Healthier treats, scoop by scoop

Knowing what we now know about trans fats and corn syrup and empty calories, the once-innocent melody of the neighborhood ice cream truck can sound like the bells of dietary doom.

Thankfully, four area businesses are bringing healthier alternatives (and a bit of whimsy) to the frozen-confection market this summer.

Rolling out of the gate on a custom-made tricycle is Little Baby's Ice Cream, featuring small-batch, mostly organic sweets by the scoop. Founders Pete Angevine, Martin Brown, and Jeffrey Ziga are closely connected to the local arts scene, and the business reflects their "food punk" aesthetic, from the reprogrammed ice-cream-truck theme song to the retro-cute logo.

Among rotating flavors are sriracha Earl Grey, cardamom caramel, and vegan options such as coconut tea. Flavors for summer will include grilled peach mint, white pepper strawberry, and blueberry ginger.

"Ice cream is a universal thing," says Angevine, who discovered his passion for the stuff when he became seriously ill a few years ago. As he recovered, he began experimenting with flavors at home, and friends urged him to make them available to the public.

"It brings people together and makes them happy. The response we've had, even before we opened, has been completely overwhelming."

Angevine says he's enjoying drawing on Philadelphia's rich history of ice cream-making, and looking forward to bringing previously unseen flavors to town.

Little Baby's is available by the pint at Green Aisle Grocery in South Philadelphia and by the scoop ($3 to $7 per) at events announced via Twitter feed (@littlebabysic).

KOV (Kosher Organic Vegan) Foods has been making its gluten-free, allergen-free answer to ice cream for a couple of years, but this summer founder Safiya Carter is adding her phonetically named Wooder Ice line to the mix.

"There are no refined sugars, no artificial colors or flavors, which is a first for Philadelphia-style water ice," she says. "They're not super-sweet and they won't turn your lips blue."

The ices, in flavors including lemon, vanilla, chocolate, and berry, are sweetened with agave nectar and stevia, and sold in 2.5-gallon tubs and pints ($5.99) alongside KOV's ginger vanilla and chocolate garden mint frozen desserts at local markets and Whole Foods.

KOV was instrumental in helping launch Schoolboy Ice Cream, a Bryn Mawr-based operation and the brainchild of Max Lock, 15, of Radnor High.

Though Lock got into the ice cream racket just a few months ago, he already had some entrepreneurial experience with two businesses, including a multimedia company with staff in India.

"But I've always had a passion for cooking and working in restaurants," he says.

Lock decided to start making his own product after sampling an unimpressive organic ice cream. "I knew I could make a better one," he says.

So far he is offering Nerdy Nilla and ChocoLate Pass, while working on a seasonal flavor called Botany 101 that incorporates rose hips, lemongrass, papaya, mango, and passionfruit ($5 a pint).

The ice creams are made with organic, hormone-free Seven Stars Farm cream and sweetened with a mixture of organic sugar and agave nectar.

Lock found a plant in Lancaster to make the ice cream, and, like KOV Foods, it will be distributed by Bassetts Ice Cream and sold in Whole Foods markets and Weavers Way, plus local restaurants such as Fellini Cafe in Newtown Square and Bake 425, a take-and-bake pizza store in Bryn Mawr.

KOV is also collaborating with Mompops, a six-week-old outfit based in Thorndale, which coincidentally got its start in a take-and-bake pizza venue.

"We have a Mom's Bake at Home Pizza franchise but when the weather gets hot, our sales go down so we were inspired to start making popsicles last summer," says Issa Ostrander, who founded the business with his mother, Sandra.

Taking a cue from the Mexican paleterias (ice-pop vendors) in Kennett Square, the Ostranders started developing creative flavors such as watermelon lime, pineapple basil, banana kiwi mojito, and chocolate sea salt. The pops ($2 each) are water- and coconut milk-based, sweetened with fruit and agave nectar, and less than 100 calories.

Since Issa Ostrander began advertising the business and posting changing flavors on Facebook and Twitter about a month ago, he has sold more than 3,000 popsicles.

"Our customers have been really excited to find out that we are doing something everyone can enjoy. For people with allergies and health issues or anyone who watches what they eat, it's opened up a whole new possibility."

Makes 12 servings

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For the Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Curd:

2 tablespoons finely grated organic lemon zest

1 cup freshly squeezed organic lemon juice

1/2 cup raw agave nectar

1/4 cup organic arrowroot powder

Pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons organic coconut milk

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil

For the Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Cookies:

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup organic brown rice flour

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted, or other mild-tasting oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 pinch ground vanilla

1 tablespoon organic lemon zest

3 tablespoons organic lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

3 pints water ice or sorbet (1/2 cup per person)

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1. To make the lemon curd, combine lemon zest and juice, agave nectar, arrowroot powder, salt, coconut milk, and coconut oil in a heavy saucepan. Whisk until arrowroot powder has dissolved and mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Heat over a low flame, stirring, until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. (Don't let mixture get too thick.) Remove from heat and chill until serving.

2. To begin preparation of the cookies, preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine coconut flour, brown rice flour, oil, agave nectar, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Divide mixture into 2-inch balls and arrange on prepared cookie sheet. Use a fork to flatten cookies, dipping fork in cold water between each use. Bake until just browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. Let cool on rack.

3. To combine for parfait, layer water ice and lemon curd in parfait glasses. Garnish with cookies and serve.

Per serving: 332 calories, 2 grams protein, 56 grams carbohydrates, 42 grams sugar, 13 grams fat, no cholesterol, 243 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Makes 6-8 servings

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6 pomegranates

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

2 tablespoons corn syrup

Shaved or crushed ice

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1. Cut the pomegranates into quarters and remove the seeds. Put the seeds in a saucepan, add the sugar, and muddle to extract the pomegranate flavor and form a puree. Stir in the water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture is simmering and the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

2. For each serving, mound about 1 cup of shaved ice in a serving dish. Drizzle 6 to 8 tablespoons of the pomegranate syrup over the ice and serve immediately.

Note: The syrup color will vary depending on the pomegranates' ripeness. For a little extra color and fruitiness, coarsely chop one pint strawberries and mix with 1/2 cup sugar. Let sit until the sweet juices are extracted, 30 to 40 minutes. Mix the strawberry juices with the cooled syrup (and use the strawberries for topping, if you like).

Per serving (based on 8): 282 calories, 1 gram protein, 73 grams carbohydrates, 67 grams sugar, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, trace dietary fiber.EndText