Archive for My Blog

Guest Post: The Yonana: Vegan Ice Cream Made Easy

I had to take April off from the Cooking Tool of the Month feature because I was just too busy with things. But today Samantha is sharing her love of a very special cooking tool with us, Yonanas! I've heard quite a few people are going crazy for this machine. Seems like a great way to make healthful treats for you and your family!

As a vegan, it can be difficult to give up certain things like ice cream or frozen yogurt. But with this new invention, all of that can change. Yonanas makes it possible for vegans to make their own “ice cream” or “frozen yogurt” using frozen bananas as a base. Not only is this revolutionary, but it’s also better than buying ice cream because you get to pick which flavor you want to make. The machine can blend almost anything. I have not run into any problems with mine not blending properly and I blended chocolate, almonds and dried fruit. 

There are six parts included in the Yonanas and they can be easily stored and cleaned. Make sure to take it apart to clean completely after each use. The way it works is you peel ripe bananas (make sure they’re as ripe as possible, browning a bit, because that will give you the most flavor). Let them sit in the freezer for 24 hours before using in a recipe. Once they are ready for use, pull the top of the Yonanas and insert the banana into the long tube. Best results come when using two bananas because you need to begin blending with a banana and end with one if you are using other ingredients. It ensures that there is enough of a base for which to blend the other ingredients. If you decide you don’t want to use bananas, you can use another frozen fruit instead.

Another perk to the Yonanas machine is that when you add other ingredients, like chocolate or nuts, they blend right into the mixture, just like real ice cream, rather than sitting on top. 

Unfortunately, the Yonanas is slightly pricy. I got mine for $50 at Target, but it was the best $50 I have ever spent. I have certainly gotten my money’s worth. 

I have included five of my favorite Yonanas combinations. The Yonanas comes with a recipe booklet of its own with suggestions from the company and they have even more on their website, so if you don’t like anything you see here, you can check those out as well. 

The Nutty Peach

This is one of my favorites because the almonds are blended throughout the entire bowl and provide a nice crunch to the smooth texture of the fruit.

2 frozen bananas
5 frozen peach slices
1 handful of unsalted roasted almonds

Place one frozen banana, five frozen peach slices, a handful of unsalted roasted almonds and another frozen banana into the blender. Process through Yonana. Scoop out excess from bottom.

Ants in the Mud

This recipe is inspired from the healthy snack “Ants on a Log.” The peanut butter thickens the mixture to a more ice-cream-like texture. If you want to make it more of a dessert, replace the raisins with some dark vegan chocolate.

2 frozen bananas
2 tablespoons organic unsalted peanut butter
1 handful of raisins

Place one frozen banana, peanut butter, raisins, then second banana into tube. Process through Yonana and scoop out excess from bottom.

Berrylicious

Take a plunge into summer with this bright mixture. The dried cranberries add a little bite to the sweet frozen berries.

2 frozen bananas
1 tablespoon frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon frozen blueberries
1 handful dried cranberries

Place one frozen banana, raspberries, blueberries, dried cranberries into Yonana, and finish with last banana. Process and scrape out excess.

Apricot a la Banana

A simple, but delicious combination—the apricot and banana complement each other, adding both a soft and chewy texture.

2 frozen bananas
1 handful dried apricots 

Insert 1 frozen banana. Top with apricots and finish with second banana. Process and remove excess.

The Apple Pie

In other words, the next best thing to grandma’s apple pie in ice cream form. You can get creative with this one and add some walnuts or rolled oats. Raisins would also taste great with it. The applesauce gives it a thinner texture, so if you want a thicker dessert, skip the applesauce.

2 frozen bananas
5 dried apple slices
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Insert 1 frozen banana, dried apple slices, applesauce, cinnamon into tube and top with last banana. You may have to process as you go to fit everything in. I stopped the machine before adding the last banana. Scrape out excess when finished.

I encourage you to share this with your non-vegan friends. They will be amazed that it is even better than ice cream and so much healthier.

Samantha Wood is a sophomore journalism student at Boston University’s College of Communication. She has been a vegan for a little over a year and is thankful for her decision every day she wakes with more energy. She loves cooking vegan meals and sharing them with others through her blog. One day she hopes to move to California and work for a food magazine so that she can help share the power of eating healthy.