Yonanas: Make guilt-free “ice cream” using only frozen fruit

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! Love ice cream but not all that adding sugar, calories, and other unhealthy junk? Former caterer/private chef Eileen McHale has created a product you can use at home to transform frozen fruit into a soft-serve treat without all the unnecessary additives: Yonanas.

With Yonanas, you’ll be able to make endless recipes of ice cream-like treats that are healthy, good-for-you, dairy-free, sugar-free, and fat-free. The addition of a banana helps create that smooth, creamy consistency we all love of ice cream. Add in other frozen fruits and berries or even frozen chocolate to create your own favorite mashup.

We had the opportunity to test a Yonanas for ourselves and were pleasantly surprised by the results. Personally, I’m a big fan of sorbet so I knew I’d like this from the get-go. Expecting the results to be similar to sorbet, I was amazed to see that end result really did mirror the consistency of soft-serve. The added banana does wonders for the creaminess of this treat.

The machine is simple and uncomplicated with only one button. Prep is easy; simply freeze your favorite fruits (making sure to include a cheetah-spotted banana  or two… they’ll be sweeter) for about 24 hours, allow to defrost slightly for approximately 5 minutes, then push through the machine. Cleanup is fairly easy too. All parts can be disassembled and washed in either warm, soapy water or ran through the dishwasher.

As if making your own guilt-free ice cream at home (especially pleasing to the little kiddies!), check out some of the health benefits of bananas:

• Bananas are rich in potassium, a mineral that helps in the building of muscles and protein synthesis.

• Bananas are high in fiber and contain no sodium, fat, or cholesterol. A single serving (one medium-sized banana) contains 16% of the daily recommended dietary fiber intake for the average adult.

• Bananas are known to have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

• Bananas may also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12, potassium, and magnesium found in bananas may help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

• Bananas are called “brain food” because they are rich in potassium and help the body’s circulatory system deliver oxygen to the brain. This may help maintain a regular heartbeat and a proper balance of water in the body.

• Some people call bananas the “good mood food” because their vitamin B6 and tryptophan content may help the mind relax so you feel happier. People suffering from depression, stress, PMS, hangovers, and anxiety have reported feeling better after eating a banana.

• Build better bones by eating bananas? Yes, enjoying bananas frequently as part of a healthy diet may help your body’s ability to absorb calcium.

• The banana is believed to be a “super food” because it is a natural source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, and even protein.

Yonanas is priced at $59.99, plus the cost of shipping and handling. You can order your own online at yonanas.com/shopping.

While you’re at it, check out their list of Yonanas recipes too.

^{Disclaimer: Samples were provided complimentary to PhoenixBites for review purposes. However, this has no effect on our opinions and comments regarding our experience. View our Disclosure Policy for further explanation.}