Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

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It's my birthday!  :D

Sadly though, I have an exam today  :(  Oh yeah, and it's in my least favorite class.

Why does this always happen to me?  Last year today, I had a Biology exam (ugh), and now it's on the history of the middle east.  Thank goodness that my history class is the last one I have to endure for the rest of my college career!  After this semester, I can finally get to the good stuff:  Nutrition, Metabolism, Food Service, Anatomy, Physics, etc.

And don't worry, I studied for the test so I'm not procrastinating by blogging or anything . . .

Okay, maybe I am, but it is for a good cause.  I mean, vanilla bean ice cream is a classic, and now it's healthy! Of course the recipe needs to be shared asap.  And I worked pretty darn hard on the recipe (aka, it required three trials to perfect--why is it always three?)

Plus, shouldn't I get some free time on my b-day?

Well, I think so.

Free time with ice cream is a great time.

Free time with deliciously creamy, very vanilla-y and oh so sweet ice cream, is a perfect time.

Delectable by itself, sandwiched in between two Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, on top of a warm slice of Pound Cake, or added to a smoothie to transform it into a milkshake!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream:  [low fat, low sugar, high protein]

(makes ~4 cups)

   one 8oz tub Fat Free Cream Cheese

   84g (1/4 cup) Brown Rice Syrup

   42g (3 tbs) Grapeseed Oil (or any neutral oil)

   2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

   1 tsp Stevia Extract

   1/16 tsp Salt

   1 Vanilla Bean, scraped

   two 12oz cans Evaporated Fat Free Milk (fortified with vitamin D)

   64g (2 scoops) Vanilla Protein Powder

Directions:

1.  With a hand mixer or stand mixer and a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with the brown rice syrup until it has an even consistency

2.  Add the oil, extracts, salt and vanilla beans, then whip again (for a tutorial on getting the beans out of the vanilla pod, click here)

3.  Add the evaporated milk and protein powder and whisk on low until incorporated.  Refrigerate the mixture for 2 hours or overnight

4.  Follow your ice cream maker's instructions and then enjoy!

Modifications:

-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:  add 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

-Apple Pie Ice Cream:  add 2 Apple Pie Larabars, chopped into small chunks

Even though this ice cream needs to sit on the counter for a bit to thaw, you will be glad you waited--it turns into the perfectly scoopable ice cream that is exactly like store-bought kinds.  It wasn't too hard to scoop, it wasn't half melted, it was perfectly soft, sweet and delicious.

Just a few more hours til my exam . . . what a great way to spend my 19th birthday, right?!  :D

That was sarcasm.