Who doesn’t love sweet and delicious ice cream? But sometimes, enjoying ice cream without feeling guilty about calories and sugar is hard. Thankfully, there’s a solution: healthy ice cream! This kind of ice cream is made with wholesome ingredients like fresh fruits, natural sweeteners, and protein-rich dairy or dairy-free options. You might find frozen bananas, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, or nut butter in the mix.
What’s great about healthy ice cream is that it still tastes delicious and creamy without all the refined sugars and artificial additives. Recipes for healthy ice cream often feature natural fruits like berries, mangoes, and bananas to give it that extra touch of sweetness and flavor. If you’re searching for low-calorie and healthy ice cream recipes to feel good about eating, we’ve covered you with these three options. Enjoy without the guilt!
Low-calorie and healthy ice cream recipe
Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Cocoa powder
- Optional: a pinch of salt
Instructions:
First, Chop two bananas and put them in the freezer for 3-4 hours until freeze.
Add frozen banana slices, peanut butter, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt (if you like) in a blender or food processor.
Give it a good blend until it’s smooth and creamy, and don’t forget to scrape down the sides as needed.
Enjoy it immediately for a soft-serve treat, or put it in the freezer for a firmer texture. Yum!
You can add dark chocolate chips to make it more attractive.
Strawberry Greek Yogurt Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- Fresh strawberry and mint leaves for garnish
Instructions:
To make this delicious and healthy ice cream, add the frozen strawberries, Greek yogurt, and honey or maple syrup into a blender. Whir it all up until it’s smooth and creamy.
Give it a taste, and if you like it sweeter, add more honey or maple syrup to your liking.
Then pop the mixture into a container and freeze it for 2-3 hours.
Allow the ice cream to soften for a few minutes at room temperature before scooping and serving. So easy and delicious!
Frozen raspberries can be used as a substitute for frozen strawberries.
Healthy Coffee Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
- 1 cup brewed coffee, cooled
- 2 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- Dark chocolate shaving for topping (optional)
Instructions:
Start by brewing your coffee and let it cool at room temperature.
Place the frozen banana slices, brewed coffee, almond butter or peanut butter, vanilla extract, honey or maple syrup, and a pinch of salt (if using) in a blender or food processor.
Blend the mixture until smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times to ensure even blending.
Taste the mixture and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more honey or maple syrup.
Once the mixture is smooth, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and spread it evenly.
If you have an ice cream maker, you can churn the mixture for about 20-30 minutes until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for the first 2-3 hours, remove the container and stir the mixture vigorously to prevent ice crystals from forming. This will help achieve a smoother texture.
After reaching the desired consistency, let the ice cream firm up in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
When serving, scoop the coffee ice cream into bowls and top with dark chocolate shavings, if desired.
Low fat and Healthy Mango Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 3 cups ripe mango chunks, frozen
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt for a dairy-free option)
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional toppings: Fresh mango slices, chopped nuts
Instructions:
Peel and chop ripe mangoes into chunks and freeze for 3 or 4 hours.
Combine the frozen mango chunks, Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor.
Blend the mixture until smooth and creamy.
Taste the mixture and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more honey or maple syrup.
Once the mixture is smooth, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and spread it evenly.
If you have an ice cream maker, you can churn the mixture for about 20-30 minutes until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for the first 2-3 hours, remove the container and stir the mixture vigorously to prevent ice crystals from forming. This will help achieve a smoother texture.
After reaching the desired consistency, let the ice cream firm up in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
When serving, scoop the mango ice cream into bowls and top with fresh mango slices or chopped nuts for added texture and flavor.
Enjoy those delicious and healthy ice cream as a guilt-free snack!