Last Thursday, HMK asked for a completely dairy-free, sugar-free basic ice cream recipe that really works. I got busy over the weekend and came up with this amazing solution. I adored this ice cream. My husband used the words ”crisp,” “vivacious,” and “sweet” when I asked him for his thoughts. For my part, I found it light and refreshing–like sherbert. I’m still in shock that ice cream with zero sugar can taste this good! It’s a dream come true for this hypoglycemic, and it’s a perfect solution for diabetics and candida-sufferers too.
This recipe is yet another variation on The Nourishing Gourmet‘s original Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream. I have experimented before with the recipe, trying to reduce the sugar content by using part agave nectar and part stevia, but going 100% stevia has never worked. That stevia aftertaste eventually becomes too overpowering. The difference this time around is the brand of stevia. I have tried several before, but nothing comes close to NuNaturals NuStevia. Recommended by Kat James in The Truth about Beauty and by a friend, this stuff rocks! I admit that it does not lend the same mellow, round sweetness to the ice cream that an unprocessed sugar like Rapadura or Sucanat would, but it does produce a light, sherbert-like sweetness without the dreaded stevia aftertaste.
Please, please, please do not attempt to make this recipe without some fabulous stevia on hand. Neither Now nor Sweet Leaf brand stevia will do the trick, and definitely don’t go for a store’s generic version. I have never tried Body Ecology’s stevia, which is supposed to be better than most, but a friend who has tried them both find NuNaturals NuStevia superior. NuNaturals offers a number of stevia products, including liquid extract in glass or plastic bottles, pure powdered stevia, powdered stevia in maltodextrin (to help with measuring), powdered stevia in erythritol (again, for measuring ease), and individual serving packets of stevia. You may be able to find a limited selection of NuNaturals products in your local health food store, but ordering from them online may prove easier, in addition to giving you access to their other products, like xylitol, erythritol, and herbal formulas (the site is a diabetic or hypoglycemic’s paradise). They even offer free shipping on order of $35 or more. I used the NuStevia NoCarbs Blend packets for this recipe. I cannot promise the same results with other forms of stevia, though you are more than welcome to experiment. I’ll certainly be doing that myself. Let me know what you try and how it turns out in the comments. I’d love feedback on this one!
Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (Dairy-Free & Sugar-Free)
12 oz (by weight, not volume) strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 14 oz cans coconut milk (do not use light varieties and watch out for preservatives in the ingredient list)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 or 4 packets NuNaturals NuStevia NoCarbs Blend
In a blender, combine the strawberries, coconut milk, and vanilla extract and blend until very smooth. (It is not necessary to thaw frozen strawberries first as long as your blender is powerful enough to completely pulverize them. As a bonus, using frozen strawberries will help the ice cream to freeze faster.)
Add three packets of stevia, blend, and taste. If you would like additional sweetness, toss in the fourth packet and mix.
Pour the batter into your ice cream maker and follow the appliance’s freezing instructions.
Like most homemade ice creams, this one has the consistency of soft serve when finished and gets very hard after spending time in the freezer. In the latter case, leave it out on the counter for ten or fifteen minutes to soften before serving.
Bon appetit!
Fantastic recipes! Would you ever consider doing a post on some macrobiotic vegan recipes?
Chris,
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed browsing the site. A post on macrobiotic vegan recipes certainly is not out of the question, but I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the macrobiotic diet as a permanent way of life for myself. I have intense trouble digesting grains (even gluten-free ones), regardless of preparation method. I also did not do well on a strictly vegan diet. I do, however, love beans, greens, and miso soup, so all is not lost! One of my favorite recipes of all time, Kale with Aduki Beans, is a macrobiotic recipe (it’s listed in my recipe box on this blog). I can definitely appreciate macrobiotic vegan meals from time to time, so I will add this to my list of things to investigate further. Thanks for the suggestion!
Wow, I am glad I found your site! This ice cream sounds divine and I can’t wait to try it. I will be back for more!
Carrie,
Thanks! I look forward to seeing you around.
It was fun to discover your site too. I just love your WFMW wedding gift idea. So great!
This looks so yummy! My dad recently found out he is diabetic and has had a hard time giving up his strawberry milkshakes
I’m sure he will just love this!
Did this still have a slight coconut flavor? I make the chocolate version because my daughter really doesn’t care for coconut flavor. Hey, she will eat cultured veggies so I have to give her a break on this.
