Coconut & Banana Ice Cream Parfait with Chia Pudding & Blueberries

As you may or may not know, refined/processed sugar is probably one of the worst carbohydrates one could possibly eat, but oh so hard to resist! UGH!  Refined sugar should be eliminated as much as possible from one’s diet when facing a disease such as cancer, and consumed in moderation by anyone and everyone to prevent disease.  Ever wonder why, when getting a PET scan, you are injected with “radio-active glucose,” aka sugar?!  If cancerous cells are present, the glucose travels directly to those cells and is quickly absorbed by the cancer, because cancer thrives off of sugar.  It always boggles my mind that such information is rarely shared with patients by doctors/oncologists.  Needless to say, I have eliminated refined sugar from my diet and have come up with healthier ways to satisfy my sweet-tooth cravings.

This Coconut & Banana Ice Cream Parfait with Chia Seeds and Blueberries is a healthy desert alternative loaded with nutrients.  It contains no refined sugar whatsoever, only natural sugars from the fruits.  It’s simple to make, and delicious! …..Goes to show that you don’t need sugar to make amazing desserts.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Chia Pudding:

* 1 tablespoon of chia seeds

* 1/2 cup of organic almond milk

* 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut

* 1 tablespoon of stevia

For the Banana Ice Cream:

*  2 large frozen, organic bananas

*  1/2 cup of organic coconut water

*  1 tablespoon of cashew butter or 10-15 roasted cashews

*  1 table spoon of stevia (plant-derived sugar substitute)

*  3-4 tablespoons of fresh, organic blueberries for topping

Here’s What To Do:

*  The chia seed mixture must be made first.  Combine the chia seeds, almond milk, shredded coconut and stevia into a glass and stir it well.  Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  For best results, prep this mixture and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

*  Prior to serving, blend the bananas, coconut water and cashew butter (or roasted cashews) together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

*  In an empty glass, add 2 tablespoons of the banana ice cream, followed by the prepared chia seed mixture.  Add some fresh blueberries on top of the chia seed pudding.  Then add the remaining banana ice cream…this gives it the layered appearance as pictured.  Lastly, garnish the parfait with the rest of the fresh blueberries.  You can even add  some crushed cashews for an extra added touch. Your delicious parfait is now ready to be served!  Enjoy!

XO