Just recently I posted a Low-carb Key Lime + Whey Protein Ice Cream recipe, but being the major chocolate lover I am, I couldn’t refrain from converting this recipe into a Low-carb RICH Chocolate Ice Cream functional formula – again with loads of whey protein isolate.
I hope by now you’d know why my recipes are low-carb and high in protein – because genetically we are not prepared to function at optimal levers of performance with eating high-sugar/carb and low-protein/vegan diets. It’s just not in our genotype.
If you ask yourself why ice cream recipe. It’s because I love re-engineering foods that are generally considered unhealthy and converting them into healthy, performance-boosting foods. I simply like observing myself (and other people, too – it’s fun) when I know the new, re-engineered food is good-for-me but I still have to subconsciously wrestle with the deeply rooted in my head concept that (in this case) ice cream can be good for me. Re-designing the food is the first step that brings me pleasure, the second is trying to convince myself that it’s ok to eat it now.
So, here we go…
Low-carb Rich Chocolate Ice Cream + Whey Protein Recipe
What you’ll need: 1) all the ingredients, and 2) an inexpensive ice cream maker (like the one I use – Cuisine Art Icemaker)
The ingredients:
180g (3/4 cup) half & half
125g (1/2 cup) water
130g (1 cup) powdered erythritol (or crystallized, if you don’t have powdered)
1.3g Reb-A (or 8 drops of stevia extract 90% steviosides)
100 g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder, unsweetened
1g (1/4) tsp salt
100g (4 scoops) whey protein isolate (unsweetened, unflavored)
1g (1/3 tsp) Xanthan gum
0.5g (1/6 tsp) Guar gum
350g (1 1/2) cups heavy cream
5g (1 tsp) vanilla
60g (1/2) cup chopped roasted macadamia or almond nuts (optional, not included in nutr. facts; go with macadamia if you don’t want the extra Omega-6 that come with the almonds)
How to prepare:
Combine erythritol, cocoa powder, salt, whey, reb-A, xanthan and guar. Mix well. Set aside.
Combine half & half and water. Heat mixture in a saucepan until bubbles start to form.
Remove from heat and stir the erythritol/cocoa mixture in with a spatula until dissolved. Then stir in the 1 1/2 cups heavy cream + vanilla.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hour.
Pour into freezer bowl of ice cream maker and let mix until mixture thickens, about 20-30 minutes. Half way through churning – about 10-15min from beginning of ice cream making process – drop in the optional chopped nuts.
Pour into 8 small cups. Freeze.
Once the ice cream has spent more than a couple of hours in the freezer you will have to take out a serving and leave at room temperature for about 15 min and allow it to soften a bit. Or, you can move a serving in the refrigerator a couple of hours if you know when you’re going to be wanting some. If you are like me, you will want it immediately and you’ll have to fight trough your first several attempts to spoon out a sizable dose.
So, in summary, what you’ll end up with is a rich chocolate ice cream that is ultra-low in net carbs and high in quality, easily digestible protein. You will not be able to tell that the ice cream was made with erythritol and stevia (no cooling effect and no bitter taste notes), and you won’t be able to tell that there is a good amount of protein in it, either.
Do the test! Give a serving to someone who doesn’t care about functional foods or low-carb or high-protein or any of that stuff, but don’t tell them anything. Just watch their reaction. You will be surprised..
Nutrition Facts
(without optional nuts.. or anything else – functional or not – that you want to stick in there:)
Serving Size: 1 small cup about (110g)
Servings 8
Calories per serving 290
Total Fat 20.5g
Total Carbohydrates 26g
NET Carbs 9g
Fiber 4g
Sugars 0g
Sugar Alcohols 16g
Protein 15g
If you don’t like cocoa/chocolate check out my Key Lime + Whey Protein Ice Cream recipe – a little tangy and very refreshing. Oh… and good-for-you, too (just don’t tell your dentist about the key lime juice..)!
Cheers!
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