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Flavor of the week
I'm starting a new series where I recreate Van Leeuwen flavors.
To kick this off, I made their Mango Sticky Rice pint.
But I made some big upgrades.
Specifically with the mix-ins.
Freeze some rice crispies and freeze-dried mango.
Toss them in a coconut base and there you go.
Pro-tip: fresh mango will throw the texture off so go freeze-dried, or dry the fresh ones off and refrigerate before you add them.
Check it out and let me know which Van Leeuwen flavor I should make next.
Rapid Reviews
This week Cold Freak sent me their protein ice cream sandwiches.
200 calories. 20 grams of protein.
That's basically the macros of a protein bar.
In cookie ice cream sandwich form.
And they're honestly fire.
Here's the catch:
You have to order, at minimum, 3 boxes, and each sandwich is about $6.
You're looking at over $50 to order these.
So yes, they're expensive (but not David Protein expensive)…
But here's what you should know:
This is a one man operation and the guy is grinding.
He's even making the deliveries himself in New York City.
And the macros are legitimately impressive.
If price isn't a dealbreaker for you, these deliver.
Think of it like a protein bar on steroids.
The verdict:
7.6/10
Find it.
In the Lab
I put 3 ice cream machines head to head this week.
Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl vs. Cuisinart Fast Freeze vs. Nutribullet Chill.
Here's the quick breakdown:
The Ninja Creami is still the best for protein ice cream and it's not that close.
13 settings. Light ice cream mode. Mix-in setting. Gelato, sorbet, FroYo.
Everything you need to make low fat, low sugar bases actually work.
The Nutribullet Chill is $200.
So the same price as the basic Creami model (NC301).
On a vanilla base it actually held up pretty well.
But there's not a mix-in setting or a light ice cream mode.
And somehow it's even louder than the Creami.
Hard to justify the same price for less.
The Cuisinart Fast Freeze is a totally different machine.
It's a wand that you push down into the pint.
Very quiet. Small enough to fit in a dorm room. Around $120.
The ice cream came out a bit lackluster.
But if you have roommates, a small apartment, or just want to try this without a bigger investment?
It's not a bad starting point.
The bottom line:
If you want the best protein ice cream possible, get the Ninja Creami.
If you're not ready to drop the money and just want to see what this is about, Cuisinart gets you there.
The Nutribullet? Same price as the Creami.
Pass.
P.S. If you're trying to find any machine for the least amount of money, all of these brands typically run sales throughout the summer so keep your eyes out.
Want more low calorie, high protein Ninja Creami recipes like these? Get my books. 243 recipes across 4 books, $49.99 for the complete bundle.
