See, here’s the problem:
I can’t really call this rich, chocolate-y frozen treat ice ‘cream’, because there isn’t a lick of dairy in it. No sugar, neither.
Yep, you read that right: a dairy free, sugar free frozen treat that you can make at home with just five basic ingredients – no funky stuff – and an ice cream machine. I picked my small Cuisinart maker for around $25 last summer at Costco, so the machine part shouldn’t even be that be of a deal.
But first, let’s go back to the beginning…
I was scrolling through facebook one day when I noticed a ‘share’ from my friend (and former GREAT boss) Diane V. for this thing called a ‘skinny shake’ posted by Annie Wiebe that ‘tastes like Wendy’s Frosty’.
It doesn’t.
But it’s not bad, either, and it really is pretty darned good for you, as slushy frozen blender drink treats go.
Here’re the details:
INGREDIENTS
•3/4 cup Almond Milk
•1/2 tsp vanilla
•2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
•1/3 of a banana, sliced
•About 15 ice cubes
Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and the banana to the almond milk in a blender jar and purée until smooth.
Add the ice and purée until you have a rich, thick chocolate shake.
Note: do not try to double the smoothie recipe without reading your blender safety instructions. Many blenders can only handle a dozen or so ice cubes at a time before you run the risk of burning out the motor.
Nice, but, I don’t think the Frosty folks are going to be too, too worried.
Still and all…
there’s that no sugar, no dairy, all pretty darned natural ingredients easily found in most homes that combine to make a frozen, frosty, treat that you can enjoy without worrying about cheating on most diets.
Then, I got to thinking…
Instead of adding ice, what would happen if I just made a double (or triple) batch and popped it into my ice cream machine?
Ice cream-y goodness is what; and I replaced the ice cubes with instant espresso, so it’s still a five ingredient recipe, just mebbe, a wee, tiny bit tastier.
INGREDIENTS
•1-1/2 cup almond milk
•1 tsp vanilla
•1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
•2/3 banana
•1/2 tsp instant espresso
Add all of the ingredients to a blender jar and purée until smooth.
Pop the jar in the fridge to chill for at least an hour, four or five is more better, then give it another quick blend and pour into the chilled canister of your ice cream maker.
Note: if you have a traditional ice cream machine, follow those instructions.
Pop the blade and the cover on the maker and let it run for ten to fifteen minutes, until the mixture is nicely thickened.
Serve immediately, for a soft-ish serve kinda thing, or pop into a tightly covered container and stash in the freezer to firm up a bit more until needed.
And yeh, you will need this.