Kahlua Chocolate Banana Milkshake

I've been in a bit of a food rut recently... cooking the same old things repeatedly.  I think it's the lack of really distinct seasons here in Jakarta (particularly this year, now that rainy season is encroaching on what should be dry season!) and the new and exciting produce associated with that season change.  I am jealous of the seasonal farm stand strawberries and asparagus that I see on all of my cooking blogs...

However, Tim and I did discover a new treat this week:  another, more "adult" iteration of my beloved banana shake: the Kahlua chocolate version!  Dudes, this is my new favorite dessert/after dinner drink.

Please excuse this blurry photo; I couldn't be bothered.  I was, however, bothered by the fact that Blogger refused to upload it upright. Apa boleh buat?  (Indonesian phrase for "What can I/we do?," usually accompanied by a shrug and a sigh)

It barely qualifies as a recipe; it's really just a question of adding ingredients to taste, but the rough ratios are:  

1 cup of milk + 1 frozen overripe banana + a tablespoon/good squirt of chocolate syrup + a shot of Kahlua = heaven  

(and if you wanted to go more hardcore with the booze, I think a bit of rum or vodka wouldn't hurt!)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Here's a new riff on the delicious banana shake recipe I posted a few months ago: add a spoonful of peanut butter and a squirt of chocolate syrup to make it a whole different drink.  I think the peanut butter helps emulsify the shake- it makes it extra creamy.  Plus, peanut butter and chocolate are a proven winning combo.

Here's what I did:

In a blender or with a stick blender, mix 1 frozen banana with approximately 1 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup.  

Enjoy.

Banana Shake

While in Ubud, Bali, Meghan, Liz and I got a little overheated as we walked around and decided to make a stop at the first restaurant we saw, Clear Cafe.  It looked promising based the large number of shoes left outside the front door... it was a good choice.  

A breezy, hippy haven of tasty organic and raw foods and beverages, we were quite happy to stumble upon it...  Meghan was particularly excited about the banana shake she ordered, which was so good that I ordered a second one and promised to try to recreate it at home.  

Below is my version of the creamy, slightly icy banana-licious drink.  I think I nailed it.

Here's how I did it:  

1. Freeze an oldish banana overnight (peel it first and stick it in a baggie!  I made the mistake of not peeling it and almost froze and/or cut my fingers off trying to cut the frozen peel off)

2. Throw it in your blender (or use your stick blender, as I did)

3. Add  3/4 to 1 cup of cold milk, a splash of vanilla extract (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 tsp?) and some honey (1 tsp? I used palm sugar syrup because I didn't have honey)

4. Blend until smooth

5. Drink