Photos by Rebecca Denton Photography, Nashville Food Photographer

This healthy recipe is just as easy as it seems, and it’s vegan and dairy-free, too! I came across this frozen treat in Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook called It’s all Good, and I’ve made it numerous times in all seasons of the year. The rich, creamy texture of the ice cream paired with the crunchy, nutty topping really makes this dessert stand out, and kids love it, too.  It’s a guilt-free snack that has just a few ingredients, and you can keep bananas frozen up to a month so you can have everything ready to whip up in just a few minutes.

Easy Banana ‘Ice Cream’ with Roasted Almonds

Ingredients:

4 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

1/4 cup finely chopped roasted almonds

2 teaspoons plus 2 Tablespoons good-quality maple syrup, divided

A pinch of coarse sea salt

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Freeze the banana slices in a single layer on a tray or plate lines with parchment or wax paper. Once the slices are frozen, use them immediately or keep tfrozen in a zip-top plastic bag or airtight container for up to a month.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the almonds with 2 teaspoons of the maple syrup and the pinch of salt and set the mixture aside.

Combine the frozen banana slices, the almond milk, the remaining 2 Tablespoons of the maple syrup, and the vanilla in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is the texture of soft-serve ice cream, scraping down the sides as necessary. Don’t worry if the mixture is not totally smooth at first – once the bananas start to break down and defrost in the food processor, they’ll give in and the “ice cream” will take shape quickly.

Spoon the banana “ice cream” into bowls immediately and sprinkle each serving with a big of the almond mixture.

Makes about 1 pint.