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Jane Deegan's avatar

It all looks so devine and always. Now I'm hungry. Thanks for sharing your food adventures with us

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Leah Baumgartner's avatar

Thank YOU for reading Jane!! 🥰

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Adrian Neibauer's avatar

In your food travels, have you ever seen banana ice cream, made with real bananas, not artificial banana? I’ve spent most of my adult life searching for banana ice cream. I found it once as a kid at a Coldstone, but they discontinued the flavor and I’ve not been able to find it since. 😞

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Leah Baumgartner's avatar

Okay this is a great question and I have one unhelpful answer. I have had an amazing banana-centric gelato from Bacio di Latte which has 9 locations in Southern California. However, it is a SEASONAL flavor called “Yellow and Caramello” with fresh bananas, chocolate and caramel. It is delicious!!

Artificial banana is such a letdown…. It always tastes synthetic so I totally understand your search for real banana desserts.

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Leah Baumgartner's avatar

Also if you’re curious here’s a link to an IG post from last September with the details: https://www.instagram.com/p/CxYqkWDypX8/?igsh=N2lidHB2M3dzMnhy

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Adrian Neibauer's avatar

Ok, this looks DELICIOUS!!🤤 Sounds like I need to get myself to SoCal. Thanks!

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Kert Lenseigne 🌱's avatar

As a vegan, I’ve made banana ice cream by simply freezing banana segments. Without adding any milk, I add the banana’s a blender and add in some peanut butter, a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract, and cocoa powder if I’m feeling the need for more decadence. Blend until smooth. If the consistency is too soft for my texture/taste, back in the freezer it goes for a period of time. It is quite good! You can experiment with a lot of add-ins to suit your tastes from the banana base. (Btw: to freeze the bananas properly, I cut whole, peeled bananas into inch-long segments and stand them on their ends on a cookie sheet that will fit in my freezer). YUM!!!

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Adrian Neibauer's avatar

This sounds simple and delicious. Thank you for the tip! Do you find that the more ripe the bananas, the stronger the banana flavor?

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Kert Lenseigne 🌱's avatar

Oh, yes. Good catch. The best flavor actually comes from bananas that are almost over ripe—they should be browning quite a bit on the outside of the peel.

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Kert Lenseigne 🌱's avatar

Okay, there are some great vegan options for ice “cream” desserts. I’m here in Palm Springs right now and just tried my very first date shake with a vegan soft serve at a parlor called Lapperts. SOOO yummy! I need to have another before I head back home.

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Leah Baumgartner's avatar

Amazing! I just looked up Lapperts and it looks like they have so many intriguing flavors!! Including... banana!! Nothing beats a cold dessert in the hot desert. And you're in date country so I can only imagine how divine that was!

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Kert Lenseigne 🌱's avatar

Oh, I could tell ya all about it but I’m not near as good a food writer as someone else I know.

(but it is divine!).

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Kristen Luiso's avatar

this line: love at first lick (!!) is so good. the green curry ice cream sundae with that caramelized fish sauce banana looks worthy enough to book a flight to Chicago for!

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