Do you remember Dibs?  They’re the little vanilla ice cream bites coated with milk chocolate.   Anyways, on the rare occasions that Dibs were in my house, my brother and I would go crazy – who wouldn’t?  It’s fun to just pop them in your mouth 🙂  Since our Dibs days are extinct, I made a healthier (like way healthier) version of these ice cream nuggets!

Little summary of these bites:

• four ingredients = banana + chocolate + Himalayan salt
• four steps
• no ice cream machine required

Let’s look at the nutrition:

• Banana – Most people know that bananas have potassium and magnesium, but they are also a great source of fiber: pectin, which can help protect against colon cancer, and resistant starch, which helps the gut bacteria.  They also improve insulin sensitivity and are good for a pre- and post-exercise snack.
• Dark chocolate – During my three weeks at Rochester for a medical program this summer, I took a class on vegan truffle making, where the owner of Laughing Gull Chocolates talked passionately about the way chocolate is processed and the importance of supporting fair trade.  This inspired me to change up chocolate brands, and for this recipe, I’ve used Endangered Species Dark Chocolate.  I like how Endangered Species donates to endangered animal charities to help wildlife thrive, and how they also honor farmers and support sustainable farming practices.  Nutrition wise, dark chocolate is full of organic compounds, like flavanols, polyphenols, and catechins, that act as antioxidants.  The flavanols can stimulate the endothelium (arterial lining) to produce nitric oxide, which ends up lowering the resistance to blood flow and therefore lowers blood pressure.  These flavanols can protect against sun damage and improve blood flow to skin 🙂 Dark Chocolate also raises HDL (good cholesterol)!  All the more reason to eat chocolate.
• Himalayan salt –   It’s said to be one of the most beneficial and purest salts available in the world.   It has 84 minerals and trace elements – calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron.  Since table salt is very processed, its minerals are eliminated.  Instead, high-quality Himalayan salt is usually mined by hand, therefore maintaining its minerals.

These ice cream bites are now one of my favorite afternoon snacks, and I especially like to add a little dollop of peanut butter on them to make a mini sandwich.  The peanut butter combination is great for athletes because the banana offers quick carbs, while the peanut butter offers some protein.  If you’re nut-free, opt for a sunflower butter – it’s equally delicious!

Enjoy!