With summer approaching quickly, the kiddos in our house are screaming for ice cream! Maybe yours are too! And you might be scrambling for a healthy alternative to the traditional sugar-loaded ice cream you can buy in the store. Or maybe you’ve found a healthy ice cream but get a little sick to your stomach at the cost.
Worry no more! I’ve got you covered!!
It’s super easy to make your very own healthy and even protein-packed ice cream that the kiddos will love! They’ll be begging your for more and be surprised when you agree!
In my last post, I introduced some ways you can make a healthy and tasty smoothie! If you missed this post, you can find it here! This healthy and tasty homemade ice cream takes the smoothie to a whole new level.
Step 1
Choose what flavor ice cream you want to make and gather your ingredients. Here’s a few things to note when making your own ice cream…
You’ll need a creamy base for the right texture. A mixture of bananas and Greek yogurt are great for this. If you have family member who either can’t or don’t like milk based Greek yogurt, you can easily and successfully substitute another type of Greek Yogurt; such as coconut, almond and even soy.
Next is the flavor you want for your ice cream. Just as with store bought ice creams, there are a plethora of different options.
- You can go for berry flavored ice cream by adding fresh or frozen berries.
- Add cocoa powder for a chocolate ice cream.
- Get fancy and add some peanut butter to your chocolate ice cream.
- Go tropical by adding fresh or frozen fruits like mangoes and pineapple.
- The options are endless…
Now you get to decide if you want something extra in your ice cream! I like to add protein powder, super green powder, flax seed meal and chia seeds to every batch I make, no matter what flavor it is. You can omit these if you don’t want them in your ice cream, but I find they add a little more punch to the healthy side of ice cream and the protein powder helps fill those little bellies up in a healthy way.
Here’s some other ideas you might think about adding to your flavors…
- Swirl in some semi sweet chocolate for an added crunch and chocolatey goodness.
- Dress up your chocolate ice cream by swirling in some peanut butter.
- Add little balls of peanut butter and/or semi chocolate chips.
- Toss in some chunks of fruit to add in a little extra taste and texture.
- Cook up some acini de pepe (small pasta balls) and toss them in.
- Add your chia seeds after you blend your mixture.
- Again…the options are endless!
Once you decide what flavor you want, it’s time for step 2!
Step 2
Layer your ingredients in a high powered blender. Here’s how to layer your ingredients to acquire the perfect blend and smoothness for your final product…
- Bananas
- Yogurt
- Fruit or peanut butter
- Powders
- Flax seed meal and chia seeds
- Sweetener
- Liquid
This layering combination will ensure the heavier ingredients are on the bottom, ensuring they get blended well and providing a good base for the powdered ingredients to mix into. It will also help ensure any sticky ingredients, such as peanut butter and sweeteners, don’t stick to the sides or the blades of the blender.
Once all your ingredients have been layered, blend in a high powered blender for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is very smooth.
Now the fun begins…
Step 3
Place into a freezer safe container and put in the freezer. You’ll want to choose a container that will be easy to scoop out of and that you won’t need until after your ice cream is gone. You’ll also want a container with an airtight lid so your ice cream doesn’t end up getting freezer burned.
Allow your ice cream to chill in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours. Depending on what flavors you choose, it may take longer or shorter for the mixture to freeze. You want the mixture to be frozen enough that you have to put some effort when you press a spoon into the mixture.
And now it’s time for the best part…
Step 4
Remove ice cream from the freezer, scoop into a bowl and ENJOY!
I’ve included a couple recipes, a fruit version and a tantalizing chocolate peanut butter version, to get you started! Once you’ve made a few batches, I recommend you experiment with new flavors to find the perfect summer frozen treat for you and your family!
Food Crush Cooking Connection 