Simple Sweets

"My friend asked me if I wanted a frozen banana. I said, 'No, but I want a regular banana later, so...yeah.'" -Mitch Hedberg

Bananas. There really is nothing like them. Packed with vitamins, the banana is nothing short of a super fruit. What vitamins, you ask?

• Potassium! Did you know that if it weren't for potassium, our bodies wouldn't even function?! Seriously. The presence of potassium in our bodies is vital for neurons in our brain to communicate and for every muscle in your body to contract- even your heart.
• Vitamin C! Our bodies need certain 'building blocks' in order to make things like collagen (connective tissue in the body) and neurotransmitters (the chemicals that brain cells use to communicate). Vitamin C is one of those essential building blocks. Plus it acts as an antioxidant- a molecule that works against the naturally occurring deterioration of our cells as they go through their day-to-day activities.
• Fiber! Haven't had the pleasure of a healthy passing of stool lately? Perhaps your diet is too low in fiber. Not only does fiber promote regularity of your movements, it also regulates blood sugar, reduces appetite (by making you feel full faster), and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Sodium, Fat, and Cholesterol! Just kidding. Not really. In fact, they don't contain any of these, meaning that a diet rich in bananas is great for reducing the risk of high blood pressure.

The long and short of it is that bananas are literally packed with nutrients and virtually no bad stuff. So...why the heck aren't people eating bananas more often?!

Oh yeah, that's probably why. Overripe bananas look gross, and most people don't enjoy walking the fine line between brown spotting and possible rotting. And while bananas tend to run among the cheaper of fruits, it can be disheartening (in my experience at least) to buy a bunch of bananas only to find that they brown too much before you can finish them off.

But wait! Don't throw those overripe bananas in the trash. Not when they can be turned (quite easily) into a delicious and healthy dessert. Mmm...dessert. Are you ready for this recipe? It's going to blow your mind:

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Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• bananas (green/yellow to yellow/brown)

Directions:

1. Freeze bananas in a zip-lock bag until they are completely frozen.
2. Place bananas in a blender or food processor and pulse-blend, mixing occasionally to push solid chunks towards the blades. You'll notice that as the banana continues to blend, it will take on a creamy, smooth texture (like ice cream). Blend until banana is as smooth (or chunky) as you want.
3. Leftovers can be frozen and enjoyed later :)

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Bingo, bango. That was easy! And I'm telling you- this stuff is delicious. Plus, you can mix in whatever you want and create your own ice cream flavor. Karl and I added strawberry pulp that was leftover from our Aguas Frescas (recipe after the jump), but on my next few batches, I plan to add things like honey, chocolate chips, or peanut butter.

Now make some ice cream and go lie in the sun. It's spring, for pete's sake!

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Aguas Frescas

(makes just over a quart)

Ingredients

• 1 lb strawberries, washed, green cut away
• 4 cups cold water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or coconut extract)
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Ice

Directions

1. Combine strawberries, 2 cups of the water, and extract in a blender and liquify.
2. Strain the mixture using a sieve (or a pair of pantyhose if you're feeling as ghetto as Karl and I were).
3. Add remaining water, lime juice, and sugar and mix.
4. Serve over ice.

Everyone likes their aguas frescas a little differently, so feel free to tweak the ingredient amounts to fit your taste. I went so far as to add a few healthy gobs of honey to my glass :)