I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite dessert: meet the Nutella, Banana, and Brownie Parfait. I can already tell you’re going to get along great!
I usually get my inspiration for recipes from very random places. Lately, I’ve been all about Instagram (you can follow me at almondsandavocados). There are so many amazingly creative people on Instagram posting the most enticing pictures of their edible creations. Recently, I saw a picture of a beautiful peanut butter parfait that I desperately wanted to recreate. Unfortunately, I was all out of nut butters and too poor to run to the store and buy the ingredients I would need to make more. I sulked around for a while and eventually decided that the parfait would have to wait.
It wasn’t until I was searching through the jars that clutter my kitchen counter a couple of days later and stumbled upon my forgotten jar of hazelnuts that I remembered that parfait. I quickly whipped up a batch of Healthy Nutella and set to work! Since I love the combination of bananas and Nutella and have been on a raw brownie kick lately, it didn’t take me long to realize that this amazing combination would make a crazy-good dessert!
My recipe ideas are definitely not all winners (in fact, there are a lot of failures that I’m too embarrassed to share on A&A), but I’m already trying to come up with an excuse to make this dessert again.
Even though the recipe makes enough for two–maybe even 3–desserts, I hogged it all to myself. Just to give you an idea how gi-normous this dessert was, I thought I would take a picture of me holding the jar (below). Yep, my parfait filled up an entire jar that usually holds enough almond butter to last me at least a week. And yes, I ate the whole thing in one sitting. By myself.
It’s hard to see in the picture, but the bottom and middle layers are made up of large raw brownie bites with 2 layers of banana and Nutella puddings in between. I think I’ve died and gone to foodie heaven!
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 2 Tbs. cacao powder, carob powder, or a combination of the two
- 1 tsp. lucuma powder (optional)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 Tbs. Healthy Nutella *link to the recipe below
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 large banana
- ¼ cup almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
- 2 tsp. melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp. psyllium husk powder or tapioca starch
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- a couple drops of liquid stevia (optional)
- ½ cup Healthy Nutella*
- 3 Tbs. almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice
- chopped hazelnuts, for topping (optional)
- Grind the walnuts in a food processor until broken down. Add the cacao powder, lucuma powder, and sea salt. Pulse a couple of times until everything is combined. Add the 1 Tbs. of Healthy Nutella and, with the food processor running, slowly add the dates (if you don’t have a chute on your processor, just stop and add them one at a time, blending in between).
- Line a mini loaf pan or any small square container with parchment paper. Press the raw brownie mixture firmly into the bottom of the container, using your fingers to spread the mixture out evenly. Place the raw brownie into the freezer to harden while you prepare the rest of the parfait.
- Clean out the food processor and then blend together the banana, ¼ cup of almond milk, melted coconut oil, psyllium husk powder, vanilla extract, and stevia (optional). Pour the banana mixture into a bowl or container and set in the freezer to thicken as you prepare the final layer.
- Clean out the food processor one last time and then blend together the ½ cup of Nutella and 3 Tbs. of almond milk.
- To assemble the parfait: remove the raw brownie mixture from the freezer and cut into small squares or break into bite-size chunks. In 2 (or 3) separate cups, layer the brownie bits, banana pudding, and Nutella pudding until all ingredients have been used up. Top with chopped hazelnuts.
- Serve and enjoy!
*Here is the link to the recipe for Healthy Nutella
 |
Oh boy… This looks seriously yummy!
Thank you!
Oh, this looks AMAZING! I love the ingredient combination. You can’t go wrong with Nutella, but then you went ahead and added bananas and brownies
Just pinned this on my (new!) Pinterest board, Gluten Free Treats (celiac kiddo) because it’s so pretty.
Can’t wait to try!
-Dana
Ooooh! So fun–I love Pinterest a little bit too much
I hope you enjoy it!
Every single thing you post makes me soo hungry! Another amazing recipe. I must must must try this!
omg… that looks super delectable!!! I love hearing you say that you ate the whole thing! We all indulge sometimes, it’s not such a bad thing
And this looks *totally* worth it.
Pingback: Friday Five! | .the rebel grrrl kitchen.
Wow this is just heavenly! Remind me of a very unhealthy treat I used to get at DQ, but I bet this tastes SO much better!
Holy bananas, this looks killer! I’m gonna have to try this, my husband will love it. Brownie points for the wife, thanks!
Ha, thank you!! I hope your hubby liked it and you got those extra brownie points
This looks super yummy! I love raw brownies because they’re so versatile, I love this idea though
Thank you! I do too, they’re one of my favorite and easiest desserts!
Pingback: Sharing the Love and WIAW! | Almonds & Avocados
I can totally see why its your new favorite dessert, YUMM!
I got this pinned and tweeted. Thanks for linking up at Gluten Free Fridays 
Thank you Cindy!
hey Rachel! This was one of the most popular recipes on HVF this week
I’m not surprised because it sounds absolutely mouthwatering!
As always, thank you so much Gabby!
Pingback: healthy vegan friday #32the veggie nook | the veggie nook
This looks like a dream, I might have to get creative as I’m not sure we get all the ingredients in the UK, but I need to make this!
Oooo, I’d love to know what you come up with if you get creative!
Pingback: Roasted Garlic Hummus & Healthy Vegan Friday
Wow! I was already excited to leave work today, but now I’m going to run home so I can make this. I’m salivating just thinking about it. I also just discovered your blog today! My Friday night will definitely be better now that I will be enjoying this treat and looking through all of your delicious recipes
Aw, thank you so much! I’m glad you found A&A!
Pingback: Healthy Vegan Friday #32 Banoffee Pie, Quinoa Sushi and Nutella Brownie Parfait