Skinny Orange Sherbet Ice Cream (100th post!)

I really should've had a more special recipe for my 100th post, but sometimes simple is best. :)

This banana ice cream thing has become one of my new favorite summer treats.

Okay, all frozen fruit has become my favorite thing. 


Seriously, I think I could live off of it. Well, until I see peanut butter and avocados, but bags of frozen strawberries and blueberries and cherries disappear at our house all the time.

Why are you looking at me that way?

The last three weeks, me and my brothers have been doing the summer golf tournaments. I missed the first one (because I had played once this year and didn't feel like embarrassing myself) but the last two I've played in. 

I can't quite figure out my feelings about golf.  It's weird, I know, considering they are my feelings. I do really enjoy golf. Some people say its not really a sport or that it's boring. Well, I've learned never to call a sport (or anything for that matter) boring until you take the time to learn about it. 

I think baseball is pretty un-exciting. But I haven't taken the time to learn about the strategies or why it takes a crazy amount if innings to run around bases in the ridiculously hot sun or why diving into walls for a baseball is applaudable. (Okay, I'm not that naive, but it's all in the name of a point!)  When people say golf is boring, I wonder whet they come up with that. Golf is the only sport where the playing field changes. Every other sport has a court or rink or field that is the same size every time. In golf, each hole is different. Each course is different. You are dealing with a new terrain every couple shots. That adds a whole different dimension to the sport. 

Also, in golf, short stuff matters. The person who misses two 1 foot putts on the green could get the same score as the person who makes an incredible chip in for par. (Par is the number of shots it should take you to get the golf ball in the cup, or hole. If its a par four, it should take you three shots (a birdie is one shot below par) to get it in the hole. They give you four so you can par, or stay even. If you shoot a five, or one over par, it's called a bogey.  Just a little background:)

Depending on the difficulty of the course, you could miss your two foot putt by an inch and have that putt roll off the green, forcing you to chip and putt again. You could be losing to someone by three or four shots and in one hole that could all change. They could shoot a double bogey and you could shoot a birdie. Just like that, the tables have turned. 

I enjoy the challenge of golf. This year, I've felt like I can really enjoy playing it as well. I've never been as passionate about golf as my brothers. And, being in the sum during the summer caused me to become dehydrated and get really painful headaches. Golfing was hard physically and then became hard mentally. Golf is very much a mental game (but aren't all sports?:)

 

Yesterday, we had gorgeous weather. And I didn't get tired at all, even though a typical round takes four hours and in a tournament, you walk the whole way while carrying your golf bag. 

Best if all, I had a personable partner.  I've always played in threesomes or foursomes, but yesterday it was just me and another girl, Anna, in my group. She was talkative, genuine, and not perfect. Of course, you say, no ones perfect. Okay, for years I played with this girl who was do incredibly talented at golf. I mean, at age 12, she was playing better than most high school seniors. I would go into tournaments dreading her. Her and her perfect shots. Her and her sunglasses. (I love spying on people from behind mine, but I can't stand but when other people do it. She was such a quiet and focused person, I knew she wasn't "spying" but it scared me anyways.). Her and her nonconversational attitude. (She was focused!  She had a golf tournament to compete in. She wasn't going to be distracted by small talk which is a good thing. I however, like talking. It's like a de stresser for me. I process out loud. So competing quietly, rarely congratulating, rarely smiling or showing emotion, kind of unnerved me.)

Basically, I went into tournaments wanting to win and knowing I couldn't, because Miss Tiger Woods lived next door. 

Mercifully, she moved. Our golf team definitely suffered, but I was so relieved. I'm not a bad golfer, but I always felt like a loser (literally) when I played with her. And it wasn't like she was mean. She was quiet, really nice, but man, I made her out to be something I could never beat. I wouldn't beat her if I played her today and I'm sure she's kicking tails in Georgia, but at least its not mine. 

So after ALLLLLLLLL that, I really enjoyed the golf tournament. What I don't like about golf is that it does take four hours. But once I get started, it is so much fun! I just have to get over the mental hump that it gonna take an entire afternoon. 

Last thing on golf! (You will be so sick of seeing the word golf after this post.)  Golf is something I can do with my dad all the way down to Stephen. You don't have to be a certain age or size or strength to play. I could play it when I was six (not well, but I could play it) and if I keep it up, I'll probably be able to play when I'm sixty. You don't need a court, you don't need a partner, you don't need mega muscles or flexibility. The longevity is way better than other sports. 

What does that have to do with ice cream?

Ummm ... nothing. 

I really enjoyed this ice cream . . . and I really enjoyed the tournament . . . connection?  Good enough.  This is creamy, sweet, and a little tart. Sour orange adds a whole new dynamic to the chocolate chips and in a cold, creamy base like this one, you would be crazy to pass it up. 

Skinny Orange Sherbet Ice Cream

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

Yield: 3-4 servings

2 bananas, smashed and frozen

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1-2 drops red food coloring and 1-2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Blend the first four ingredients in a high powered blender for a minute or until smooth and fluffy.  Add food coloring, if desired and blend.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour mixture into a container and place in the freezer for about 10 more minutes or until mixture firms up.  Scoop and serve.

This is what it looks like without the food coloring.  Definitely not orange, but just as delicious!

I like my banana ice cream!

Skinny White Chocolate and Blueberry Milkshake

Banana Blueberry Ice Cream

Orange Raspberry Banana Bread (whole wheat)