Top 5 DIY Healthy Frozen Desserts

Normally when we plan a soup post, it ends up being unseasonably warm and it gets chilly as soon as we talk ice cream. This week, for “ice cream week” it couldn’t have been better timing as it’s sticky and 90-something in NYC. Thanks for the great response to our favorite frozen treats and ice cream hall of shame. There’s one thing left to cover in the ice cream domain and that’s DIY recipes. If you don’t think you’re a do-it –yourselfer you may surprise yourself, they are easy ideas.

Banana Soft Serve

Banana soft serve and a 4-oz ramekin, 2 hot weather essentials

I can’t believe everyone hasn’t tried this but it’s simple and healthy at its best. Here is the Choosing Raw post where I first read about it. You can jazz it up with different flavor extracts and toppings but the original is pretty hard to beat.

Frozen Grapes

These havebeen around in Weight Watchers circles for years. It never sounded excited to me, I don’t even love unfrozen grapes. Then, a couple of summers ago I was in Nantucket with my sister and brother in law and they plopped a bowl of these on the table.  They’re satisfying and fun to eat. In case you’re wondering if I was vacation-washed, I tried these at home and liked them just as much.  They also make fun ice cubes. If you need more convincing there’s a Facebook page devoted to frozen grapes. Oh “recipe”, wash organic frozen red grapes and allow to dry, freeze in a single layer. Enjoy in 1-cup portions.

Frozen Hot Chocolate aka Fro-Co

via Chocolate Covered Katie and yes, good for you

The name frozen hot chocolate always bothered me, why not cold chocolate or frozen chocolate? And if your mind is drifting to Serendipity, let’s just say their legendary Frozen Hot Chocolate is no healthier than their foot long hot dog. I love this healthy, vegan spin on it from Chocolate Covered Katie, 80 calories a serving and delicious. I’d suggest some drizzled Newtree spread.

Avocado Ice Cream

A post would not be complete without sneaking an avocado in. Carolyn perfected her avocado brownies, I travel with avocados, what I say we’re obsessed. Maybe there’s an avocados anonymous Facebook page coming, not sure. This dairy free Avocado Ice Cream from Averie cooks is fantastic. Avocado, nut milk, nustevia and your Vitamix, what could be bad?

Frozen Coconut Greek Yogurt

Our nutrition nerd Joanna whipped this up. We promise we didn’t pick her as our intern entirely based on the fact that she has an ice cream maker. You can also make this without an ice cream maker, we think.

Ingredients

3 cups plain, vanilla 2% Greek Yogurt (or Siggis coconut skyr)

¼ cup organic maple syrup

20 drops stevia

2 T. full-fat coconut milk

½ tsp. cardamom (optional)

1 whole vanilla bean, scraped of seeds

1 t. coconut extract

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Freeze the bowl for ice cream maker overnight. In a large bowl combine yogurt, syrup, milk, cardamom, vanilla and coconut extract, mix until smooth. Chill in fridge at least an hour. Pour mixture into the ice cream maker and let churn for 20 minutes until it starts to look cream. During the last 5 minutes of the cycle add the shredded coconut. Pour into an ice cream container and freeze. When ready to eat, leave out for 5-10 minutes to slightly thaw.
What’s your favorite DIY homemade dessert? Have you tried any of these? Do you own an ice cream maker? What is the weather like where you live?

Congratulations, the  lucky winners of the ice cream giveaways are:
Luna and Larry’s
Caron
Heather
Tiff
Steve’s
Meredith
Newtree
Einat