You are at the ice cream section of your local supermarket and craving for your favorite flavor, but you just can’t because indulging in one will definitely cause your blood sugar to shoot up beyond the rafters.  If you love ice cream so much and definitely can’t resist a few scoops every now and then, vegan ice cream is for you.  It is a popularly growing kind of non-dairy ice cream and has drawn not only avowed vegans but connoisseurs, health watchers, lactose intolerant individuals and those who are plain and simple gifted with a sweet tooth as well.

A vegan ice cream is an incredibly healthy option as compared to those made of the traditional dairy mixed with a lot of sugar and other preservatives; a combination of which produces a choke-full of calories, fat and other not so healthy components. With an ice cream specifically following the strict ideals of a vegan diet, what you get is something that is not only all natural and free from harmful chemicals but also devoid of any form of animal products and substances. There are now several ice cream manufacturers that offer it using non-dairy products. A particular brand uses all natural and organic ingredients such as creamy coconut milk and soy in replacement for animal milk and other dairy products. Then nectar is added to provide natural sweetness and brown rice is put in for healthy texture. For its nutritional value, other all-natural and delectable flavours such as nuts, mint, maple and organic cocoa are added.

The best place to look for a vegan ice cream is to visit your local health store.  These are usually strategically located in supermarkets or in malls.  The internet is also a good source of information for locating dealers near your area.  Once you are introduced to the many healthy options of a vegan ice cream, you will be amazed at the variety of flavors available to choose from.

You can also easily whip up your specialty masterpiece using the recipes given.  Imagine yourself making your very own healthy ice cream and sharing it with the rest of your family and even friends.  It is not only good for the health but at the same time there is this real feeling that you also contributed to the promotion of the ideals of veganism.  Most of all, with vegan ice cream you can have guiltless indulgence as often as you want!

During this time of celebration and giving, there’s a gift we can all be thankful for. Yep, coconut milk ice cream is a true gift of nature. It’s as simple as that. We thank you, nature!

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Gee, I would love a dish of ice cream.”? But then, your conscience kicks in because you’re on a diet, and you know better. Or you have dietary restrictions that prohibit you from consuming dairy or gluten, the stuff typical ice cream is made of. This rich, velvety textured sweet comes at the cost of discomfort or extra time spent in the gym. As good as the treat is, and it is good, is it worth that payment?

I mean, I’m a huge proponent of rewarding myself with dessert for every possible occasion: getting a job, celebrating a birthday, because it’s Thursday. But when you have to sacrifice something for a treat, it takes the fun and celebratory nature straight out of it.

The good news is that brands like NadaMoo! have heard our plight, and they’ve responded! Coconut milk ice cream is a treat that is not only delicious, it’s a healthy indulgence. Using natural ingredients like coconut milk and agave nectar, coconut milk ice cream takes the dairy and the eggs and that precious but oh-so-unhealthy sugar out of our yummy dessert. But, and here’s the best part, it is divine.

Coconut milk ice cream, contrary to the image you may have of ice cream flavored like coconut the rest of your life, can be made in (almost) any flavor you desire. If rich, dark chocolate ice cream is what you crave, it’s there. They simply add non-dairy chocolate to their other ingredients and there you have it. Coffee, mint, simple vanilla; these are all flavor options you can choose from.

Because it’s dairy- and gluten-free, coconut milk ice cream is ideal for people with dietary restrictions. There’s little worse than being told you can’t have something delicious because your body can’t handle it. This ice cream is a boon for those with restrictions, as it can be eaten with no worries of the side effects, except of course for the desire to have more.

For people who are struggling to take off those last few inches, ice cream is probably the most tempting treat on the market; more than the candy bar, more than birthday cake, ice cream just has an allure all its own, one that snow cones and flavored Italian ices just can’t match. So we hold out until we can’t anymore, get that gallon tub of ice cream that taunts us every time we go to the supermarket, and regret it for weeks afterward. Coconut milk ice cream eliminates this eternal struggle; it’s a healthy-fat, low-carb traditional ice cream alternative that doesn’t remind you with every bite that it’s an ‘alternative.’

Coconut milk ice cream has that same icy goodness, that same chilly sweetness we all crave from time to time. With its gluten- and dairy-free composition, we can enjoy this creamy treat with no guilt, fear or shame. Let’s hear it for Thursday!

What’s your favorite ice cream? Are you a chocolate person, or vanilla? Or, do you defy these stereotypical categories and shoot straight for the tutti-frutti, rainbow swirled, chopped cherries and nuts and… is that a whole banana in there?!

If you’re somewhere between plain vanilla and out of control tutti-frutti,  you’ll love NadaMoo!’s featured mmm…Maple Pecan flavor  coconut milk ice cream. It’s adventurous without being over the top, and traditional without being boring. In short, it’s wonderful.
That’s right: maple pecan coconut milk ice cream. If you haven’t heard, coconut milk ice cream is only the greatest gift ever bestowed on humanity. In other words, it’s tasty, sweet, chilly goodness made not from dairy but the milk of the coconut. No milk, cream, eggs or sugar is found in our coconut milk ice cream; simply coconut milk, a little agave nectar and rice syrup to please the palate, plus whatever yummy, wholesome goodness is used to flavor these rich, velvety ice creams.

mmm…Maple Pecan, currently our featured flavor, is smooth, creamy coconut ice cream flavored with the natural sweetness of maple syrup and dotted with crispy pecans. The flavor is reminiscent of fall, of cool nights in front of a warm fire, of homemade pancakes… all the fondest memories of a childhood wrapped up in one pint of awesome.

Fats, sugars, carbohydrates (numbers that would have to be confessed to your treadmill) await those who choose traditional ice cream. But with our mmm….Maple Pecan coconut milk ice cream, you’re looking at 9 grams total fat per half cup serving (or, if you share my lack of willpower, 36 grams for the whole container.) That’s with zero trans fats, per container. Nice, right? Per serving, you’d consume 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein and 60 mgs of sodium. Oh, and zero percent cholesterol. Score!

Then there’s the plus side for those with dietary restrictions; if you can’t have dairy, or gluten, or cholesterol in your daily diet, you’ll be glad to know there’s a treat for that. mmm…Maple Pecan coconut milk ice cream is delicious, nutritious and good for people with restrictive diets. Now you can have a tasty, chilly ice cream treat without the discomfort later.

mmm…Maple Pecan is a gorgeous flavor, one that is robust and sweet and satisfying. And when you can find it in a healthier alternative to traditional ice cream, it’s simply amazing. What are you waiting for? Get out your spoons and start digging in.

  Women Who Cook

the annual benefit of the Austin Girls’ Choir

Sunday, Nov. 8, 5:30-8:30 p.m

The Red Oak Ballroom

2525 W. Anderson Lane

in the back of the old Northcross Mall

Come enjoy a tasting of offerings

by outstanding Austin chefs and musicians,

plus our terrific silent auction and raffle.

Featuring Culinary Artists

Elaine Marsolais – Sweet Pea’s Delights      Josie Paredes – J. Black’s

Jennifer Moore – All In One Bake Shop        Amy Ramm – NadaMoo!

Selina Guerra – MexiDeli

And Musical Artists

Dianne Donovan

Susanna Sharpe’s Brazilian Quartet

The Austin Girls’ Choir

Raffle drawing at 8:00 p.m. – win 3 riding lessons for one

and a picnic for two at Bel Canto Farms!

 TICKETS $30 in advance, $35 at the door   453-0884