Fork and Beans

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Raw Vegan Banana Splits

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This weekend here in Los Angeles we were experiencing a record-breaking heat wave. It was 90 degrees. Look, I’m not saying that to rub it in. That heat is miserable to me. I’m like a cranky old woman in desperate need of a nap when it’s that hot. (Not to mention I wasn’t all that fond of the earthquake that followed Monday morning. Earthquakes–they scare the Speckaloos out of me). I say all of that as my transition to talk about ice cream because crafty transitions are what I’m all about (and clearly not so good at). But back to ice cream–it’s what I have been craving the past couple of days. So ice cream I made. In fact, I invented the Fork & Beans’ (online) Raw Vegan Ice Cream Shoppe (not a real thing). Serving up raw vegan milkshakes, root beer floats (though those aren’t exactly raw but still!) and raw vegan banana splits to cool me down.

RELATED: Dairy Free Banana Pudding

Refined sugar free, these Raw Vegan Banana Splits are full of fruit and nuts to make this classic dessert into a healthier, more energizing option!

Let’s first chat about the raw hot fudge, caramel sauce, and nondairy whipped cream. Then again, who doesn’t want to talk about sweet, rich, decadent sauces and toppings that happen to actually be good for you? Don’t answer if that is you. What’s that you say? Maraschino cherries and sprinkles aren’t healthy for you? If you want to live a life without those, go on with your bad self. I’ll take your portion. Just replace with fresh cherries and omit the sprinkles. But that would be a damn shame…

RELATED: Breakfast Banana Splits

Refined sugar free, these Raw Vegan Banana Splits are full of fruit and nuts to make this classic dessert into a healthier, more energizing option!

 Phew. Are you still with me? Good! Look, I know that this seems like an overwhelming recipe but I promise you when I say that it’s not rocket surgery.* And I’m sure that some of you are thinking to yourselves, why on God’s green earth doesn’t she just buy a damn container of premade vegan ice cream and call it a day? It’s like what I always say: I enjoy this crap. I really do. Oh and did I mention that there is no refined sugar in these Raw Vegan Banana Splits? Maybe that might be a selling point…

*I want you to know that I know it’s actually rocket science. 

Refined sugar free, these Raw Vegan Banana Splits are full of fruit and nuts to make this classic dessert into a healthier, more energizing option!

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Raw Vegan Banana Splits - Fork & Beans

Raw Vegan Banana Splits

  • Author: Fork & Beans
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 2 Banana Splits 1x
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Ingredients

For Raw Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream

  • 2 c. raw unsalted macadamia nuts or cashews, soaked for 2+ hours, drained
  • 2 c. water
  • 1 c. (approx.18) Medjool dates, soaked for 2+ hours and drained
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (optional, for that smooth texture)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • pinch of sea salt
  • *This will be divided into thirds for the strawberry and chocolate ice cream base.

For Raw Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream

  • 1/3 of vanilla ice cream base
  • 1 c. frozen strawberries

For Raw Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

  • 1/3 of vanilla ice cream base
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder)
  • pinch of sea salt

For the Rest:

Instructions

  1. In a high-speed blender (you need this), blend together the ingredients for the vanilla ice cream base until smooth. You want this to be on the thick side but not too thick like nut butter. It should whip up in the blender with some ease. Add 1 tablespoon at a time to attain the right consistency.
  2. Place 1/3 of the mixture into a container and place in the freezer.
  3. For the chocolate ice cream: Add 1/3 of the vanilla base, cocoa powder, avocado and salt together in the blender until smooth. Place into a container and place in the freezer.
  4. For the strawberry ice cream: First rinse out the blender. Add the remainder 1/3 vanilla ice cream base along with the frozen strawberries and blend until smooth. Place into a container and chill in the freezer.
  5. It should take about 2-3 hours for the cream to set. You will get 2 very large scoops of ice cream per flavor. Top with all the goodies your heart desires.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 3879
  • Sugar: 219g
  • Sodium: 579mg
  • Fat: 291g
  • Saturated Fat: 47g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 35g
  • Carbohydrates: 339g
  • Fiber: 60g
  • Protein: 47g
  • Cholesterol: 105mg

 

RELATED: Raw Skillet Brownies

Refined sugar free, these Raw Vegan Banana Splits are full of fruit and nuts to make this classic dessert into a healthier, more energizing option!

I don’t know about you but I’m more exhausted writing this recipe out then actually making it. Now let’s go eat raw vegan banana splits, shall we? We deserve it after all, right? I mean, you just read this entire post and I just wrote it. Who brought the spoons? 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This recipe looks like it requires a lot of steps, but I think i’ll manage. It looks delicious, especially since summer is coming up!

    Reply

  6. Amazing dessert Cara! 😀
    Looks so delicious and SO terribly tempting! It’s too late here (it’s past midnight in Barcelona, Spain) but I’d so run to the kitchen and eat this raw vegan banana split. Haven’t enjoyed one in ages…*sigh*.

    xoxo

    Reply

  8. Banana splits! Woo hoo! Yummmmm. I was going to say you can up to Alaska to escape the heat…but…we have oodles of earthquakes. They don’t scare me but throw a tornado warning at me and I am gone like the wind. We obviously don’t get those up here. This looks like the perfect dish to beat the heat.

    Reply

  11. Oh Lordy Lord!! If it wasn’t for the never ending winter up North in Canada, I would be alll over this banana split, eating it while attempting to do a split (to burn off all the calories):D

    Thanks for the recipe, Cara! Looks great 🙂 Bookmarking for warmer days, for sure!

