banana split popsicles.

treat yourself these last few weeks of summer with a banana split popsicle! i used frozen banana and almond milk for a creamy, frozen texture along with dark chocolate and a maraschino cherry at the bottom! This frozen treat is not only delicious… but it also packs some health benefits:

bananas are high in potassium
bananas help digestive health
despite a banana’s sweet taste, it has a relatively low glycemic index (good for diabetes)
bananas help overcome depression and improves mood
bananas and dark chocolate contain antioxidants
both bananas and dark chocolate aid in weight loss
dark chocolate can help reduce stress

and on that note… here’s the recipe!

RECIPE: makes 5 popsicles

3 frozen bananas
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
5 maraschino cherries
1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels or chunks
2 tablespoons coconut oil
rainbow sprinkles
popsicle molds and popsicle sticks

INSTRUCTIONS:

place frozen bananas and almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth – if it’s too thick to pour, add more almond milk
pour mixture into popsicle molds
place one maraschino cherry in each mold on either side – don’t push it down, it will sink as it freezes – you want to be able to see it after putting chocolate over each popsicle!
cover each mold in foil and insert popsicle sticks
freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight
run each popsicle mold under warm water and gently pull the popsicle out
place each on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper
place chocolate chunks and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl
microwave for 30 seconds and stir – repeat until all is melted and smooth

note: i used coconut oil because of it’s ability to harden at a colder temperature, creating a chocolate “shell”