Fudgy Chocolate Ice-Cream (That's Actually Good For Your Gut)

I’m not joking! These ice-creams are actually good for your gut. 

For anyone with gut issues, especially those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and leaky gut it’s hard to eat delicious food without causing uncomfortable bloating and debilitating symptoms. 

Even the bloat ‘safe’ store bought alternatives that are gluten and dairy free often contain hidden preservatives, additives and thickeners that cause your gut to bloat. 

With you in mind, as well as my own love for ice-cream (especially on a hot day) I wanted to create a delicious, chocolate ice-cream without the hidden nasties that actually helps your gut. 

So if you are wondering ‘why am I so bloated?’, ‘what foods cause bloating?’ and ‘how to get rid of bloating?’ this recipe is for you! This original recipe is low sugar, refined sugar free, gluten free, dairy free and low FODMAP.

Reasons this recipe is food for your gut: 

• Dairy and gluten free, which are common foods that trigger symptoms and intestinal inflammation 
• Bone broth provides gut healing amino acids 
• Collagen provides gut healing amino acids and be a source or protein to help reduce blood sugar spikes and increase fullness
• Almond butter provides polyunsaturated fatty acids, insoluble fibre and is low FODMAP
• Cacao powder provides polyphenols which is a low FODMAP prebiotic for your gut microbiome

Now, before I share this most delicious recipe ever, I need to let you know that I am not one for measuring exactly when it comes to recipes. I am ‘let’s see how this turns out’ kind of person that loves experimenting in the kitchen and adjusting recipes to suit my needs (and what’s in the pantry at the time). So, I invite you to the same and adjust my recipe to your needs.

This recipe is low risk for getting it ‘wrong’ and high risk for discovering some delicious flavour combination that makes your taste buds and gut health sing. 

Below the recipe I’ll put some swap suggestions and flavour combinations I have tried, to help spark some inspiration.

Makes 6 mini ice-creams

Ingredients

• ¾ - 1 C plain coconut yoghurt 

• 1 Tbsp 100% almond butter 

• ¼ C cacao powder

• 1 tsp plain bone broth paste (such as Gevity Rx, Best Of The Bone)

• 1-2 Tbsp plain collagen powder (I use Designs For Health (a practitioner brand), but there are tonnes on the market)

• Maple syrup to taste (I used about 2 tsp) 

Method 

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor, nutribullet, blender, or using a stick blender until smooth 

2. Pour the mixture in ice-cream molds

3. Place ice-cream molds in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until frozen 

4. When ready to eat, take the ice-cream out of the mold and leave it at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften and increase fudginess. You can eat straight from the freezer, but it will be a more solid less fudgy ice-cream 

Swaps and flavour combinations

• Coconut yoghurt. I have only used coconut yoghurt but you can try goats, sheeps, cows or lactose free yoghurt. These types won’t make it dairy free but if that isn’t your issue, go for it. Soy or almond yoghurt are dairy free alternatives you could try.

• Almond butter: any nut or seed butter such as macadamia, peanut, cashew, ABC, sunflower butter.

• Cacao powder: To keep the chocolate goodness you can add orange rind (for jaffa) or peppermint drops (choc-mint)

• Cacao free: If you want to experiment with fruit go for it. I have created a strawberry ice-cream and mango ice-cream which were delicious. However, any ingredient that contains water (such as fruit) will make the ice-cream more icey. In this case, leaving your ice-cream to defrost for 10 mins before eating reduces the icey-ness. 

• Bone broth paste: Don’t add in if vegan or histamine intolerant

• Plain collagen powder: Don’t add in if vegan. You can add in another type of protein powder, but I haven’t tried this and there will be an influence on taste (unlike collagen powder which  doesn’t change consistency or flavor)

• Maple syrup: honey, rice, malt syrup, yacon syrup or any other sweetener. Just adjust to taste and sweetness.