Ninja Creami Ube Ice Cream (Low Calorie & High Protein)

This Ninja Creami Ube Ice Cream will transport you back to the Hawaiian islands with subtle flavors of ube and tropical coconut. It is both low in calories, high in protein, and uses natural all all-natural ingredients.

Flavoring

The beauty of this Ube ice cream flavor lies in its use of natural powders and extracts. Pure Ube powder is low in calories and made of freeze-dried purple yams, which are vibrant in color. To bump up the mild flavor I also use a small amount of natural Ube extract, which is more concentrated.

To keep the calories as low as possible, I use natural coconut extract instead of coconut milk. While you could use reduced-fat canned coconut milk, it would add several hundred calories. The natural coconut extract adds the perfect amount of flavor.

Stabilizers

All Ninja Creami ice creams need ingredients to stabilize the mixture and make it nice and creamy (not icy). This is especially true if you are using low-fat ingredients. For this ice cream, the cottage cheese, pure ube powder, and collagen all work as stabilizers, creating a creamy ice cream.

Pro Tip: Flavorless Collagen is a wonderful, all-natural ingredient that acts similarly to gelatin, keeping your ice cream thicker and creamier. It is low calorie, adds extra protein, and studies have shown it can have both hair and skin benefits.

Tips & Tricks

• After doing for first spin on the ice cream setting, it is completely normal for the ice cream to look a little powdery, like in the picture shown above. After a re-spin, it will be the perfect ice cream consistancy.
• In this recipe, we add the additional sweetener and coconut extract after the first spin. This will sweeten the ice cream without having to add more than necessary to achieve the best flavor. For this ice cream, adding 1 tbsp of agave was the perfect amount.
• When you use a blender, it incorporates air into the mixture. Let your mixture rest on the counter or in the refrigerator for a few minutes to settle, then give it a quick stir and place it in the freezer.
• The blade of the machine does not reach all the way to the edges of the container. To avoid an icy mixture around the edges, run the outside of the container under warm water for about 30 seconds before placing it in the machine. This will loosen the frozen mixture away from the edges.
• To adapt a standard Ninja Creami recipe (16 oz pint) for the Deluxe model (24 oz tub), you should increase the recipe by 1.5 times. 
  

Sweetener

This Ninja Creami Ube ice cream is sweetened with monk fruit and agave. The blend of monk fruit and a natural sugar results in no aftertaste. You can also use your preferred sweeteners in the same amount. I add 2 tbsp of monk fruit into the mixtyre and then 1 tbsp of agave after the first spin. This is a special technique I use to use less sweetener and keep the calories low.

When you add sweeteners to your ice cream mixture, the freezing process mutes the flavor. I get around this by adding any additional sweetener when I re-spin the ice cream.

Optional Toppings

For this Ube ice cream, I enjoy it by itself, but you can also add dried and shredded coconut. Chopped pineapple would also make a wonderful topping.

Alternatives

To keep this ice cream lower in calories, I use Fairlife milk instead of a protein shake, which saves 40 calories.

• You can make this recipe using any type of sweetener; these are just my preferences to get the most natural flavor while keeping the ice cream low-calorie. I am not a fan of the aftertaste left by most sugar alternatives.
• Feel free to use any milk brand you would like. I use Fairlife because it adds double the amount of protein and is lower in sugar.
• If you are lactose intolerant, they make lactose free cottage cheese.
• If you are vegan, sub the cottage cheese for Violife Vegan Cream Cheese, any milk alternative, and then add 1/4 tsp guar gum.
• If you are scared of cottage cheese, you can also use whipped cream cheese, but it will be much higher in calories and will lack all the protein. I encourage you to try that cottage cheese. When it’s blended, you will not notice or taste it.

More Ninja Creami Ice Cream Recipes

All of my Ninja Creami recipes are designed for maximize flavor while still being low in calories and high in protein. I try to find a happy medium and experiment with different ingredients to achieve the perfect balance.