    Reply

  12. Oh wow. WOW. That’s ridiculous! I had no idea that your post was actually about healthy stuff until I read the actual recipes. Don’t you love that? Convincingly indulgent yet good for you! Genius work. Amazing post. I will be getting my mitts into these recipes asap! x

    Reply

    • See now, that is the best kind of compliment. Getting healthy food to actually look decadent and not-so-good for you! Hooray, I tricked you 🙂

      Reply

  13. Wow your recipes look amazing. And your photography is absolutely gorgeous. I stumbled upon your website recently and I’m hooked. But seriously, those photos of the “ice cream” look like real dairy ! Mouth watering . I haven’t been able to enjoy any dairy in quite a long time and sorely miss real dairy ice cream (altho my hips don’t,! Lol). Can’t wait to try your recipes. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Good grief Liz, what a super sweet thing to say–thank you so much! I hope you love what you find over here and if you have any questions, just let me know. xo!

      Reply

  15. AHHHH! Love this!! Not so crazy about the heat, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever experienced an earth quake… but definitely filing this one away for a summer picnic/party/potluck!! Great way to celebrate the Spring equinox! 😀

    Also, just wanted to make sure you know I LOVE the idea of a F&B ice cream food truck! Brillllliant 😉

    Reply

    • You never WANT to experience an earthquake but a raw vegan banana split? Oh yeeeeesssss.
      Putting ice cream food truck on the list of things to do. haha

      Reply

  16. Hi Cara!! Love this recipe!!! Looks delicious and I can’t wait until it is warm enough on the ice coast to make this!!!

    About the coconut whipped cream- I actually detail how to do this step by step in one of my YouTube videos! (The video is how to make a gluten free, vegan Pumpkin Roll- the coconut whipped cream starts at about 6 minutes in!)If you’re interested:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gHvGA7NwGM

    https://alovelysideproject.wordpress.com/

    xo, Lauren

    Reply

  17. OK seriously you are a fricken genius with all of this. I seriously love how creative you are with your recipes and how much fun you have. This recipe is killer!! I can’t wait to try your ice cream, too. Thanks so much for linking up to my coconut cream tutorial, you’re the best 😉

    Reply

  18. A vegan banana split bar would be a dream come true…even better if it was in an Airstream food truck that would drive to my neighborhood right now. 🙂
    Thanks for the recipes…cheers!

    Reply

  19. you are an amazing woman. i was actually in panic mode looking through these pictures, thinking about how much i want to recreate EVERYTHING. when will i find the time? i don’t know… but i feel like it’s a must.

    Reply

    • No panicking! I will feed you ice cream to calm you down. haha. Come over and I will personally spoon feed you 🙂

      Reply

  22. Love your post about the snow and the heat you are experiencing. We’re in Sacramento and it’s been very nice up here, in the 70’s. Company is coming from the East Coast next week and the Banana Splits will be a great treat. Our friend turned us on to vegan. Thanks.

    Reply

  23. These blow my mind! I will def be making! Okay I totally have to ask, do you eat all your recipes? You’re just so skinny I can’t imagine you eating anything that’s not celery! I’ve heard if bloggers making things but not eating them and it is so peculiar to me

    Reply

    • haha. Well first of all, thank you JL–I really hope you like this recipe–it was such a fun thing to create! And yes, I do in fact eat what I make 🙂 I need to know if it’s good enough to post here (or at least that is what I tell myself–ha). I fully support a lifestyle of balance, I really do. I never deprive myself or label certain foods “BAD.” If I want potato chips, I eat them (and I do so on a weekly basis–true story!) and I probably drink more scotch than I should 🙂 But the truth is I really do have to work hard to maintain where I am at. If I had to choose between never eating French fries again or working an extra 20 minutes at the gym I would choose the latter in a heartbeat. I love food too much.

      Okay, did I give a long response or what??! Much love, xo!

      Reply

  24. I am a major hot weather person but I live in the Tundra. This year has been so bad I can’t even imagine making or eating ice cream right now, but I’m definitely going to save this for the day when mother nature will allow me to enjoy this!

    Reply

  25. 90 degrees – Really? and who gets excited over a 4.4….hmmm? Makes me homesick 🙁
    Now I want that banana split – looks amazing!
    XOXOXO

    –

    Reply

    • My 3 most favorite things about the earthquake:
      1). Matt’s reaction. He was literally pulling my arm, dragging me out of my fogging state of mind yelling “Earthquake!!” and trying to get me under a door frame. Funny part? He hit his shin on the bed in the midst of it, making him the one and only hurt victim of such a massive 4.4 earthquake.
      2). The look of the new reporter’s face when he realized it was an earthquake. Just utter fear.
      3). The news. Stopping everyone on the street to describe what they felt. THEY FELT THE EARTH SHOOK, you dummies!
      Move back now! We can share a banana split 🙂 xo

      Reply

  27. Phew. That was more work than making the ice cream! Everything looks so amazingly good (yeah, THAT’s a surprise). Anyway it’s on my increasingly long list of Fork & Beans recipes to make when all those Chiropractors I’ve been seeing finally set my ribs and I am once again pain free. Of course the Cinnamon Rolls would probably do the same because they’re magic. They must be, you made them. <3

    Reply

    • Girl, you BETTER get pain free stat or I will have to shove ice cream down your throat until you do 🙂

      Did that work?
      xo

      Reply

      • It will. When do you arrive? 😉 Seriously I’m on the 3d Chiropractor and it’s gonna be a while but the screaming has stopped. See? Earthquakes aren’t the only fun to be had. <3

        Reply

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