Protein Ice Cream (I scream, you scream, you will LOVE this ice cream)

Healthy meal makeovers– they are the best!

Ice cream is hands down my favorite food, followed by chocolate. Protein ice cream is what saved me from gaining 100 pounds when I was pregnant. No joke.

This recipe works best with a high-speed blender and especially well with a Vitamix where you can use the tamper to speed along the process. This recipe is enough to motivate a Vitamix purchase (it did for us)!

However, you can also use the blender you own, you may just need to add a bit more almond milk. Then, if you like your ice cream more firm, just pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

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INGREDIENTS 

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/4 tsp. guar gum* I just use the cheapest- by Judee’s Gluten Free
• 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum* I just use the cheapest- by Judee’s Gluten Free
• 1 scoop protein powder (I prefer Naked Nutrition Chocolate)
• 3 cups ice

INSTRUCTIONS (Vitamix)

• Layer almond milk, gums, protein powder and ice in a blender.
• Start out the blender on low, allowing the ice to be crushed. As the ice is broken down slowly increased speed all the way until high.
• Use your tamp to keep pressing the ice down into the blades.
• Add additional liquid (water is fine), if needed.
• Blend until you the mixture is smooth and 4 mounds form on the top of the ice cream.
• Serve and enjoy!

INSTRUCTIONS (High-Speed Blender)

• Layer almond milk, gums, protein powder and ice in a blender.
• Start out the blender on low, allowing the ice to be crushed. As the ice is broken down slowly increased speed all the way until high.
• Occasional stop blending and use a spatula to disperse the ice throughout the mixture.
• Add additional liquid (water is fine), if needed.
• Blend until you the mixture is smooth
• Serve and enjoy!

*Please note that different protein powders have differing amounts of guar and/or xanthan gum already added. You may need to play around with your specific powder to find the right balance. To help you tweak, know that xanthan is a thickener and guar will break down the ice and make it creamy.

RELATED POSTS: 

• How to Have a Healthy Breakfast (even when you are a busy mom-on-the-go!)
• 5 Things to do When Your Family Won’t Eat Healthy Food 

VARIATIONS 

Chocolate Covered Strawberry 

• Add 4 frozen strawberries.

Chocolate Maple

• Add 1-2 TB maple syrup or sugar-free maple syrup (gives a rich flavor)

Chocolate Mint

• Add 1-2 drops peppermint extract.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

• Add 1 TB PB2, powdered peanut butter to 1TB peanut flour (cheaper alternative without the sugar).

Dark Chocolate 

• Add 1-2 TB dark cocoa powder (you can do this in addition to any variation).

Dark Chocolate Cherry

• Add 1-2 TB dark cocoa powder and 1/2 cup chopped frozen cherries.

Inspired by this post at Heather Eats Almond Butter and this post at Ask Georgie (link no longer active).