Summer recipes: 8 healthy ice creams you can easily make at home

This will also make sure your little ones do not go overboard buying juice, colas or other packaged desserts that have additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners, which could raise risk of several health issues.

Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

Recipe by Jagriti - Cloudnine, Malad

Ingredients:

- 4 frozen bananas, peeled

- ¼ cup cocoa powder

- 2 tablespoons peanut butter

- ¼ cup cow’s milk.

Instructions:

1. Put frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and peanut butter in your blender.

2. Blend the ingredients.

3. Freeze for 2 hours so that it is hard enough to scoop into cones.

Mango Yoghurt Ice cream

Recipe by Jagriti Brar– Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Mumbai - Malad

Ingredients:

- 2 cups curd

- 2 mango (ripe), peeled and chopped

- 1 pinch saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons milk

- 1 pinch cardamom powder (elaichi)

- 2-3 tsp honey

Instructions:

1. Peel and cut the mangoes roughly and freeze for 3-4 hours.

2. Meanwhile, drain the curd by pouring it into a fine sieve, lined with a muslin cloth.

3. Place a bowl below to collect the whey, and leave aside for about an hour or till all the excess water content is drained from the yogurt.

4. Add the hung curd in the blender along with the chopped frozen mangoes, saffron and add cardamom powder. Blend into a smooth puree.

5. Freeze the mixture in a freezer-safe box, seal the box with the lid and freeze for 3 hours or till almost frozen.

6. Remove from the fridge and blend once again in the blender to remove the ice crystals. Repeat the process once again.

7. After the third time of freezing, the Mango Froyo is ready to be served.

Vegan Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Recipe by Gurpreet Kaur, Clinical Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chandigarh

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of dairy-free milk (oats milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk)

- 4-5 tbsp of Stevia (natural sweetener)

- ½ cup peanut butter

- ¼ tsp Salt

- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

- Toppings (chopped peanuts, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips)

Instructions:

1. Stir all the ingredients together and pour the mixture into either ice cube trays or 1-2 shallow containers.

2. Freeze the mixture for an hour and once frozen, take out the ice tray or container and make it soft enough for your blender and then blend it until it gets smooth.

3. Freeze again for up to half an hour for a firmer ice cream.

4. Top it with chopped peanuts, chocolate syrup and choco chips.

Oats Milk Banana Ice Cream

Recipe by Gurpreet Kaur, Clinical Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chandigarh

Ingredients:

- Cocoa Powder – ¼ cup

- 2 cups oats milk

- One mashed banana

- 1/8 tsp of salt

- Sugar according to taste

- Add on toppings optional

Instructions:

1. Add 2 cups of oats milk, stevia and salt together.

2. Add one mashed banana and few choco chips for smooth taste.

3. Whisk all these ingredients together and pour in the ice cream maker or ice cube tray.

4. Freeze the mixture up to an hour and then let the ice cubes soft enough for a food processor to be able to process

5. Then blend the mixture again in mixer until it gets smooth and freeze it again for an hour for a firmer texture.

Rainbow Popsicle

Recipe by Greata Sherene Robinson, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chennai

Ingredients:

- Black and green grapes - ¼ cup

- Mango - ¼ cup

- Watermelon - ¼ cup

- Kiwi - ¼ cup

- Strawberries -¼ cup

- Lemon juice - 1 glass

Instructions:

1. Cut the fruits into small even slices.

2. Arrange the fruits in different colours and layers in the mould of popsicle. Arrange them closely with no gaps in between.

3. Pour the lemon juice in the moulds and tap them to prevent the forming of any air bubbles.

4. Put a stick into each mould. Place it in the freezer for few hours and then serve these yummy healthy fruit popsicle to your kids.

Mint Ice Cream

Recipe by Greata Sherene Robinson, Executive Nutritionist – Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Chennai

Ingredients:

- Frozen banana – cut into chunks – 4 nos.

- ½ tbsp. mint extract

- 2- 3 tbsp. roasted nuts

Instructions:

1. Add all the ingredients in a grinder and grind until they become smooth and creamy.

2. Transfer the mixture into a glass container and freeze overnight.

3. Scoop the ice cream into bowls and add some mint leaves and nuts as toppings and serve.

Tender Coconut Ice Cream

Recipe by Kavya - Cloudnine, Whitefield

Ingredients:

- Grated coconut- ¾ cup

- Water- ½ cup

- Tender coconut pulp- ½ cup

- Jaggery (melted- 1 string consistency)- 1.5tbsp

- Cinnamon powder- ½ tsp

- Salt- a pinch

Instructions:

1. Blend the grated coconut and water and extract the coconut milk (should obtain ½ cup).

2. In a blender, add the coconut milk, tender coconut pulp, jaggery, cinnamon powder and salt. Blend it well until it reaches a creamy consistency.

3. Pour this mixture into an airtight container and freeze it for 6-8 hours until it reaches a desirable consistency.

Date, Fig, Walnut Ice Cream

Recipe by Kavya Santosh, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Whitefield

Ingredients:

- Dried figs (anjeer)- ¼ cup

- Dates- ¼ cup

- Walnuts (crushed/ chopped)- ¼ cup

- Milk- 1 ¾ cup

- Jaggery- 1 tbsp

- Soy milk powder- 2 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Combine the dried figs and dates with ¾ cup of milk in a pan, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 6-7 mins with occasional stirring.

2. Cool the mixture completely and blend till smooth.

3. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the remaining milk, soy milk powder, walnuts and jiggery and mix well.

4. Transfer the mixture into a container and freeze for 4-6 hours or till semi-set.

5. Once the mixture is partially set, add it to a blender and blend well.

6. Pour the mixture back into the container and freeze until completely set.