|
I think we all know just how tough it is to top the look on a child’s face when you put a big bowl of ice cream in front of them, even more so when it’s topped with sprinkles and dripping in mom’s homemade fudge sauce!
And, while I’m all for the occasional splurge, when it comes to sweets I love to go homemade and as natural as possible whenever I can. So, instead of opting for Ben & Jerry’s, our family has invested in an ice cream maker which we have turned into our family’s most favorite kitchen appliance. Our random afternoon discussions now often turn to Friday night family night and what we can come up with for the craziest, best frozen yogurt yet (and as healthily made as I can get away with!).
If you haven’t yet experienced the delight of homemade, kid-tested, mother-approved fro-yo, you are in for a definite treat. Not sure where to start? Here are some of our favorites in a variety of flavors that will hopefully meet all of your family’s biggest cravings and the best part is they’re so easy you should certainly enlist the children’s help!
Banana Mango Fro-Yo (It truly doesn’t get easier than this!)
Ingredients:
Vanilla Yogurt. 2 cups
Mango juice. 1/2 cup
Bananas. 2-3 large
Directions:
Slice bananas, place in blender with juice and puree until smooth. Pour mixture into large bowl and fold in yogurt. Place in ice cream maker and follow instructions. Freeze solid. Eat and top with banana slices (a dollop of whip cream with a wafer cookie or two makes this one extra special!)
Peanut Butter ‘Nana Fro-Yo
Ingredients:
Milk. 1/2 cup
Vanilla yogurt. 16 ounces
Peanut butter. 1/3 cup
Honey. 1/4 cup
Bananas. 4
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender and puree until creamy consistency is reached. Place in ice cream maker and follow instructions. For extra special days, top with homemade fudge sauce (see recipe below) and a wafer!
Honey Vanilla (OH MY!)
Ingredients:
Plain Greek yogurt. 2 cups
Honey. 1/4 cup
Vanilla. 1/2 teaspoon
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Cover and chill for approximately 1 hour. Place in ice cream maker and follow instructions.
* The best part of this recipe is that you can add anything to it or top it with anything and turn it into 100 other recipes! For fruity varieties, add in chopped fruit (fresh or frozen) during the last 10 minutes of ice cream maker’s program. For extra splurges, toss in brownies, chocolate chunks, nuts, marshmallows, etc.
Mint-y Chocolate-y Chipp-y
Ingredients:
1 batch Honey Vanilla Fro Yo
Organic mint extract. 1/2 teaspoon
Carob Chips or Cocoa nibs. 1/4 - 1/2 cup
Green coloring optional
Directions:
Add mint extract and optional green coloring the the vanilla fro yo. Place in ice cream maker and follow instructions. Add carob chips or chocolate nibs during last 10 minutes of cycle. Also very good with crushed thin mint cookies, if you don’t mind the sugar!
* For peppermint ice cream near Christmas (or Christmas in July!) exchange the carob chips for crushed peppermint candies and switch the green food coloring to pink.
We hope you play around and experiment as much as we do! You might even want to alternate weeks with your children and allow them each their very own week to plan a new recipe, or give the “recipe-chooser” authority as incentive for tasks and chores well done!
Freelancer Jocelyn Anne is passionate about promoting healthy and happy eating within the family. Lately when not writing, you’ll find her experimenting with her family’s ice cream maker. Her latest favorite recipes include avocado and basil!
Comment on this article or submit your tip to CreativeHomemaking.com.
Click here for a printer friendly version of this page.
Follow me on Pinterest.
Receive new article links via Twitter!
Follow Creative Homemaking on Facebook!
Recommend this article to a friend!
Search our article archives.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
|
