FOODIE FRIDAY - Banana Split Smoothie

When I was in my early teens my Mum had a friend named Katie.  She was funny, a little crazy (but in the good way) and had an apartment that was stylishly furnished with a lot of rose.  (rose was THE decor colour back then...along with mint green, a lot of potpourri, dead dried flowers wall hangings and the like).  So one day we went for a shopping road trip and along the way we stopped at Dairy Queen.  (all together now...MMMMM).

Back then (God, you'd think I was 89 years old with the 'back then' talk) I usually I stuck with the safe bet of a Reese's pieces blizzard. (still my favourite and am PISSED that they discontinued it and then think it's okay to substitute mine and ET's favourite chocolate candy morsels with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  Not even close to the same thing...do you hear me Ms. Queen of the Dairy??!) 


ANYWAY, that day Katie somehow convinced me to have a banana split.

"BANANA SPLIT!"...you ask ..."What the hell kind of person actually orders a BANANA SPLIT!?"  

I know, I was plenty dubious too.  But this was no regular ol' banana split, she advised me.  I must order it with peanut butter sauce.  Over the whole thing.  


Now, I must tell you, I am of the opinion that fruit has no business being in any sort of cookie,  cake,  ice-cream or pie (with the exception of Lemon Meringue or Wild Blueberry)  It's gotta be chocolate...or chocolate...and if it's topped off with some sort of caramel sauce or perhaps even more chocolate then I'm all over it.


With much hesitation I ordered this peculiar sounding 'banana split' and though it didn't look pretty I scarfed that thing down and looked just as unattractive as the very thing I inhaled.  It was beyond.  Just beyond.

 With that ridiculously roundabout intro I will leave you with a smoothie recipe for which this Banana Split with PB sauce was inspired...it's delicious, a lot healthier than the real banana split w/ PB and my kids go crazy for it.  Plus if you're into working out and keeping fit (as I once was 6 months ago - ugh), you could totally up the protein with a scoop of vanilla whey. (personally all protein powders make me want to vomit but that's just me - just the smell is utter wretchedness to my nostrils)  But did you know that Chocolate Milk is a great after work out drink?  Iiii know!  How great IS THAT?!

I use a Braun hand blender for my smoothies.  If you don't have one I would highly suggest purchasing one.  They're inexpensive, small, easy to clean and multi-purpose (I also puree soups and made my boy's baby food with it).

The hand blender also comes with a sturdy plastic cup that holds up to 2 cups of liquid.  Be sure never to fill it past the 500 ml line or you will have a fine mess to clean up.

*Please note that either (or both) the strawberries or bananas must be frozen to create the 'ice creamy' effect *

3/4 cup frozen sliced strawberries
1/2 large banana broken up
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1-2 tbsp pineapple tidbits
2 heaping tbsp of vanilla yogurt
Top all the goodness with chocolate milk - approx. 1.5 cups (you could technically use milk and then a Nestle Quick syrup but I prefer the full on sweety sweetness of the 'real' stuff like Beatrice or Neilson's)

Blend away and serve to your kiddies...or don't share and have it all to yourself.

This $#!^ is bananas!

*CUE MUSIC*  warning - this song contains explicit lyrics