In my never-ending quest to satisfy my sweet tooth and provide a worthy alternative to my favorite indulgence, ice cream–not an easy task, mind you!–I hit upon this gem of a dessert.
My kids started the mango craze in our house a couple of years ago. They consider mangoes a real treat…sweet like candy. Once I discovered an easy way to cut them and realized they taste the sweetest when they are a little softer than you think they should be, I started buying them more frequently.
After ages of enjoying the mango’s utterly sweet yumminess all by itself, I started wondering why I didn’t cook with them. As much as this fruit is perfect all by itself, I just knew that the flavor and texture would lend itself beautifully to all kinds of recipes. Since then, I’ve made salads, salsas, smoothies, and muffins which all benefit from the unique sweetness and velvety texture of this tropical fruit.
In my ever-growing collection of recipes I have invented aimed at tasting-as-good-as-ice-cream-but-being-healthier, I have often used frozen bananas as a base. (Two of my favorites are Honey Peanut Butter “Ice Cream” and Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter “Ice Cream”.) The bananas provide good creaminess and natural sweetness. In this case, the mango flavor shines and the banana flavor is a subtle undertone. The addition of Greek yogurt adds to the creamy, smooth texture while contributing protein and calcium as well. Refreshing on a warm day, this dessert truly satisfies while being packed with healthy nutrients. As I think about it, a mango freeze would taste pretty great for breakfast or lunch, too!
Helpful hint: The simplest way to cut a mango is to slice from top to bottom along the flat side of the pit. You will end up with two oval-shaped pieces. Holding in your palm, slice the flesh vertically and horizontally without cutting all the way through the skin. Invert the pieces so the cubes stick out (as in the photo below), then carefully run your knife under the cubes to remove. My kids love to invert them and eat the pieces right off the skin. One of these pieces packed in their lunch box is a favorite…and easy!
Mango Freeze
Ingredients
- 1 banana, cut in chunks and frozen
- 1 cup fresh mango, diced (see note)
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I use Chobani 2% Greek yogurt)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
- At this point, the dessert is ready to eat and will be soft set. If you prefer it firmer, place in freezer for a half hour to an hour.
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