Choose Wisely – Ice Cream

Most of us love ice cream and can’t wait to savor in the creamy dessert after being on a diet. This weeks Choose Wisely article is to help you make the wisest choice when you are ready to dive into a creamy ice cream treat. The best way to enjoy ice cream is to make it yourself. It is the least processed and is fun for the whole family. I purchased an ice cream maker after I stabilized and have enjoyed ice cream numerous times. I usually make vanilla but every once in a while I will take extra time and make my favorite Chocolate Chip Mint ice cream. See below for a few of my favorite recipes:

Choose This:

Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free)

INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC CREAM, ORGANIC WHOLE MILK, NATURALLY MILLED ORGANIC SUGAR, ORGANIC COCOA, ORGANIC VANILLA FLAVOR, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM.

If you are not one to make it yourself or don’t have an ice cream machine, then this is one of the brands I love. I love the fact that it is made with coconut milk so it could almost be considered a “healthy” snack! I love the vanilla and the mint chip variety. Not only is this yummy, but since it’s made with coconut milk it’s great for those don’t do well with dairy products. The ingredients do include agave nectar as a sweetener, so it’s not for everyday consumption.  Another good brand I’ve tried and liked:

Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss http://www.coconutbliss.com/

Stonyfield http://www.stonyfield.com/

This is for their After Dark Chocolate.

INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC CREAM, ORGANIC WHOLE MILK, NATURALLY MILLED ORGANIC SUGAR, ORGANIC COCOA, ORGANIC VANILLA FLAVOR, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM.

Do Not Choose This:

Breyer’s Vanilla Bean ½ Fat

Don’t be fooled the name nor by the claims on package making it appear to be a good choice.
Ingredients: Milk, Skim Milk, Sugar, Cream, Natural Flavor, Carob Bean Gum, Beta Carotene (Vitamin A).

Check out these recipes:

Easy Ice Cream

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
2 Tbsp organic carob powder (or cocoa powder)
2 Tbsp raw honey
1 very ripe banana
1 -2 tsp organic vanilla
Throw everything in a food processor or a blender and mix well. Transfer to ice cream machine and process.

Quick creamy “ice cream”

frozen bananas
frozen coconut milk ice cubes
stevia
coconut milk
Blend for about a minute. (Bananas are best if eaten after stabilization)