Enjoy This Cool Treat Sweetened With Non-Caloric Stevia

Many of us like to cool off on a hot summer’s day by enjoying a scoop or two of ice cream, and if the ice cream is sweetened with stevia we don’t have to be concerned about calories from sugar, or the effects of artificial sweeteners.

Stevia is an herbal plant native to South America. The plant’s leaves contain two compounds – stevoside and rebaudioside – that sweeten food and drink without adding calories. This makes stevia an ideal sweetener for people who are trying to lose weight, and might also make sweet foods more palatable to calorie-conscious individuals recovering from eating disorders.

A growing number of food products are currently being sweetened with stevia, but If you can’t find stevia sweetened ice cream in your grocery store, consider making a batch at home.

Stevia Sweetened Ice Cream

This recipe does not require an ice cream maker. All that’s needed are the ingredients, a mixer (or a big spoon and plenty of elbow-grease), and your freezer.

If you use an ice cream maker, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for mixing and freezing these ingredients.

You’ll need:

• 1-2 eggs
• 2 cups of cream (use heavy or light cream, whatever you prefer)
• 1 cup milk (skim, soy, or any other type of milk is okay)
• 1/2 to 2/3 tsp stevia powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or other flavoring)

Preparation:

1. Put the ingredients in a large plastic or metal bowl and blend thoroughly; allow the mixture to cool in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes – or until completely chilled. Then, place it in the freezer for 30 to 40 minutes. The mixture’s outer surface will freeze, but it will stay soft on the inside.
2. Repeat the following mix-and-freeze cycle three times: manually or with a mixer, beat the mixture until it’s smooth again; then, return it to the freezer for another 30 to 40 minutes. Before the third mix-and-freeze cycle, add the vanilla extract (or other flavoring) plus any fruit or nuts desired. After the third mix-and-freeze cycle the mixture should be thick enough to keep the flavoring evenly distributed.
3. Now, serve and enjoy the ice cream, or store it in the freezer (since stored handmade ice cream usually freezes very hard, you might have to let it thaw a bit before serving).

The fat, carbohydrate, and calories per serving of this ice cream will depend on the kind of milk and cream products you choose to use.

Source: Steviapoint
Photi credit: Connie Ma