Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana-Tofutti Cutie Shake!

I've been experimenting with Tofutti Cuties this week.

What are Tofutti Cuties? Delicious, vegan ice cream sandwiches! My sister first turned me on to these several  years ago (they are also kosher!). These little bitty sandwiches come in packages of eight, with vanilla, cookies 'n cream, mint chip, berry or chocolate filling. I think they make a great, affordable addition to a shake (vegan ice cream can be expensive, but Tofutti cuties cost just about 75 cents each). If you haven't found a vegan ice cream that you're happy with, go ahead and give these a try anyhow. I know lots of people who don't care for the almond or soy-based ice creams but many of them enjoy these Cuties nonetheless.

So if you're in the mood for an ice cream sandwich, grab a box of these guys!  They're a perfect treat on a hot summer day. And the next time you're in the mood for a shake, throw one of them in! Here's a recipe idea to get you started.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Banana-Tofutti Cutie Shake
makes 1 3/4 cups

What You'll Need:
1 Tofutti Cutie, broken into pieces (vanilla, chocolate, or cookies 'n cream)
3/4 cup dairy-free milk (I like to use coconut, but soy or almond will work as well)
1 frozen banana, broken into chunks
2 tbsp cocoa powder (if you use a chocolate Tofuttie Cutie, reduce to 1 tbsp)
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp sweetener (I'd recommend agave nectar* or maple syrup)

What You'll Need to Do:
If using a high speed blender, you can throw everything in there and blend until smooth. If you're blender's got a little less power, no problem. First, blend together the banana and the milk. Once it's nice and smooth, add in the rest of the ingredients and blend again.

*see my "Vegan Pantry" page for more information on agave syrup