Oh man, I have so many things I want to share. Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with them all, just a few. I know you really just want to know about the ice cream.
First of all, I’ve been eating up a storm lately. It’s like I’m getting ready to hibernate or something. I don’t know what’s up. Actually, that’s lie. I’m pretty sure it’s stress and lack of sleep. I just reread my post on the importance of sleep and saw Dr. Oz said sleep deprived people consumed 300 more calories a day. I think I heard on Jillian Michael’s podcast the other week it’s actually more like 500 calories. Hmm…… well, that’s me lately. Lovely. I’m just making sure I’m in tip top shape for my marathon next week. Ha.
Also, I’m sipping on this iced STUFT salted caramel mocha right now.
So much for me totally giving up artificial sweeteners. I’ve been trying to limit them lately, but I’m just not ready to go cold turkey. This ice cream recipe I have for you uses them too. A little moderation is okay, right?
Oh my goodness, and since we have my favorite GNC vanilla egg protein powder back in the house my ice cream dream protein frosting has been making it’s way onto anything and everything, even the ultimate pear breakfast salad. Well, actually the roasted kabocha squash that was on the side of the salad the other day.
Oh yes. That was good.
So was the addition of this new Barney’s Almond Butter.
This had been sitting in the pantry for a month or so. I was waiting to finish off a few other jars before opening it, but now that it’s open, watch out.
And, um, not that you care, but I haven’t made our fall bucket list yet. When I do though, the first thing that’s going on it is getting Joaquin to join the potty training club. He’s been a little resistant to say the least. This morning (after a little Google search last night) I’m trying something new. Since the potty charts didn’t exactly work the magic I thought they would for Joaquin, we’re going the money route today.
That’s the bathroom set up. One coin in the piggy bank for pee pee and two for poo poo. We’ve got one so far today. Plus he gets a mini marshmallow every time I check his pants and they’re dry.
Fingers crossed friends. I’ve got to get this guy ready before my big races coming up. Why yes, I’m still in my pajamas, it’s Sunday.
And yes, STUFT Daddy took the boys to get haircuts the other day.
Doesn’t he look like he’s ready to be a big boy?
Okay, moving on. Time to spill the beans with the whole low calorie ice cream thing. It’s probably nothing new, but since I tried it the other day (and have been experimenting with it every night since) I think I’m genius. It’s actually not my original idea. I stumbled on an old post of Heather’s on her protein ice cream which made me want to try it.
I’ve been adding xanthan gum and guar gum to smoothies when I want them to be extra thick. That’s an old trick, but I’ve never tried it with the ice cream.
Oh friends, how did I not try this before?
Adding the two gums makes a huge difference. It’s so much more creamy. I swear, it really is like soft serve. Holy smokes.
Here’s exactly what I’ve been doing the past few days. There’s tons of variations you can do, but this is my new obsession. I’m going to warn you, this is a sugar free version, but I do list some variations.
Dreamy, Creamy, Low Calorie, Non Dairy Ice Cream
2 servings (to combine and freeze in two ice cube trays)
2 cups nondairy milk (I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1 tablespoon maple syrup (sugar free or regular)
sweetener of choice (regular sugar to taste or sweetener packets- I use 4 stevia packets)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavor)
1/2 teaspoon butterscotch extract (or other flavor)
1/8 teaspoon salt
When ready to make one serving (1/2 of the above) of the ice cream you will need:
1/4 cup non dairy milk
1/4 teaspoon guar gum
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
Mix all the first ingredients (except for the extra milk and gums) together and freeze in ice cube trays just like the original low calorie ice cream recipe. Those instructions are here. Freeze for at least 4 hours or so.
When you’re ready to make one serving of the ice cream blend 1/2 of the frozen cubes with 1/4 cup non dairy milk. Blend it well. I use my Vitamix. Then add 1/4 teaspoon guar gum and 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum. Continue to blend well until it get’s thick and smooth. It usually takes a couple of minutes and I have to play with the speed on my vita a bit.
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness.
It’s amazing!
My current flavor combination I’ve been making uses these.
I also like the combination of flavors in the almond coconut ice cream recipe so I might have to try that next.
I’ve tried this particular combination just a few times to make sure it was a winner though.
That was last night. I went a little overboard with some two ingredient chocolate frosting, some chocolate Vitatops, peanut butter and some low calorie peanut butter frosting. Oopsies.
So um, yeah, that’s it friends.
I was thinking it might be helpful to make a video of the process. Let me know if it would. The boys and I can always use an excuse to make another kitchen video. Ha ha.
I’ll leave you with just one more picture of this magic.
It’s fabulous in a Flatout cinnamon crisp bowl if you haven’t guessed.
Okay. I’m off. Enjoy your Sunday! If we make it through the day with dry big boy underwear I’m going to celebrate with one big huge serving of this darn ice cream!
Okay I officially want a blender!!!
No, you NEED a blender. LOL.
