Cherry Vanilla Soft Serve with Brownie Sprinkles

This is for those days when you want ice cream, fast.  For the days when everything is going wrong, and one spoonful of anything delicious will make it right.  As a kid I loved soft serve ice cream.  There was something magical about watching someone pull a lever and swirl mounds of soft ice cream into a cone.  Now, if you really want the swirl, feel free to pipe this cherry vanilla ice cream from a pastry bag into your container of choice, but I personally find it just as tasty when dumped straight from the blender to the bowl.  Actually, knowing the only ingredients are frozen cherries, bananas, and unsweetened almond milk make this ice cream even better!  I know I don't miss all the fat, sugar, and fake flavorings.

Cherries are one of my favorite fruits.  Not surprisingly, I love anything with cherries in it.  Because cherries are not yet in season, I'm refraining from making cherry muffins, pies, and other treats with the fruit, but because frozen cherries are available year round, I couldn't resist indulging in this tasty soft serve ice cream.  I just had to add some of my raw brownies, chopped up into small "sprinkle" bits.  Why use sprinkles, when you can have brownie sprinkles?!  At least that's how I see it.  Cherries and chocolate are made for each other.  Personally, I think chocolate and anything are made for each other, but go with me on this one.  Add the brownie pieces.  And if you haven't made my raw brownies yet, I don't know what you're waiting for.  I have actually been eating them just about every day.  They are that good!

Eat this for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.  It's healthy, delicious, and ready in less than five minutes.  I love healthy (and versatile) treats that are fast, so when the craving hits, you are ready!  With spring in full swing, and summer just around the corner, you might want to pocket this recipe to have at the ready.  Treat yourself today, you deserve it!


Cherry Vanilla Soft Serve with Brownie Sprinkles

yield: one giant smoothie!

1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen cherries
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 raw brownies, chopped into small pieces

Directions:
Add everything except the brownie bits into a high speed blender (or food processor), and bend until smooth.  If you do not have a high speed blender, slowly add more milk until you are able to blend everything together.  Pour the ice cream into your serving container of choice, and sprinkle with the brownie bits.  Dig in!