Monkey’s Lunch Ice Cream Bars

These “ice cream” bars are so ridiculously simple to make (how much simpler can you get than four ingredients and a popsicle mold!?!) and so ridiculously delicious, it feels like cheating.  The secret is to use very ripe bananas, both for the sweetness they provide and the texture.  When combined with smooth almond butter, they make for a completely creamy ice cream-esque inside to these treats.

You could totally make these nut-free by substituting sunflower seed butter or tahini or a mix for the almond butter (I don’t  know if coconut butter would work texture wise, but I bet it would be super tasty too!).  And really, you could use any nut butter you want.  I just like the almond-banana combo (reminds me of peanut butter and banana sandwiches when I was growing up).

I keep the banana-almond popsicles in my freezer and then we dip in magic shell right when we’re ready to eat.  As a fun variation, you could immediately roll the popsicle in chopped nuts before the magic shell completely hardens.

I use classic cylindrical popsicle molds that I bought years ago (can’t remember what store).  They are similar to these Kidco popsicle molds.  However, if I was going to buy new molds (which I may do because I can’t be 100% certain that mine are BPA-free), I would either buy ones with a spout for drinking the melted liquid like these Danesco ones or buy these super cool Norpro Silicone Ice Pop Molds that are more like otter pops (or freezies if you’re Canadian), although something like these Tovolo molds would be a more usual shape for these ice cream bars (yeah, on second thought those Norpro ones might be a bit awkward for this recipe.  I still think they’re cool though) .

This recipe makes 10 ¼-cup sized popsicles (1 full mold and then two extra popsicles).  My kids can’t get enough of them.

Ingredients (Banana-Almond “Ice Cream”):

• 3 ridiculously ripe (like you’re about to throw them out ripe) bananas
• 3/4 cup smooth almond butter

1. For best consistency, blend bananas and almond butter together with an immersion blender.  For more fun with your kids, mash it all together with a fork until it’s as smooth as you can get it.
2. Spoon into popsicle molds.  Stick in the sticks and put it in the freezer until frozen (about 3-4 hours)

Ingredients (Chocolate Magic Shell):

• 6 oz Bittersweet Chocolate (I actually used 80% Equal Exchange, which is my favorite soy-free, dairy-free organic chocolate)
• ½ cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

1.  Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a small sauce pot over low heat or in the microwave on medium power.  Stir well.  Let cool (depending on your room temperature, it may stay liquidy).
2. Store in a glass mason jar at room temperature (it will keep for up to several months).

Assembly:

1. If your magic shell solidified during storage, gently reheat (about 30 seconds in the microwave is perfect in my house).
2. Remove a popsicle from the mold (running hot water on the outside is helpful with this).
3. Dip the popsicle in the magic shell.  Remove and hold over the magic shell while it drips (or immediately roll is some chopped nuts).  For a thicker chocolate shell, redip after the first dip solidifies.  Enjoy immediately.