Medically reviewed by Shahzadi Devje, Registered Dietitian (RD) & Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
Learn how to make Strawberry Kiwi Banana Nice Cream. Three minutes and three ingredients is all you need to whip up this super-simple and delicious treat - right at home. A light and refreshing dessert with zero added sugar, but tonnes of natural flavour. Can you resist?
I think you'd agree, ice cream is probably the most popular dessert around. It was always my top choice as a kid; scoops of creamy decadence that soon melted away my sorrows.
What is Nice Cream?
I've been making nice creams for as long as I can remember - really because I struggled to find store-bought ice creams that weren't loaded with added sugar, fat and a long list of ingredients I couldn't pronounce.
I like to think of nice cream recipes as fruit-based ice creams, with a beautiful soft serve texture. They typically dairy free, eggs, cream, artificial colours, flavours or additives. The ones we make are wholesome and rely on nature's candy - fruits - to satisfy our sweet tooth. I guess you could say, in comparison to regular ice cream, nice creams are low in fat, substantially lower in calories and are the epitome of an easy and healthy dessert recipe.
The trick to getting a thick and creamy texture is to use frozen bananas and a high speed bender. Although all the fruit is frozen, the bananas are the game-changer - the riper, the better. So, be sure not to skip them!
Our 7-year-old, Master IZ, describes this nice cream recipe as a "sort of" of sorbet ice cream..yum!
It's the perfect end to any meal, and especially with Eid around the corner, it's the ideal summer dessert after my desi fish biryani. If you're stuck for menu planning ideas for Eid-al Adha and on the hunt for healthy recipes, here's the link to an entire collection of desi dishes. Enjoy!
What do You Need to Make This Healthy Recipe?
Just three ingredients are all that's needed to pull this off. It's the perfect recipe to enlist the kiddos to help out; they prepare and chop the fruits - ready to freeze. Then it's easy as can be; blitz the fruits into nice cream, and it's always a hit with everyone.
Freeze Bananas Ahead of Time
Freezing the bananas in advance is important for the texture. I won't lie, I'm that lady who buys bananas by the tonne. Once they ripen, I freeze them all. That way, we always have a stash - ready for recipes like this!
Pro Tip: Make sure to freeze the bananas without the skin because you won't be able to peel them once frozen. Cutting them in medium slices helps them blend more easily - without straining your blender.
Nutritional Benefits
Having worked in diabetes care for over a decade, I've often seen bananas get a bad rap, deemed as "bad" for blood sugar control. Let's not forget that bananas are a nutritious food choice. According to Harvard University, bananas are a source of Vitamin B6, fibre, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin C and manganese.
One medium ripe banana provides:
- 100 calories
- 0 g fat,
- 1 g protein
- 28 g carbohydrate
- 15 g of naturally occurring sugar
- 3 g fibre
- 450 mg potassium
The fibre, potassium and low sodium content of bananas, make them an important component of healthy eating dietary pattern. Not to mention, they play an important role in digestive health; bananas are a standard prescription for those struggling with diarrhea; they're easy to digest and help to replenish lost electrolytes - like potassium.
How to Make This Healthy Dessert Recipe in 3 Easy Steps
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor (Images 1-2).
- Blend until smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds on a blender's full speed. If the blades are catching, add a dash of water, to get the ingredients moving (Image 3).
- Serve immediately, or transfer to a dish and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up (Image 4).
Serving Suggestions
Whether you enjoy this as a dessert or refreshing snack, there are plenty of ways to switch it up. Why not try topping it with nuts or granola or whipped coconut cream and fresh berries.
You could add it to smoothies or other drinks for an instant flavour kick or even use it as a base for fun virgin cocktails the whole family can enjoy.
3 minutes and 3 ingredients is all you need to whip up this super-simple and delicious treat - right at home. A light and refreshing dessert with zero added sugar, but tonnes of natural flavour. Can you resist? #nicecream #dessert… Click To Tweet
Desi~licious Top Tips
- You can use any frozen fruit for this recipe, but don't skip the banana as it adds a creamy texture.
- The nice cream will store well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can also add it to smoothies and drinks.
- Try topping with granola, nuts, seeds or even chocolate chips.
- Experiment with different fruits; this recipe will work with virtually all fruits.
More Healthy Dessert Recipes You Might Like:
- Easy Chia Pudding with Strawberry Banana Ice Cream
- 2-Ingredient Blueberry Slush
- Chia Chocolate Pudding With Mint
Fed up with hearing that the ONLY way to health is cutting out your favourite foods. Fix meal planning overwhelm with:
- Done-for-you meal plans that will end your cooking wars!
- A selection of mouthwatering eco-friendly and plant-focused whole food recipes, complete with grocery lists.
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Have you tried nice cream before? I'd love to know what your favourite fruit combos are? Leave me a comment below!
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No Added Sugar Strawberry Kiwi Banana Nice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries frozen
- 2 cups kiwi frozen
- 2 cups bananas frozen
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds on a blender's full speed. If the blades are catching, add dash of water, to get the ingredients moving. I use the tamper and it works like a charm.
- Serve immediately, or transfer to a dish and freeze for 30 minutes to firm it up.
Notes
- You can use any frozen fruit for this recipe but don’t skip the banana as it adds a creamy texture.
- The nice cream will store well in the freezer for up to 1 year.
- You can also add it to smoothies and drinks.
- Try topping with granola, nuts, seeds or even chocolate chips.
- Try experimenting with different fruits, this recipe will work with all fruits.
- The nice cream will store well in the freezer for up to 1 year
- You can also add the nice cream to smoothies and drinks
- Try topping with granola, nuts, seeds or even chocolate chips.
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It's perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
Shahzadi is an award-winning registered dietitian (RD) regulated by the College of Dietitians of Ontario and a certified diabetes educator (CDE), approved by the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board. A notorious foodie, she's dedicated to helping you end your cooking wars, transform your health, and be the best version of yourself! Shahzadi is an on-air nutrition expert for CTV Your Morning and a regular contributor to other national media outlets.
Hi!
This sounds really delicious. So, does using frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit make this desert (and other ice creams in general) more creamy/thick?? I'm not sure if my blender can handle ice 🙁
Also, how exactly do you freeze bananas? You mentioned peeling them, but do you cut them into chunks and then put into freezer bag? What stage of ripe-ness is best to freeze the banana? (over-ripe is still okay? I find those are super sweet and great for deserts like you mentioned)
Thanks!
What great questions, Ayesha! I tend to slice my bananas in small segments and then freeze them - making it easier on my blender 🙂 The frozen fruits certainly help with consistency and create an ice-cream cold delight. I love using really ripe bananas to avoid waste and added sweetness. thanks 🙂