Equipment
Ingredients
Ice Cream Base
- 200 g nonfat greek yogurt, plain
- 180 ml skim milk
- 60 g vanilla whey protein powder
- 15 g erythritol and monk fruit sweetener blend
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g salt, fine
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 122 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 180 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 1 mg
- Potassium
- 265 mg
- Calcium
- 216 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 338 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 40 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the nonfat Greek yogurt, 165ml of the skim milk, vanilla whey protein powder, sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth and frothy, ensuring no powder remains stuck to the sides.
Pour the blended mixture into a clean Ninja Creami pint container, verifying that the liquid sits securely below the maximum fill line. Secure the lid and freeze on a completely level surface for at least 24 hours at -18 degrees Celsius (-0.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the pint from the freezer, remove the lid, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Place the pint into the outer bowl, lock the blade assembly into place, and process using the Lite Ice Cream program.
Assess the texture of the ice cream. If it appears powdery, crumbly, or overly icy, pour the remaining 15ml of skim milk directly into the center hole left by the blade. Run the Re-spin program until perfectly creamy and smooth.
Chef's Notes
- Using a whey protein concentrate rather than an isolate can yield a slightly creamier final texture due to trace amounts of naturally occurring dairy fat.
- Sweetness dulls significantly when frozen. The liquid base should taste slightly sweeter than you want the final frozen ice cream to be.
- Allowing the frozen pint to sit on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before processing not only improves the initial texture but dramatically reduces mechanical stress on the Ninja Creami motor.
Storage
Freezer: 1 month — Store directly in the Ninja Creami pint. Leftovers frozen solid will require re-spinning before serving again.
Troubleshooting
Ice cream is powdery or crumbly after the first spin
Cause: The freezer is extremely cold, or the ultra-low-fat base lacks sufficient lipids to churn smoothly on a single pass.
Fix: Add a 15ml splash of skim milk to the center and run the Re-spin cycle.
Prevention: Allow the frozen pint to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before spinning to soften the outer edges.
Thick, icy film formed on the inner walls of the pint
Cause: The machine blade cannot reach the extreme edges of the pint during the spin cycle.
Fix: Run a butter knife gently down the inside walls to dislodge the ice, then run the Re-spin cycle to incorporate it.
Prevention: Thawing the pint slightly before processing helps the blade scrape the edges more effectively.
Cultural Context
The introduction of the Ninja Creami brought pacotizing technology, a process of micro-shaving deep-frozen foods previously reserved for high-end restaurant kitchens, into everyday American homes. This revolutionized healthy dessert preparation, allowing macro-friendly ingredients like nonfat Greek yogurt and whey protein to achieve a traditional ice cream mouthfeel.