Ohhh, you’re in the gum club, that’s great!! I’ve been using the gums for a long time now and really LOVE what they do for the volume and texture. Awesome! Also, thanks for the link to your salted caramel mocha. I didn’t know you had a recipe for that and it looks yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummy. Perfect timing too, since I’m about to make my morning coffee.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Ha. I like that- the gum club. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!!!!!!
I’ve never used the two gums…looks like I need to make a purchase. The boys look so cute with their haircuts. They look like little men. 😉
The two gums make such a huge difference Kim. Love them. 🙂
those gums are amazing. Sometimes it can get a little weird if you add too much, but once you play with it and find that sweet spot, they really do make magic happen, haha.
Ha- yeah I found that one out once trying to thicken up a sauce or something. Ahh….. gum magic. 🙂
Kabocha squash for breakfast is bomb! I am glad that I’m not the only one guilty of that. If I roast one up for dinner, there is no chance that stuff makes it past breakfast 🙂 The boys looks adorable with their haircuts and I would absolutely LOVE to see a video of how you make your ice-cream! For some reason watching someone make something is much easier for me to follow that reading it. Maybe thats why i am obsessed with the Food Network 🙂
I know, there’s something about watching something isn’t there? 🙂 Oh kabocha- I could easily eat a whole one in one sitting. Better than a bag of graham crackers or something though right? Ha ha. I’m already anxious to buy another one.
Hi! Thx for sharing the ice cream recipe…going to head to the kitchen and whip some up, and hopefully they will freeze for later….also good luck on potty training, i went through that a few months ago with my daughter..luckily i read on the internet a fast way to potty train….you let your child go around the house with nothing on from the waist down..i was very apprehensive about trying this because i was like “i dont want my kid naked” , but i was trying everything else with no luck, so i thought what the heck..its just me and her here during the day, why not try it….OMG it worked….she was potty trained in 2 days..i was mad at myself for not trying it sooner..at the end of the second day i had her pjs on her after her bath, i was on my pc with my back turned from her…i turned around to see what she was doing, and holy crap she had pulled her pants down and sat on the potty (it traveled from room to room with us, living room during the day, our room if we were in there, and her room at night) .. I just couldnt believe it, i was so happy… Sorry for the long comment but just had to share, maybe something for you to try. 🙂 have a great day!
OH……. so glad it went well with your daughter. Um and I welcome lengthy comments at any time. 🙂 He he. We did pretty well today thank goodness. Fingers crossed we do as well tomorrow. We still struggle with the whole pulling their own pants down though. I need to work on that one a bit next. 🙂
Yep, making a version of this right away!
I love those gums, they are magical little things.
I hope your as addicted to kabocha as I am…I literally bought 6 of them at the grocery store and the lady asked me if I owned a restaurant…heck no, those are just for me;)
Oh my goodness, I am GOING to be addicted shortly. That was my first one, but I’m already dreaming about many more. Love it that you bought 6. He he.
The gums are amazing right?! I wish I was smarter about chemicals to know what this miracle works… the first time I used them in ice cream it blew my mind when I went to read the ingredients of “regular” ice cream and learned it wasn’t just “healthy” blogger trick.
I know, right? wouldn’t it be nice to know why the heck they do that and what they do to us inside? I wonder about that a bit. Oh well. and PS- you’re creations make me hungry every single day.
I am not sure which made me laugh harder: eating for hibernation (frequently my excuse) or the potty training club. I hope he gets there…for everyone’s sake. I am excited about the latest addition to the ice cream recipe. I can’t wait to try it.
Have a great Sunday!
Ha ha. Glad I’m not the only one who uses that excuse. I might be the only one in CA though. LOL.
I believe Jillian over Dr. Oz… at least the way I’ve been eating. Insomnia + stress = lots of food! I’m praying for you girl!! That ice cream looks GOOD. I need to try gums in mine!
Me too. 300 calories is nothing- I’m more about the over consumption here around 500 as well.
I would LOVE to see a video of how you make the ice cream! I don’t have a vitamix. Just a regular old blender. Would this recipe still work for me?
It should work, but might not get as creamy. Let me know if you try it. A small Magic Bullet might work well too if you have one of those. 🙂
ok..here’s my question…what’s up with the gums? Where do I buy those? Not your local Target I am guessing? Do I have to go to a whole foods store? Once I buy them I am definitely trying them. Looks like another great one Ms. Kristen!!
(p.s. I saw a picture of SR ..skinny runner..with YOUR BOYFRIEND!!! How dare she go there huh?! HAHAHAHa!!) Or maybe you should be telling Bob to quit being so nice and taking pics with all the other cute bloggers…hahhaha. OK, I am done. 😉
Kathy- I got them at a health food store, but you can get them on Amazon. Not the cheapest, but they last forever as you only use a small amount at a time. I saw that too, she tagged me in a tweet. He’s cheating on me. 🙂 Ha ha.
