Make Your Own Healthy Ice Cream

Nothing pairs better with summer than ice cream, right? Let your cravings take over. There’s no need to resist when you can make your own healthy ice cream. Our aim is to encourage you to rethink your relationship with ice cream. You can indulge in it – whatever the weather – without worrying about negative consequences. We’ll teach you how to use nutritious ingredients to make divine frozen confections at home – no fancy equipment required!

Sorbet v ice cream

Sorbet is not just for slimmers, you know. It can taste as decadent as the creamiest gelato if you know how to do it right. For a refreshing hit of tangy fruit that will vanquish the most desperate thirst, this is the iced sweet for you. When you make it yourself, you can experiment with seasonal fruits and different flavour combinations. Sorbets are naturally low in fat, cholesterol, calories and sugar.

In the other corner (or cornet) is ice cream. Milk – whether dairy or plant – is normally the main component here, which delivers an irresistible creaminess, that has people chasing after musical vans for a quick fix. Of course, ice cream isn’t much use for quenching a parched throat. The sugar content, however, makes most people forget this. Add to its sweetness the sublime texture and you’re on the path to addiction.

Healthy ice cream at home?

Yes – and why not? You can whip up delectable and healthy ice cream easily. You don’t need an array of gadgets, either. If you’ve got kids, get them involved. Oh, go on: let the adults have a go, too! Let’s explore three varieties: fruit-based, tea-based and fruit with milk.

• When you make ice cream with fruit, summer species are best because they’re juicy and sweet. Watermelon, peach, raspberry and lemon work beautifully – and you can chop and change as you wish. Combine several ingredients. Let loose with your imagination. You could mix melon, pear and apple or blend cherries with oranges. All you have to do is chop the fruit, add ice and blend everything for a few minutes in a blender. The fewer ingredients you use (apart from the fruit, of course), the healthier and more natural the resulting ice cream.

• How on earth do you go about making ice cream with tea infusions? Simply brew your chosen tea as usual (in a strainer or using bags). Let it cool and then blend it with crushed ice. To get started, we’d recommend trying one of the following: green tea, cinnamon sticks, apple, mint, peppermint or black teas.

• Lastly is the most traditional version of ice cream. Its consistency is familiar and much like commercial or conventional ice cream. Milk and yogurt – preferably non-dairy varieties, as they’ll be healthier – serve to thicken and impart flavour. You can add tofu for protein and bulk. Fleshy fruits such as banana, peach or pineapple are excellent basics for beginners.

Cold as ice and twice as sweet

• Peach ice cream is perfect for if you’ve got children helping out in the kitchen. Just imagine enjoying the fruits of your labour on a hot August evening when peaches are plentiful! You’ll need two cups of soya milk powder (available at health food shops), a cup of soya (or oat or coconut) milk, a cup of unrefined cane sugar, one cup of canned (full fat) coconut milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, two medium peaches, chopped. Blend together the milk, sugar, coconut milk and vanilla until smooth and homogeneous. You can use a food processor or a blender. Add the peaches to the cream, pour into a container and put it in the freezer. Let it set for at least one hour in the freezer before you serve it.
• Lemon ice cream is a classic. Nothing takes the edge off your thirst quite as well as this tangy treat. Assemble your ingredients: half a cup of plant milk (choose one of the heavier ones such as soya, oat or almond), half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, half a cup of whipped coconut cream, a pinch of sea salt, two cups of vegan condensed milk, six crumbled digestives and lemon slices. Combine the milk with the juice, cream, salt and condensed milk in a blender or a food processor until no lumps remain. Refrigerate for half an hour. When it’s semi solid, blend in the digestive crumbs and freeze it for one hour. For serving, you can garnish with lemon slices and a digestive. Gorgeous!

• Banana ice cream defies belief. If you were served it in a restaurant, you’d never know that it’s mainly frozen banana. Can’t get much healthier than that, can you? This is one treat that you and your loved ones (of any age) can enjoy whenever you please. Just slice a banana or one medium plantain and freeze it for two hours. When you remove it from the freezer, add three tablespoons of plant milk and a tablespoon of chopped walnuts. Blend well in a food processor until thick and smooth. Stir in the nuts and continue beating by hand. You can refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it.
• Kiwi ice cream is truly special. Just peel 200 grams of kiwi. Blend it with 100 mls water and one tablespoon of sugar. Once these ingredients are integrated well, add one and a half teaspoons of agar or arrowroot. Fill individual moulds and place them in the freezer. After an hour, you can add sticks if you prefer. Leave them in for at least another two hours.
• Strawberry and orange ice cream will surprise you. These two distinct flavours complement each other like mad. The recipe? Oh, yes. You’ll need 200 grams of strawberries (you can try other berries if you’re feeling adventurous), 100 ml of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of unrefined sugar and one and a half teaspoons of agar or arrowroot. Blend the first three ingredients until smooth, then add the agar or arrowroot. Pour into individual moulds and pop in the freezer. You can put sticks in after an hour, but make sure that you let them set for another two hours.

Now that you’re screaming for ice cream, why wait? Treat yourself and your body to a nutritious and revitalising boost.