Chocolate-covered frozen bananas. Need I say more? Yes. It tastes just like frozen banana split. Is that a thing everywhere around the world? It sure is here in Germany. If you don’t know what a banana split is: it’s a split banana with vanilla icecream, chocolate sauce and usually lots of whipped cream. Not in this version. ‘Cause this is a healthy blog.

I came up with this idea just this week, because, as you might know: we have a major heat wave in Europe. Not just in the South, but there are temperatures in the 30s (celcius) registered in Scandinavia. That’s insane and not something we, nature or the animals are used to. It breaks my heart to see fish dying, plants dying and the elder people in the nursing homes struggle with this weather.

But now to these chocoalte covered frozen bananas. They are everything you’ll need for a fun weekend time. If you have kids and they like bananas (many kids don’t apparently), then please make them with your kids. IT IS SO MUCH FUN! Since we freeze the bananas before dipping them into the chocolate, the glaze will dry immediately, which is so cool! You got to be extra quick to sprinkle the toppings onto the glaze as it dries so quickly, even in 27 °C hot kitchens. Yeah, my kitchen is not the place to be during this heat wave.

Also, I’ve found a way to substitute the often hard to find cacao butter that I usually make my chocolate with. Turns out, you can just as easily use coconut oil to make divine tasting chocolate and chocolate glazes. Another benefit is that coconut oil is already liquid in the summer if you keep it out of the fridge. This saves you one step of the process – a lifesaver in temperatures like our current heat wave.

If you’re not too keen on eating bananas these days, because you’ve heard about their high sugar content, let me tell you a little bit about bananas. Yes, they are high in fructose and high in energy, but the difference between a chocolate bar and a banana is the high fiber and mineral content in bananas. Not only does the fiber prevent the blood sugar level from spiking, it also aids digestion. There is also a reason why athletes love eating bananas: their high potassium content regulates blood pressure and supports a healthy heart. All the more reasons to eat a banana a day.

Now, have fun making these delicious summer treats!

xx

Lynn

Enjoy!

The post Frozen chocolate covered bananas appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

It’s gonna be a sunny week in Germany, and so I prepared some healthy strawberry coconut popsicles, to keep us cool when temperatures reach 30°C tomorrow. Germany may not be known for its outdoorsy culture, but as soon as temperatures reach the 20°Cs (70s in Fahrenheit), you will see people everywhere. Our little old town districts are flooded with crowds, people are sitting in the little cafes or restaurants, in our parks or in their backyards barbecueing. Though I love strolling through our old town districts with its many ice cream places, I was never really into ice cream. I know this sounds totally strange, but it’s true. I am not an ice cream person. I’ve tried all sorts of ice cream, and I even had the supposedly best gelato ever in Venice, Italy, but it’s just not something that I love. Binge-eating ice cream when you are said is also something that I can absolutely not relate to as I cannot eat anything when I’m not feeling well. So it wasn’t until I discovered healthy ice cream, that I actually grew fond of the cold dessert. I tried making my own popsicles about three years ago, and I have been hooked ever since. There is something so magical about making your own ice cream from real, natural fruits that you will never want to go back to the store-bough kind. These popsicles actually taste like strawberry, because, well, they are made with fresh, locally grown strawberries. Like all berries, strawberries are bursting with antioxidants, which I have really come to love ever since I started my program to become a nutritional health coach. I keep telling everyone about the benefits of antioxidants, and I think I’m already boring everyone around me with details. Well, thankfully I have a blog with readers who actually appreciate this knowledge (I assume). So be prepared to hear a lot more about antioxidants in the future.

The white layer in these healthy strawberry coconut popsicles is a mix of coconut cream and raw honey. If you are vegan, feel free to substitute the honey with rice malt syrup. I love the health benefits of raw honey as it has amazing anti-bacterial properties. Coconut milk contains lots of nutrients such as B-vitamins, which are promote heart health and support the energy production in our body.

Combined with the sweetness of the strawberries and raw honey, these popsicles are a welcome treat for hot summer days. They are also kid-friendly, and make a great summer surprise treat for barbecue parties.

Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe or have any suggestions, questions or comments?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

The post Healthy Strawberry Coconut Popsicles appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Spring has finally arrived in Germany and that means you see people wandering around with ice cream scones in their hands everywhere. Ice cream reminds me of summer, warm weather, vacation, ice cream dates, and barbeque with friends. Since the temperatures have been gradually increasing these past few weeks, I have been craving ice cream myself, which is why I went back to my favorite snack last summer: frozen bananas. This may sound strange but it was my go-to-snack in the United States when I was writing my bachelor’s thesis, and it kept me sane during that time. It’s the healthiest ice cream you will ever find, and completely free of nasty additives or refined sugars. It also has only one ingredient, which I think is great.
While banana ice cream is amazing, I wanted to add a little extra touch of goodness to it. Fortunately rhubarb is in season right now, and I love rhubarb. I literally cannot get enough of it, which is why you will see me posting lots and lots of rhubarb recipes soon.
For this ice cream you will really only need three ingredients: rhubarb, strawberries, and bananas. You also won’t need an ice cream maker, which is another great feature of this recipe. All you need is a blender, and it doesn’t even have to be a very strong one.
You will also never believe how much goodness you can give your body by eating this ice cream. Bananas are basically nature’s candy, so sweet, creamy and delicious. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, the most prominent being potassium. Potassium is important for a healthy heart as well as blood pressure, which is my excuse to eat this ice cream even for breakfast. Potassium is also an important mineral for active people, because it can cure muscle cramps. Rhubarb is another one of those healthy fruits that we do not eat enough of. It’s a good source of calcium and vitamin K, which is vital for blood clotting. As most fruits, rhubarb is a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease. Note that only cooked rhubarb contains this antioxidant, you will not get it into your system if you eat it raw, which I wouldn’t recommend anyways because raw rhubarb is pretty sour in taste.
This really is the healthiest ice cream you will ever find. It is simply amazing! I would love to hear your thoughts on it in the comment section below.

Health Benefits in this Rhubarb Strawberry Banana Icrecream:
– calcium (important for bone, teeth, muscle and nerve health)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– potassium (lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure)
– vitamin C (good for your immune system, tissue health)
– vitamin K (important for blood clotting and healthy bones)

Ingredients:
– 3 frozen bananas
– 2 cups (200g) rhubarb
– 6 strawberries (or more if desired)
– 1 vanilla pod/bean (optional)
– 2 tbsp agave

Before you make this ice cream, you need to cut the bananas into pieces and freeze them for at least 5-6 hours.

Once the bananas are frozen, wash and cut the rhubarb into small pieces. Add them to a small saucepan together with the vanilla pod and agave, and cook it for about 10-15 minutes until it is completely broken down. Remove the saucepan from the stove, pour the rhubarb into a separate bowl, remove the vanilla pod (important!) and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Now add the cooled rhubarb to the blender together with the strawberries (stems removed) and the frozen bananas. Blend until you have a smooth ice cream. Add more agave or strawberries if desired.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

The post Rhubarb Strawberry Banana Ice Cream appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.