Cool & Refreshing Strawberry Banana Cashew Ice Cream!

What your eyes now behold is this raw and creamy, cool and refreshing strawberry banana cashew ice cream {perfect for any hot summer’s day, if I do say so myself!}, which I somehow created without an ice cream maker! I just went for it. I was bold, brave and sweltering! I felt it was much too hot outside for a gal living a decent ways away from the equator. I was a little bit crazy. I was crazy for ice cream. Crazy for taking a stab at ice cream recipe creation without an ice cream maker. Or a lot crazy. It depends on who you ask. I wanted guilt-free, good-for-me ice cream after spending the entire day in the sun doing crazy things involving rocks and too much sand. There was a lot of crazy going on, yes, but healthy ice cream was enjoyed, so I cannot complain.

Here’s the thing. While crazy for delicious and ever nutritious homemade dairy-free, strawberry-rich ice cream, I wasn’t crazy at all about why I chose to prepare it with strawberries. I was smart! Besides being utterly delicious, strawberries are one heck of an intelligent berry. Can berries be intelligent? Well, yet again, this depends on who you ask, but I declare, “Yes, yes, they can!”

Why strawberries are for smarties: They contain phenolic antioxidants which are a class of antioxidants that improve our health by promoting weight loss, reducing disease rick, reversing inflammation and reducing pain. A reduction in inflammation promotes weight loss!! Multiple studies have found that chronic inflammation blocks hormones that keep us skinny! Reducing inflammation is one way that strawberries keep us skinny but they are also extremely low in calories and contain more nutrients per calorie than even blueberries! Anthocyanins, a chemical group in strawberries, increase the body’s production of a hormone known as adiponectin, which suppresses appetite and keeps you feeling fuller longer.

Strawberries also contain unique compounds that can halt cancer cell growth in their tracks {and obviously, these compounds prevent cancer too!}. Strawberries can stop cancer cells from proliferating more effectively than any other berry! Even blueberries don’t halt cancer growth like strawberries. Why is this the case??? Strawberries contain ellagitannins {not found in bluebs and most other fruits}, a unique and rare-ish phtyonutrient that can karate-chop cancer cells right in half! Well actually, that’s not really how it works on a cellular level, but the results are the same. Strawberries can fight cancer!

Conventionally grown strawberries are sprayed with more than 54 different pesticides, nine of which are known or probable carcinogens, so always buy organic!

Ingredients (makes enough for 2-3 servings):

1/2 cup raw cashews soaked in water over night 2 large frozen bananas, sliced 1 cup frozen organic strawberries ½ cup your fav nondairy milk 1 teaspoon ground Tahitian vanilla or vanilla extract ½ -1 teasoon Stevia (optional, can use to make sweeter) 1 tablespoon beetroot powder (for color, optional) Your favorite toppings (I used freeze dried raspberries)

Directions:

In a high-powered blender or food processor, blend (process) all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Adjust sweetness to taste. Pour into a glass container and freeze for at least 30 minutes, stir and freeze for another 30 minutes. Take out of the freezer and enjoy! For a harder ice cream, freeze for a longer period of time. A half hour of freezing will produce an ice cream texture similar to soft serve. It depends on what you enjoy! Summer days were meant for ice cream, but why not make your own version jam-packed salubrious strawberries and beneficial bananas and raw cashews? Don’t forget the vanilla. It’s critical for the best flavor! I like to top this ice cream and other homemade ice creams with ground flaxseeds for an additional nutrient punch too!

To learn more about the health benefits of strawberries and other berries, check out my book and/or visit World’s Healthiest Foods page on strawberries!