Marjorie,
The coconut flavor was surprisingly mild in this ice cream, but if your daughter vehemently hates coconut, then it might still be a bit too strong. I think that different brands of coconut milk differ in the strength of coconut flavor. I usually use Thai brand, but this time I used another one. I can’t remember what it was called… I think the Thai tastes better (more coconutty), but if you want less coconut flavor, it wouldn’t be the best choice. Another option is to use part goats’ milk and to use more strawberries. Doing those things would also cut down on the coconut flavor.
Cool, I will try this. Thanks.
Have you tried the NuNaturals vanilla Stevia? It’s really, really good. Virtually no aftertaste.
Patia,
You’re welcome!
Actually, yes I have tried that vanilla stevia. And you’re right. It *is* wonderful. I couldn’t believe how good it tasted in plain yogurt. Wow! I’m planning to post about it on Wednesday to participate in Works for Me Wednesday. Definitely a superior product! The SweetLeaf Vanilla stevia, on the other hand, is enough to make a person ill.
Oh, that’s good to know.
I’m currently undertaking a 6-week Candida detox diet (which means NO sugars, including fruits). So I do use Stevia. But how can you call this recipe “sugar-free” when it has Coconut Milk in it? Coconut Milk is actually quite high in sugars.
And then there’s the strawberries.
[...] 27, 2008 by Alison @ Wholesome Goodness I mentioned a while back that, after I raved about NuNaturals stevia on my blog, the company sent me a bunch of their products to test and review. I want to share [...]
This looks amazing. I am not a huge fan of stevia, would you have any suggestions for using agave instead? Thanks.
Hannah,
I would recommend trying 6 tablespoons of agave nectar, based on recipes I’ve seen at the Nourishing Gourmet blog. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!
I’d prefer to use xylitol. What would the measurement be equal to in relation to agave or stevia?
Rick,
Well, xylitol is equal in sweetness to sugar, and agave is 25% sweeter than sugar. You would need 6 tablespoons of agave for this recipe, so I’m thinking that 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of xylitol might be just right. Just to be sure, I would start with 6 and work your way up. That way you don’t end up with something too sweet. Keep in mind that the finished ice cream will taste slightly less sweet and less intense in flavor than the batter, so you do want the batter to taste sweeter than you want the end product to be. Good luck! Do let me know how the xylitol works for you and how much you used.
Thanks! Will do. I think xylitol is often misunderstood and confused w/sorbitol and maltitol. I have no problems using it.
I’m going to run right out to Wal-Mart and buy an ice cream maker (in 40 degree temps)!
Rick,
My only objection to xylitol is the taste. It makes me feel thirsty. Sometimes I don’t mind, but overall I prefer stevia. But then there are plenty of people who prefer xylitol and erythritol. To each his own!
Erythritol does the same thing to me that sorbitol does. Stevia is good in some things like iced tea and lemon/lime aid. It’s awful in oatmeal.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing your recipie! Imitation sugars are completely unfamiliar to me and I was wondering if you might have some idea of what the equivalent sugar requirement would be when using plain old sugar or icing sugar if you think that better. My interest in this recipie is from a dairy free perspective only.
Many Thanks,
Bevan
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Unfortunately, coconut milk is pretty much a fat bomb in spite of the fact that it’s vegetarian and natural. We’ve used silken tofu – the kind recommended for smoothies and frostings – with some success in our ice cream maker, but wonder if you might have other recommendations. Thanks,
Dave
Coconut milk does have fat in it, but it is a particularly healthy from of fat. It is reported to actually increase metabolism and some people find it easier to lose weight when adding coconut to their diet. You can read more on:
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/
This is very hot information. I’ll share it on Twitter.
I was so keen to try this recipe, as I’ve been on the candida diet for a year or so, still avoiding refined sugars. I -just- had a taste of it, and was a little disappointed.
However, it may have been on my part. Selecting a better brand of coconut milk may help out, I may reduce the amount of coconut milk and increase the strawberries.
It did smell delicious and the texture was great (I churned mine by hand). I’m not quite ready to give up on this recipe
I think the only real downside was that;
You get the initial tang of strawberry, which is nice. Tart, tangy, sweet.. but once that disappears, the coconut milk takes over. It has a slight “fatty” texture and taste, almost a savory flavour.
I want to nail this recipe, and thanks again!