The only thing that is better than a nice, cold and creamy ice cream on a hot summer day is a nice, cold and creamy diabetes-friendly ice cream! But wait, that means ice cream with no sugar. That also means your options just went from a million to near zero. While you might get a sugar-free version at your local ice cream parlour or supermarket, the options are so limited. What’s the fun right?
What if we tell you, you can have just about any ice cream you want? It’s totally, absolutely, positively possible with some kitchen wizardry and a little bit of effort.
Enter: sugar substitutes. Sure you can use your artificial sweetener, but you have other options too!Honey, fruits such as bananas, maple syrup, and coconut milkwork perfectly well. Not only do they lend the much desired sweetness, they also pack in a whole lot of flavour. Double the delight!
Oh and if ice cream is not your kind of dessert, try some frozen yogurt, fruit popsicles, or sorbets! Here are some recipes that are sure to get a seal of approval from your diabetes doctor.
Smoothie Pops
1. These fruit popsicles will replace your smoothies this summer and satisfy your sweet tooth.
2. It will also sneak in the nutrients from your daily portion of fruits, so you can say hi to good health!
Ingredients
1.175 ml flavored fat-free yogurt with no-calorie sweetener
2.1 cup fat-free milk
3. 2 cups sliced fresh fruit such as berries, peaches, kiwi, and pineapple
Prep time: 6 hours
Method:
In a blender, mix in milk, yogurt, and fruit and blend till smooth.
Pour the mixture into 14, 80 ml ice-pop moulds and insert anice cream stick into each pop.
Freeze pops for about 6 hours or until firm.
Serving Size: 1 pop
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 78 |
| Cholesterol | 2 mg |
| Sodium | 52 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g(2 g fiber) |
| Protein | 4 g |
Watermelon-Tea Snow Cones
1. When you’re home from the sweltering weather and need a sweet escape from the heat in your body right after, this one is your answer!
2. An unusual combination of antioxidant-rich watermelon and herbal tea that tastes likeheaven in a cup.
Ingredients
1.2/3 cup water
2.1/3 cup fresh mint leaves or 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary
3.3 bags herbal tea
4.3 tablespoons sugar substitute* equivalent to 3 tablespoons sugar
5.2 cups seeded, cubed watermelon
6.3 cups ice cubes
Prep time: 4-5 hours
Method:
Boil water in a small pan and add mint or rosemary to it. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and add in the tea bags; cover and let it absorb the flavors for 4 minutes.
Strain mixture through a sieve and squeeze the tea bags against the sieve bags to drain all liquid; discard tea bags and mint or rosemary.
Let tea stand about 30 minutes or until cooled to room temperature. Stir in sugar till it dissolves.
Blend the watermelon in a blender until smooth and then add the pureeto the tea mixture. Cover and chill for 4 hours.
Pour the watermelon mixture in blender. With blender running, add each ice cube one after the other through the hole in the lid; blend until the mixture is slushy. Serve immediately.
Number of servings: 4
Serving Size: ½ cup
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 28 |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
Golden Pineapple Sorbet
1. Fruity perfection is the name of this one.
2. A low carb, Vitamin C enriched combination of fresh pineapple and zesty lemon that is perfect for late morning cravings.
Ingredients
1.1 large whole fresh pineapple
2.1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3.1/4 cup granulated sugar
Prep time: 4-5 hours
Method:
Cut up the pineapple and discard the core.
In a blender, put in the chopped pineappleand stir in the lime juice and sugar. Blend for 2 minutes or until mixture is completely smooth.
Press the mixture through a strainer; you should have about 3 cups puree.
Transfer mixture to the freezer and allow to ripen and freeze for 4 hours.
To serve, scoop into a bowl.
Number of servings: 8
Serving Size: ½ cup
Nutritional value per serving:
1. Fruity perfection is the name of this one.
2. A low carb, Vitamin C enriched combination of fresh pineapple and zesty lemon that is perfect for late morning cravings
Ingredients
1. 1 large whole fresh pineapple
2. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3. 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Prep time: 4-5 hours
Method:
Cut up the pineapple and discard the core.
