So, if you have been following along, you have probably been eagerly awaiting yummy comfort food makeovers to indulge without the bulge. I get it, it's almost summer. And you know sugar is wrecking your health. And dairy... just no. Gluten, eh, sometimes but certainly not every day or ever if it's also refined, bleached and overly processed. Cravings happen, stress happens and it's important to have a plan when they suddenly and unexpectedly rear their ugly heads. This recipe is perfect for any of life's cruddy events... breakups, work stress, friend woes or because it's hot and you want ice cream. No excuse needed. Instead of breaking out the Ben & Jerry's, grab your food processor or blender and make your own creamy, delicious, soft-serve treat in minutes.

Layers of deliciously creamy chocolate, cookie dough and acai berry banana "nice" cream. Dairy-free, gluten-free, guilt-free.

Bananas are a stress busting food due to their high levels of tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin, the happy neurotransmitter :) Eat happy!

Not Chunky Monkey "Nice"-Cream

2 frozen bananas, cut in chunks

unsweetened vanilla almond milk {any nut/seed/oat milk will work}

touch of vanilla extract

chocolate chip larabar, broken into pieces and rolled into little balls

Directions:

5 minutes to creamy nice-cream goodness! You won't even miss the dairy!

Take frozen banana chunks from freezer and set on counter top for about 5 minutes to thaw just a little. Place them in your food processor with a splash of almond milk. Process, adding almond milk as necessary to keep things moving. Will look like soft serve vanilla ice cream when ready. Taste. Add vanilla extract as needed. Top with larabar balls for cookie dough. Grab and spoon and dig in!

Optional add-ins:

peanut butter and frozen berries

Nom nom nom... who knew frozen bananas could taste so good?

ALOHA Daily Good Chocolate Cacao and Jem Cinnamon Maca Almond Butter

date paste for a caramel swirl

coffee, cacao and maca

mint extract, spirulina, and cacao nibs

acai powder

TIP: Not sure how to freeze a banana? No worries. Peel banana, cut into chunks, put into a freezer safe ziploc bag and put in freezer overnight. Easy peasy.