I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!!!

Ice Cream, a dessert that never gets old. It takes me back to a time when I was a kid playing outside in the hot summers hoping for the ice cream truck to pull up with it's sweet siren-like melody. As soon as I heard the music it was like clockwork,  all of my friends would stop whatever it was we were doing and run home quickly to grab our dimes and quarters that we kept along with our most precious treasures; paper clips, crayons, an old barbie shoe.

After our business dealings with the ice cream man (we didn't call him an ice cream person, because we weren't politically correct) were over we would sit quietly, enjoying our delicious treats slowly of course, so as to make it last. It was probably one of the few times in the day that you'd find us sitting quietly.

Ice cream was and continues to be one of those magical treats that takes us to far off places and times. It's creamy sweetness is unlike anything else. It was something I knew I would miss when I decided to change to a vegan lifestyle. My only other option I thought, was to be destined to a lifetime of fruit sorbet flavors. How could I survive? I began looking up vegan ice cream and what I found shocked me.

As it turned out, just like there are a variety of alternative milk products there are also a number of vegan ice cream products. Not only could I still have my delicious treat but I wouldn't have to feel guilty about it! I also found that they were actually good for you, and far less fattening!

Like alternative milk products they come in a variety of bases. The ones I'm familiar with are soy, rice, almond, and coconut.  All different and unique in their own way but yet all wonderful and delicious. Here are three of my favorite brands:

So Delicious: Turtle Mountain is a company that creates a line of coconut milk based ice cream called So Delicious. I not only like the taste and texture of this ice cream, but I also feel like I'm doing something good by supporting this company. Turtle Mountain is dedicated to promoting healthier eating and makes donations throughout the year to a variety of schools and organizations. Enjoy a dessert and change the world! Always a plus.

Larry and Luna's Coconut Bliss: One of my favorite store bought brands is Larry and Luna's Coconut Bliss. Every one of their flavors is amazing. The texture is creamy and smooth. I would dare say it's better than any Baskin-Robbins or Cold Stone Ice Cream I ever had. They too donate a percentage of their profits to support local education and sustainability focused groups as well as an array of non-profit organizations throughout the year. Awesome!

Almond Dream is another wonderful ice cream brand. Their ice cream is made from almonds and is therefore high in protein. It's very creamy and dairy like. This is one that anybody who is new to vegan ice cream will surely enjoy.

Again, those are just three of my favorite brands. I didn't post any specific flavors because honestly they're all good it's just a matter of what you're into.

Once I'd finished trying just about every flavor of ice cream and brand available, I got so into the whole healthy vegan ice cream idea that I purchased my own ice cream maker for about $40 bucks at my local Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was one of the best purchases I ever made. I'm able to create my own flavors and know exactly what goes into each batch. Personally, when you make it yourself it tastes better than anything store bought, unless you just don't have the time and patience I suggest going with homemade. As for recipes there are a number of online videos and recipes to get you started.

Tonight I will share with you one of my all time favorite ice cream recipes, Coconut Ice Cream. Made from real coconut!

Melissa
Our Daily Veg