Ic cream for breakfast? Mmhmm. Vegan strawberry swirl breakfast ice cream, that is.
A big bowl of the good stuff with a pretty pink swirl...
No surprises here, this vegan strawberry breakfast ice cream is made by blending fresh strawberries and frozen bananas. That's it. If you haven't tried banana ice cream yet, it's about time you hopped on the bandwagon. Often referred to as "nice cream," this whole food, plant-based alternative is surprisingly delicious and can be remixed and reworked in countless ways. It's cold, creamy, and thick with just the right amount of sweetness.
Added perk? Bananas are one of the best mood-boosting foods thanks to their tryptophan and B6 content. How do these two positively affect mood? Carbohydrates (e.g., sweet bananas) allow the brain to absorb tryptophan, and B6 swoops in to help convert tryptophan to serotonin. There are few foods that I feel an instant energy and mood boost from but bananas are one of them. I've been known to bound around the house and pop into obscure yoga poses after a late night bowl of banana ice cream. Dan calls this "the banana high". I don't disagree.
Quick recap: Ice cream + a side of happiness for breakfast? I'll take two, please.
To make this vegan strawberry breakfast swirl ice cream treat, you'll start by making the swirl. Add fresh strawberries, dates, a bit of water, and chia seeds to a blender, and blend until smooth. The chia seeds thicken the mixture so that it can be easily swirled into the strawberry "ice cream".
Next, you'll add strawberries and frozen bananas to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. You want it to maintain its thickness, so avoid adding water if you can. I like to use a food processor because my blender isn't powerful enough to blend frozen bananas without adding liquid. Of course the downside is having to clean a blender and a food processor, but I promise it's worth the extra scrubs and rinses.
Scoop the "ice cream" into a bowl, and dot the top of it with the strawberry chia swirl. Use a toothpick or the end of a chopstick to create swirls of the jam throughout the bowl.
Grab a spoon and dive into this big bowl of sweetness.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Swirl Breakfast Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Chia Swirl
- ¾ cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 dates, pitted*
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon grated beet (for color), optional
For the Strawberry-Banana Ice Cream
- 2 large frozen bananas
- ½ cup fresh strawberries
Optional Topping Ideas
- sliced strawberries
- hemp hearts
- coconut flakes
- pepitas
Instructions
To Make the Strawberry Chia Swirl
- Add the strawberries, dates, water, and chia seeds to a blender, and blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. If you want to enhance the pink hue, add the grated beet and blend for another 20-30 seconds. Let stand at room temperature or refrigerator for 10 minutes to thicken.
- This makes enough for 3-4 servings, so refrigerate leftovers to use later in the week.
To Make the Strawberry-Banana Breakfast Ice Cream
- Add the bananas and strawberries to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend or process until the mixture is creamy but still thick, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. If needed, add in water 1 tablespoon at a time to assist blending, but try to avoid if possible.
- Transfer the "ice cream" to a bowl. To create the swirl, use a small spoon to dot the top of the ice cream with the strawberry-chia jam. Use a toothpick or the end of a chopstick to create swirl patterns in the bowl.
- Sprinkle with additional toppings, if desired.
Notes
lynsey | lynseylovesfood says
yes!! i love ice cream for breakfast. I did a peach-raspberry one last summer... so good. thanks for sharing this pink beauty. xo
Ashley says
Me too, Lynsey! Peach-raspberry sounds amazing -- I have to checkout your recipe asap!
karen says
Mmmm I LOVE that you added dates in this ice cream! I do this type of thing quite often for my evening snacks but have never added dates. Love that idea! Thanks for the inspiration!! :)
Karissa @ Vegan A La Mode says
I can't wait until I can make this!! I'm hoping my bananas are ripe and ready to be frozen tonight so I can make this for breakfast tomorrow! It looks soo amazing :)
Ashley says
Thanks, Karissa!!
Laura at Creative Supergirl says
This is genius! A good for you ice cream for breakfast! I like the swirl too! My in laws gave us a "Yonanas" machine for Christmas a couple of years ago that makes frozen banana ice cream with other fruit. I never thought to do this for breakfast. But now I will! The kids will love it!
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Laura! A Yonanas machine sounds awesome, and I love that name -- kind of giggle-worthy. I hope you and your kids enjoy this recipe!
Shonalika says
LOVE it when the boundary between smoothie and ice-cream gets kind of blurred. This recipe looks divine!<3
George Smith says
do you have a full fat dairy version?
Ashley says
Hi, George! No, I don't. I'm sorry. I don't eat dairy.