Mixed Berry Ice Cream

Ice cream at a glance

This makes one large bowl in five minutes. It provides 311 calories, 20.3 g protein, 36.6 g carbohydrates, 11.2 g fat, and 11.3 g fiber, calculated from the listed ingredient quantities.

The scoop of whey is what makes this worth eating after training rather than just a fruit dessert. The fiber comes from the berries and the chia seeds.

Nothing here is sweetened beyond the berries themselves and whatever your protein powder brings with it. Most flavored whey is already sweetened, so taste it before reaching for anything else.

Getting it thick rather than runny

The order you load the blender matters. Liquid goes in first so the blades can catch, then the whey and the frozen fruit, then the peanut butter and chia, with the ice on top to push everything down. Pulse a few times before running the blender continuously, and scrape the sides at least once.

Whey thickens the mixture as it hydrates, so this sets stiffer than the same recipe without it. If your blender struggles, add almond milk 10 ml at a time rather than all at once. Every extra splash of liquid makes the result softer and closer to a smoothie.

The peanut butter is what keeps the texture creamy instead of icy. Almond butter or a sunflower seed butter behaves the same way.

Vanilla and unflavored whey both work here. A casein or a whey blend sets noticeably thicker, so expect to add more liquid with those.

Serving and storage

Eat it straight after blending, ideally from a bowl you left in the freezer for a few minutes. It freezes rock solid if you store it, so let any leftovers soften at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.