe you’ll receive better service, but hey, C’est la vie. 

The Beginning. . .

For what seemed to be an eternity, I am finally starting this blog. Those close to me know that I’ve been seeking to do this over the last few months. What stopped me? Honestly, my personal laziness, but also a lack of inspiration to write. This month marks the anniversary of my 2010 graduation from Penn State University. Hopefully, I can get out of my slump, which inadvertently was caused by me not finding that real job. Here’s to creativity. – - – (Below is a cut-out of the About section, briefly detailing the purpose of this site)

What is “Livre aux Trésors” you might ask? No, I’m not French (I just love the language). Simply, it can be translated to Book of Treasures or Treasure Book. It is my goal through this blog to paint a picture, of as many treasures that I encounter in my life. Whether it be through art, food, music, or the pressing issues of society, I’ll strive to plant little nuggets for those searching. This is my Treasure Book C’est mon Livre Aux Trésors.