Homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream
What is that one treat you remember looking forward to as a child? For me, it was ice cream from the Ice Cream Truck. I remember hearing that oh so familiar song and begging my parents for money to get strawberry or rum raisin (when I was much older, of course) from the ice cream truck. And as an adult, I still loving ice cream/frozen yogurt/gelato from local stores.
However, ever since I’ve cut out dairy, gluten, legumes, and sugar, ice cream is a lot harsher on my tummy than it used to be. I still allow myself a treat sometimes in the form of a brownie, cookie and yummy local Gelato (which is the purest form of ice cream with no high fructose corn syrup or additives, just milk, sugar, and whatever else the flavor is). However, lactose and milk still negatively affect my stomach and I don’t always want my stomach to be yelling at me for two days after having milk.
BUT! Behold, there’s hope..in the name of Coconut Milk Ice Cream.
Coconut milk is not actually milk because it contains no dairy, but resembles what we all know as milk. Coconut milk is the blend of naturally occurring coconut meat and water. The best coconut milk is the one you make for yourself, straight from the coconut (blending the coconut meat and water, then straining the meat out). However, there are a few brands that have just coconut milk and water, so look out for those. I currently use Badia’s canned coconut milk which is delicious, but does have a stabilizer in it, so I’m working towards finding an affordable, organic milk.
Coconut milk has an array of nutritional benefits for you. The milk contains medium-chain triglycerides and saturated fatty acids which are easily burned by the body for energy, and also creates favorable blood cholesterol levels.
I’ve come to love coconut milk for curries, stews, smoothies, in my coffee, homemade cereals, and after this weekend, ice cream 🙂
The below recipe was a hit when I made it for a dinner with some friends. The recipe came from “Nutrition Stripped,” a website/blog hosted and written by a Dietitian Nutritionist named McKel.
I hope you try it out and taste and see how good it is! (For the full recipe, see http://nutritionstripped.com/simply-coconut-milk-ice-cream/)
Simply Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Author: McKel Hill, MS, RD, LDN
Recipe type: dessert
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cans of organic full fat coconut milk (about 13oz. cans)
- 1 banana, frozen (if not using an ice cream maker)
- 4 large dates, pitted (stevia sugar free option)
- ice cubes (if not using an ice cream maker)
- 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract
- dash of cinnamon, optional
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Chill the full fat coconut milk cans overnight.
- Take the coconut milk cans out of the refrigerator and flip over vertically on the opposite end it was stored (this will allow you to pour off the liquid part of the coconut milk leaving only the milk fat).
- Pour the liquid that will be at the now top of the can into a separate bowl.
- Scrape from the bottom of the can the remaining milk fat in the can. This is what you will be using for the recipe.
- Combine all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor and blend until thick and creamy.
BLENDER USE// Use FROZEN bananas and ice along with the remaining ingredients to have an instant frozen treat. You may also put in the freezer for about 30min-1hr to “harden” up if this texture is still too soft.
ICE CREAM MAKER// If you have one, you can use it and get the best results. After blending, you simply add the mixture to your ice cream maker and let it do the work for you! Note: you don’t need the ice cubes in this method.
BLENDER + WHISKING METHOD// After blending all the ingredients, pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and whisk/stir every 30 to 60 minutes to avoid it becoming a frozen cube. This whole process can take up to 3 hours, but is well worth it! Note: you don’t need the ice cubes in this method. For the best result and texture, serve after making. ENJOY!
