August has been hot, hot, hot! And nothing cools down a hot body like ice cream. But if you want to keep your bod hot, you might want to try these healthier alternatives. These have no sweeteners other than natural whole fruit (oops, I lie, there is a tablespoon of maple syrup in the Raspberry Avocado Ice Cream). And they are all dairy-free for those who may have issues in this area (aloha, Alora)!
They are also super simple and quick to whip up. And I mean that literally. You just need a high speed blender or food processor. I use my mini food processor for double scoops in a snap. The first recipe has 5 ingredients and the others have 3 or fewer (okay, the Pina Colada Ice Cream technically has 4 if you add the optional rum). And the best part is you actually know what the ingredients are!
By contrast, here is the ingredient list for PC Chocolate Ice Cream: Cream, modified milk ingredients, sugar, glucose solids, cocoa, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, guar gum, polysorbate 80, carrageenan. At least it starts with cream, which is more than you can say for many brands. I invite you to mosey on over to the Baskin Robbins website and download the nutrition facts. The ingredient list for their Berry Cookies ‘n Cream Frozen Yogurt (the first in the PDF) is 15 lines long (not 15 ingredients, 15 lines)! It is much healthier to make your own.
I like the ice creams best served immediately as the consistency is just perfect. If you prefer to make them ahead and freeze, it’s a good idea to let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving to temper them. Otherwise scooping them out can do double-duty as your strength training workout.
Sign up here to receive the recipes. I hope you enjoy these healthy frozen treats. As always, I invite you to share these recipes with your family and friends! After all, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Ice Cream Parlour Menu
Raspberry Avocado Ice Cream (this may sound weird but, trust me, it is super rich and creamy – scroll down for more on the awesome avocado)
Pina Colada Ice Cream (if my primer on pineapple, below, isn’t enough to persuade you, it is fabulous topped with rum … for adults only) 😉
Peach Ice Cream (perfect for peach season; if you can’t find macadamia nut butter for this recipe and don’t wish to make it, try hazelnut butter)
Cherry Blueberry Coconut Popsicles (fancy popsicle moulds not necessary, these mini-pops are summer on a stick!)
Join The Nutritional Reset community here to receive this month’s menu today (as well as each month to come)! And read on for some nutritional tidbits about a few foods featured in the recipes…
A few featured foods
Avocado
Avocado is key to the richness of the Raspberry Avocado Ice Cream, providing 15 grams of unsaturated fat per 100 grams. It is also a fibre powerhouse (as are raspberries). You’ll get 12 grams of fibre in just one serving of this ice cream! It’s so filling, a half-serving is plenty. And by slowing the absorption of sugar, fibre keeps your blood sugar steady. So you don’t get the unhealthy spikes and crashes brought on by many sugary treats.
Pineapple
Pineapples are low in calories at only 74 per cup. Yet this tropical favourite packs an antioxidant and nutrient punch. They are very rich in vitamin C and manganese and these, combined with many other vitamins, minerals and enzymes (like bromelain*) in pineapple work to calm inflammation and boost immunity. Studies show bromelain could be helpful for osteoarthritis. It also improves protein digestion.
*As bromelain may interact with certain drugs, it is important to check your medications before eating large quantities of fresh pineapple.
Cooking your own food is the single most impactful step you can take to improve your health and energy!
I hope you enjoy this Ice Cream Parlour Menu (sign up here to receive the download link). And if you want to cook more of your own food but don’t know what to make or have the time to organize your own menus and shopping lists, The Nutritional Reset offers a meal planning service. It makes preparing tasty, nutritious meals a snap. Click here to find out more.