Primal Strawberry Ice Cream

If I learned nothing else from Dr. Kurt Harris at his fabulous blog PaNu (Paleolithic Nutrition), it’s the idea that a modern approximation of the paleolithic metabolic state requires a high-fat diet, and that, all things being more or less equal, dairy fat is a highly desirable “primal” source of fat. Dairy is “neolithic,” not “paleolithic.” But we can love dairy fat, because the negative aspects of dairy are (a) not experienced by everybody and (b) largely associated with the protein and carbohydrate content of dairy. Heavy Cream has very little, or in some cases no appreciable amounts of protein and carbs. Cream is basically liquid fat, a beautiful, animal based, saturated fat.

If you don’t believe animal based saturated fat is good for you, read no further. Or read this.

Anyway, according to Harris, you can use dairy fat to substitute for dietary carbohydrates. And I have started experimenting with this.

The Slippery Slope: Using Heavy Cream in Coffee

Heavy Cream, especially whipped, has always been one of my favorite food items. But I always resisted using it much, since it was so “fatty.” I also always liked milk and half and half in my coffee. But I stopped doing that recently, in an effort to be more “paleo.” Well. Under the influence of Harris, I started adding heavy cream to my coffee again. DEAR GOD I LOVE IT. It’s awesome.

This is the gateway drug. Cream. Cream is the gateway drug … to more cream.

Next Stage: Pouring Heavy Cream on Berries

After dinner one night, I decided to enjoy a sugar-free “dessert.” I added cream to some blackberries. Freakin’ fabulous. Another night I tried it on strawberries. I love this too.

Cream, paired with the natural sugars and flavors of berries, is a truly delightful treat. For someone, like me, who already avoids all added sugars, it seems decadent on its own and requires no added sweetener. What a great dessert.

Flash of Insight: Primal Ice Cream

But wait! It occurred to me that I could whip the cream, and I would again be enjoying one of my favorite foods… one I usually reserve for holidays. And, then, in a flash, I realized that if I could have whipped cream and berries, why not freeze the cream, and make ICE CREAM?

I have often made homemade Ice Cream. Good Ice Cream is difficult to craft, and there are many variations of the recipe. It takes work to perfect your technique. But in truth, real REAL ice cream is just cream, stirred against a very cold surface, simultaneously forming ice crystals and getting air mixed into it. Add flavor (e.g. vanilla or some other extract), and presto, it’s flavored ice cream. You can add stabilizers (gelatins and gums) and sweeteners (especially sugar or glucose), and you can add fluids (especially milk) to reduce the fat content, but they aren’t an essential part of the ideal substance, which is really just about the CREAM.

Primal Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients: 2 cups organic cream from grass-fed cows, 1/2 cup organic whole milk from grass fed cow, 2 cups chopped ripe strawberries

Instructions: chop the strawberries finely. Take 1/2 cup and blend them into a paste, then mix the paste with the berries. Pour the berries and the milk and cream together and put it in an airtight container in your fridge for 12-24 hours. Then, pour the chilled mix into your ice cream maker, and follow whatever instructions it gives you.

Serve the iced cream fresh: in my view it won’t freeze particularly well. But if you do freeze it before serving, make sure you take it out of the freezer and let it soften properly.

Nutritional information:
Total Protein: 4g; Total Carbs: 22g; Total Fat: 164g. Makes 4 servings with 41g fat each. If you need some extra fat (like, for instance, during a recovery day, after a series of heavy workouts)… treat yourself.

Yes, I think you could substitute coconut milk.