Homemade Dairy and Gluten Free Ice Cream

by Jenny Irvine // August 22, 2014 // 1 Comment

Gluten and Dairy Free Ice Cream, Dessert, Sweets, Treats, Kids, Recipe, Printable

When we first discovered that our kids had a dairy sensitivity it didn’t seem like a big deal- I mean heck, how hard could it possibly be to ‘just‘ stay away from cheese? Ha, boy was I wrong- I will take our family’s gluten issues over dairy any day. Most dairy alternatives are just plain nasty and full of artificial highly processed ingredients.

However, somethings really do taste great dairy free- and this homemade dairy free ice cream is certainly one of those things. There are no artificial ingredients and in our home the end result is a happy child that gets to be just like all the rest.

(For your convenience affiliate links are included-if a purchase is made through these direct links it does help support this blog – no pressure to do so but if you do we thank you!)

Homemade Dairy and Gluten Free Ice Cream

Ingredients;
3 C. Dairy free milk of your choosing (I use 2 c. coconut and 1 c. almond)
1 T. Vanilla
3/4 C.Sugar (this can be adjusted depending on how sweet you want it)
1/2 tsp. Salt

You will also need;
An ice cream maker (it is worth its weight in gold for how much you will be saving in the long run on those super pricy little cartons of dairy-free ice cream)

Directions;
Add milk, vanilla, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk or using an electric mixer blend until sugar is dissolved and all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Carefully pour blended mixture into the ice cream bucket and churn until it has reached its desired thickness (ours takes about 20 minutes)

Place in a lid covered container and store for later use. I typically make a batch and let it sit in the freezer for a bit before serving to let it thicken/harden as the immediate product is typically quite soft.

Top with your favorite toppings; chocolate, berry sauce, dye free sprinkles, or fresh berries. Serve and enjoy!
Printable Recipe

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Balls

by Jenny Irvine // June 5, 2014 // 1 Comment

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Balls

This recipe is so easy to make-and, the best part is the variations are endless. Sort of like my muffin recipe-I really do use whatever I have on hand- eliminating unnecessary trips to the store and access spending.

Yields; approximately 2 dozen

Ingredients;

1 1/2 gluten-free oats (or regular old fashion)

1/2 C. peanut butter (almond, sunbutter, or cashew all work great too)

1/2 C. honey

2 T. coconut oil

1/4 C. mix-ins (chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or raisins)

Dash of cinnamon (optional)

Instructions;

1. Place oats in food processor and pulse until ground finely.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil until combine thoroughly.

3. Gradually add the ground oats to the peanut butter, honey, and coconut mixture- mixing continuously until all blended.

4. Gently fold in your desired add-ins (this is one of those things like granola and muffins-I throw whatever I have on hand in them)

5. Using a a kitchen teaspoon (or I use our OXO melon-baller) scoop and roll into balls.

6. Eat and enjoy or Freeze* for future use

When freezing- place balls on parchment paper -freeze for 30-40 minutes then remove and store in a ziplock bag. Label and place back in the freezer for later (just an FYI these taste really good cold or at room temp). They can remain in the freezer for up to 3 months but ours never make it but a couple of weeks.

Printable Recipe

DIY Peanut Butter Cups

by Jenny Irvine // June 4, 2014 // 1 Comment

Seriously these little cups are a tiny piece of heaven. In the low carbohydrate world they are often referred to as “fat bombs” since they contain some of the good fats (*medium chain triglycerides) to help your body function at its optimal level-however something about eating a “fat bomb” just doesn’t sound right to me- regardless of how good they taste.

Here are some variations we enjoy at our homestead- feel free to create your own. Be sure to comment back here and let me know how they came out. Try almond butter in place of the peanut butter; add a 1tsp. of vanilla extract or a 1 T. left over coffee, sprinkle with sea salt instead of peanuts, mix in shredded coconut, or sprinkle with dye free sprinkles for a special treat for the kids.

DIY Peanut Butter Cups

(the following may contain affiliate links to products I personally use-under no circumstances are you obligated to purchase them through my direct link-but, if you should decide to do so I will receive a small percentage of the sale- that helps support this blog.)

Yields; 24 cups

Ingredients;

1 C. Coconut Oil

1/2 C. Peanut butter

1 Tsp. Sweetener of choice (i.e Truvia, agave)

8 T. Cocoa Powder

1/2 C. Unsalted Butter (use Earth Balance Butter to make it dairy free)

(crushed peanuts optional)

Instructions;

1. In a medium sized, over low/medium heat, gently stir in all ingredients until well combined and melted.

2. Carefully pour in silicone cupcake pan, foil cups, or any cupcake liner really.

3. Add a pinch of crushed peanuts (or desired add in) if desired-if not leave it be.

4. Freeze for 30-35 minutes and enjoy. You will want to leave these in the freezer until ready to serve as they do melt rather quickly.

Printable Recipe

If your not sure what exactly a medium chain triglyceride is here is a great article.