Blueberry IceMilk

Another post sans-picture (thought I will add one the next time I make this)

This is one of the simpler of my attempts at healthy ice creams; which I haven't been wanting to put up until I am satisfied with them.  It is the lower calorie version of my Blueberry Ice Cream.

• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
• 3 TBSPN powdered milk
• 2 TBSPN sugar

Hit everything with an immersion blender (or normal blender) to mix, I woudl recommend keeping at this for quite a while until it is smooth.  AT that point you have a passable smoothie/soft serve crossover, but you can throw it in an ice cream maker for a thicker product.

This makes 3-4 cups of ice milk and has ~400 calories, and is mostly fruit and milk.

Healthy Banana Ice Cream

This is the first in a series of forays into developing some easy recipes for ice-cream that is not actively unhealthy. . . .

• 1 cup milk ( My intention was to use 2%, but I accidentally grabbed skim from the fridge)
• 2 medium frozen bananas (the liquid level rose to 1.75cups)
• 2tspn vanilla
• 2tbspn sugar

I blended everything with an immersion blender and the volume went from 1.75C to 2.25C, meaning there was a lot of aeration.  I then poured the mix right into my ice cream maker, and it further almost doubled in volume during churning.  

So I ended up with 4 cups of ice cream, that is maybe 50% air.  With minimal sugar, low (or in this case, no) fat, and a serving of fruit.  My rough count of the calories is 400cal for the whole thing assuming I had used 2%.

Taste:

Very light and fluffy

Strong banana flavor

Some ice crystals noticeable

Good with cocoa nibs on top

For next time:

Use 2% milk for some fat content

Add cocoa for a chocolate-banana flavor and to further disrupt ice formation.

Upcoming flavors:

Strawberry

Peanut Butter

Blueberry Ice Cream

Ok, this ice cream maker could be deadly. . .

Tonight I made fresh blueberry ice cream:

1 C heavy cream
1 C frozen wild blueberries (blended)
1/3 C sugar
3 TBS milk powder

It was very good and rich, but was a bit too sweet for my taste, and not airy enough.
The airyness is likely because I usually let my mix sit in the freezer for 30min to an hour before puttign it in the ice cream maker, but due to the berries being frozen, it was already almost smoothie consistency by the time I got it into the machine.  I do want to experience with lightly whipping the cream before adding other ingredients to produce a very aerated ice cream in the future.

Also, based on nutrition info there were 800 calories in the cream, 80 in the blueberries, and 250 in the sugar.  The ice cream was good, but not THAT much better than  a blueberry smoothie (which I usually make as blueberries, 2% milk, and a frozen banana).  I would like to try a "healthy" recipe with half the cream and sugar, some more berries, and a little plain milk.  Maybe this will happen next week.  Also, i want to try and make a chocolate banana vegan ice cream using almond milk and frozen banana, and more alcoholic ice cream, and an apple cider sorbet. . .  ok it is too hot in here and I like ice cream too much.