That IS GENIUS!!! I only have guar gum, because I’m cheapo and didn’t want to dish out tons of Xantham, maybe I’ll see how it turns out with just the guar and see if its good enough, I’m sure it won’t and I’ll HAVE to go out and buy the Xantham, then I’ll send you the bill haha
Emily- I just read somewhere that it won’t work if you just use guar gum. I think it said if you have to choose one, to go with xanthan gum. I you tried it, let me know though. It’s not that expensive on Amazon. I have it in my store here. http://astore.amazon.com/sm0aed-20/detail/B0013JJZWG Please don’t send me the bill though- it will just get added to my piles. LOL.
VIDEO PLEASE! Who would not want to watch you and your “helpers” create some divine edible? Or maybe they can help you start a small fire in the kitchen or maybe use the maple syrup as hair gel?(something my boys would do) I love watching your videos- you educate us and they entertain us, well, YOU actually do both!
Can’t wait to try the new recipe – my daughter loves your protein pumpkin muffin, by the way!! Hugs!
Ha. Okay, we’re on it. Maybe we can do a video tomorrow. Ha ha. I don’t even want to know what damage Joaquin would do with maple syrup.
Heather’s protein ice cream is AMAZING! And I wish someone would give me a mini-marshmallow for dry pants! haha
Come on over, I have a whole bag!
Okay–looks fabulous *the boys’ haircuts—just adorable, as always!*, got to say though–IMITATION vanilla??? arrgh. not my favorite thing. the mini marshmallow thing should work….my friend who foster cares, has them sit on the potty three times a day, and if they go, they get a mini-treat (choc kisses, miniature candy, etc)….just to get them used to the idea. If they tell her they have to go, but dont cuz they want the treat, they have to sit for 3-5 min (just in case), then the treat. Seems to work for her….bribe away.
Is there a huge difference between imitation vanilla and real? I’ve always wondered, but mom always buys imitation.
Taste factor mostly. You can keep it refrigerated if you buy large quantities….costco size, lol!!
ok I’m a day late and a dollar short on the gum post but I’m so excited to see it! I have been using X gum for awhile in green smoothies but being the cheap person I am I bought Bob’s Red Mill Guar gum as it is half the price and was using a dash of each to make the X last longer. It works in anything frozen- ice cream, fro yo, fruit smoothies! I tricked my husband into thinking we had store bought ice cream a few months ago with it 🙂 I find the best consistency is a scoop of protein powder, frozen almond milk cubes, splash of almond milk, a splash of SF syrup and a pinch of each of the gums in the vitamix! Last week I started using gums in my green soups (aka blended salads) as its winter here in Alaska and the green smoothies were making me cold…it makes soups nice & thick without butter or cream. Awesome stuff.
Oh my these are some great suggestions. Yes, I’ve heard it’s the best to use both gums together. I didn’t think to try it with soup though. Genius.
Just out of curiosity, have you noticed any changes since you started using the gums in your ice cream? One of my protein powders has gums in it, and my stomach just cannot handle them. They reek such havoc on my digestion!! Haha. I really wish I could use them though. Great for gluten-free baking!
Okay, wait, so I have been having a few issues lately, but didn’t put the two and two together. Maybe it’s the gums??????? My stomach has been more bloated too. I need to experiment and find out. Do they bother other people too????
Ya, they bother other people too. Both have been said to cause gastrointestinal “disturbances.” Gluten-Free Girl used to use them all the time in baking until she realized that they were causing her stomach problems too!
I definitely need to try your ice cream recipe. It looks so good and even though I just ate, my mouth is watering right now! On another note, I like your potty training idea. I have been trying all kinds of things/incentives with Keenan and nothing seems to be working (at least not consistently).
The coin in the piggy bank has been doing pretty well. 🙂 Setting the timer and checking for dry underwear every 30 minutes is key though although it pretty much takes over the entire day. Ugh.
I am going to try this after I am done with my Whole30 thing! Looks great.
How’s the Whole30? I have the book. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I riffed on it a little bit and came up with a really good chocolate peanut butter version–a few more calories but tons of protein. Mine wasn’t dairy free but may I share for those who can tolerate it? Mostly follow the above recipe, with the following alterations:
In place of the two cups of non dairy milk I used an 11oz Premier Protein Chocolate shake, filling one and a half ice cube trays (to make three batches using 1/2 tray each). Follow the other ingredients and directions as listed for the first half.
Separately I also froze some bananas, then pureed them in the food processor, and refroze them (the old vegan one-ingredient ice cream).
To make your ice cream, use 1/3 of the ice cubes, 100grams of frozen banana puree (about 3/4 of a banana if you don’t have a scale), 1 Tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder, and 2 Tbsp PB2 powder. Follow the instructions/ingredients for the second half of the recipe as written above.
Divide the resulting ice cream into two 1 cup portions and freeze until firm/scoopable.
The result? Creamy Dreamy PB Chocolate Protein loaded ice cream! …and only the tiniest bit icy, thanks to the magic gums! 😉 I told my husband I plan to eat a bowl of this every night for the rest of my life, I look forward to it as much as my morning mocha 🙂
Omg i am obsessed with this recipe so yummy! Trying to think of some creative new toppings and flavors!! 🙂