Peanut Butter Chocolate “Nice Cream”
Today we are officially one month into 2016 and, therefore, it’s the perfect time to take a look back and evaluate how your year is going.
Have you been sticking to your New Year’s goals?
I’m proud to say that aside from a few minor transgressions, I’ve been doing pretty well!
Something that has been helping me along the way has been “nice cream,” aka faux-yo, aka frozen bananas pulverized into a froyo-like consistency.
I’ve talked about this creamy dreamy dessert many times here on the blog and shared glimpses of my nightly bowl on Snapchat. If you’re not following me yet, do it!! >> whitskitch
Anyway, there are several goals my beloved nice cream is helping me crush this year.
One is cutting out frozen yogurt (aka — my kryptonite). When I come within a one-mile radius of it, I lose all self-control and gravitate to it in a trance-like state. It’s not pretty.
Normally, I would say that it’s unnecessary to completely cut anything out of your diet unless you have an allergy to it, but in the case of frozen yogurt, I think my debilitating addiction warrants a full on boycott (for now).
Two is toning up. I’ve made it a goal to build a little more lean muscle this year and that means I’m working out A LOT. I upped my usual regimen of 4-5 days a week to 6 this year.
Extra workouts mean an increased emphasis on proper refueling, and by adding a little plant-based protein to my nice cream, I’ve got the perfect post-burn treat.
Third, this year I’m trying to up the nutrient density of my meals.
Nutrient density refers to the amount of vitamins and minerals food contains relative to it’s caloric content. For instance, broccoli is very nutrient dense — lots of nutrients, little cals. Real ice cream on the other hand is not. This means I’ve been trying to add more vegetables into my diet any way I can.
Which brings me to the final benefit of this drool-worthy nice cream — it has a secret, nutrient-packed ingredient: spinach.
I know what you’re thinking, “Ew, I don’t want to eat a fake ice cream that has spinach in it.” Let me reassure you, YOU CANNOT TASTE IT.
Spinach has such a mild flavor that the deliciousness of the peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas in this recipe totally masks any veggie-like essence you may expect.
In order to help me reach all these goals, theVitaminShoppe sent me a package recently filled with health-promoting products.
One of these was a packet of plnt Chocolate Protein Powder, which is a key ingredient in this Peanut Butter Chocolate Nice Cream, and the reason it’s great for a post-workout snack.
The protein powder provides muscle-building power, while the bananas aid in replacing your glycogen stores. Meanwhile, the peanut butter provides healthy fat to make sure this snack has staying power and that you won’t be hungry 20 minutes later.
All that, and it’s incredibly tasty. Enjoy.
- 2 Frozen Bananas
- 1 Packet Plnt Chocolate Protein Powder (or protein powder of choice)
- 1 T. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 T. Natural Peanut Butter
- ¼ C. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk*
- 1 Handful Spinach
- Add all ingredients to a high powered blender or food processor.
- Pulse under smooth and creamy.**
**If you're using a Vitamix, use the tamper to press down the contents. If you're using a food processor, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated.
In addition to protein powder, theVitaminShoppe has tons of other amazing products to help #getyourgoalon this year, like probiotics to promote a healthy gut, pedometers to inspire increased daily steps, coconut oil for healthy cooking, and much more.
Weigh In: What are your goals this year and what is helping you reach them? Have you made “nice cream” before?
This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Vitamin Shoppe.
Erin @ The Almond Eater says:
I love this and I love the addition of protein AND spinach. I’m also somewhat of an ice cream addict–particularly soft serve–so this is a much better alternative.
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says:
ooh creative adding the spinach into there! Yum
Krissy @ Pretty Wee Things says:
YUMMMMMMM! Nice cream is my favourite and I eat it almost daily! I haven’t tried peanut butter nice cream though! Must try! xx
Whitney English says:
Same! Grab that peanut butter next time – you will not be disappointed!!
Barely Vegan says:
What great goals!! I’m trying to cut out even more processed foods from my diet this year and make more of my condiments & things from scratch. I also want to start a little container garden once my husband and I move to LA this year (even though I hear the dry LA heat is brutal on gardens. :( We’ll see.). I love that you added the protein powder to the nice cream. Great recipe :)
Whitney English says:
How fun!! I’ve been dying to start a little garden but haven’t had the time. Maybe once you’re in L.A. you can come over and show me how :) xoxo
Jennifer Dene says:
So good Whit! Love that we’re on the same page with our ice cream tastes : )
My goal this year is to cut back on stimulants. Even though I only have one cup of coffee a day I’m definitely noticing that it’s starting to effect me and think I could take a few days off each week. Admittedly it’s a hard habit to break but I am working on it!
Let’s workout again soon XO
Whitney English says:
Yes! Banana faux-yo all day, everyday :)
And yes, definitely down for another sweat sesh soon! xo
Lauren Harris-Pincus says:
LOVE nice cream! I make it for breakfast all the time with protein powder.
Whitney English says:
I’ve only ever had it for dessert but I am certainly not opposed to eating it for bfast…or lunch…or dinner! Really 24/7 :)
Enrique Pasion says:
A very intriguing article and recipe on how a seemingly simple snack can be made healthy. Immediately tried to find out what made this “Nice Cream” and found the handful of spinach to be the hero.