In a blender, put in the chopped pineapple and stir in the lime juice and sugar. Blend for 2 minutes or until mixture is completely smooth.
Press the mixture through a strainer; you should have about 3 cups puree.
Transfer mixture to the freezer and allow to ripen and freeze for 4 hours.
To serve, scoop into a bowl.
Number of servings: 8
Serving Size: ½ cup
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 49 |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g Carb.(1 g fiber,11 g sugars) |
Banana chocolate ice cream
1. The age-old combination of banana and chocolate is a hit for a reason. To know why, try this recipe.
2. Low in saturated fat, this healthy ice cream recipe will bode well with your diabetes management efforts.
Ingredients
1. 2 medium bananas
2. 1/3 cup fat-free milk
3. 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
4. 1 cup fat-free whipped topping
Prep time: 3 hours
Method:
Peel bananas and slice into 1/4-inch coins. Put them in a bowl and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours.
Once they are frozen, add them to a blender along with milk and cocoa powder and blend until smooth.
Fold in the whipped topping.
Place the mix in a box and freeze for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Scoop into 1/2-cup scoops to serve.
Number of servings: 5
Serving Size: ½ cup
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 80 |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 18 mg |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Potassium | 250 mg |
Blackcurrant and raspberry ice cream
1. Add a hint of tang to your post-dinner diabetes diet menu with this blackcurrant and raspberry ice cream.
2. Get your dose of vitamin C and antioxidants in one delicious scoop.
Ingredients
1.600ml unsweetened soya milk
2. A few drops vanilla extract
3. 1 tbsp cornflour
4. 4 egg yolks
5. 2 tbsp icing sugar
6. 300g can blackcurrants, drained
7. 200g frozen raspberries
Prep time: About3 hours
Method:
Mix the milk with vanilla extract and pour into a medium pan. Boil.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornflour, and icing sugar.
Stir the milk in the cornflour mixture, then return to the pan. Put it on low heat and cook until the mixture thickens. Avoid bring to a boil because the mixture will curdle.
Let it cool and then add the blackcurrants and raspberries
Transfer to a freezer proof container.
Freeze for 2 hours. Use a fork to remove the ice crystals. Return to the freezer and freeze until solid. When you are serving, take it out of the freezer 5-10 minutes before.
Number of servings:4
Serving Size: 313 g
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 184 |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 17.3 mg |
| Sugars | 13.5 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Fat | 8.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 2 g |
| Fiber | 4.5 g |
Honey-Apricot Frozen Yogurt
1. Now you might argue that ice cream isn’t exactly a mid-day snack. So what do you do when you want something cold in the afternoons? Have some frozen yogurt!
2. Perfect epitome of Prediabetes Diet,presenting to youa low fat, low calorie frozen dessert.
Ingredients
1.3 cups pitted and finely chopped fresh apricots or nectarines
2.1 litre of vanilla low-fat yogurt
3.2 tablespoons honey
4.Sliced fresh apricots or nectarines (optional)
Prep time: 6 hours
Method:
Mix half of the chopped nectarines or apricots, the yogurt, and honey in a food processor and process until smooth.
Pour into a freezer container. Add in remaining chopped apricots or nectarines and mix. Let it freeze about 4 hours or until just firm, and stir ever once in a while so mixture freezes evenly.
Chill the mixer bowl for a heavy, stand electric mixer. Spoon the frozen mixture into the bowl.
Beat with a heavy, stand electric mixer on medium speed until slightly fluffy. The trick is to begin slowly and gradually turn up the speed. Return mixture to freezer container. Cover and freeze about 6 hours or until firm.
Let frozen yogurt sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
Number of servings: 12
Serving Size: ½ cup
Nutritional value per serving:
| Calories | 93 |
| Sodium | 50 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g(1 g fiber,6 g sugars) |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Fat | 1 g(1 g sat. fat) |
| Cholesterol | 4 mg |
Serving quantities in each recipe is within the safe amount for the Type 2 diabetes diet. Any more, and it can slide over onto the unhealthy side. Nevertheless, next time, a craving for ice cream comes calling, you know what to do! Which of these recipes are you adding to your dessert repertoire? We’d love to know!
