Blog Fail!

So... *twiddles thumbs* it's been a couple months now and I'm supposed to be well into a blog change that was supposed to help me write short posts 5 days a week. You know: 

Yeah, that idea failed... with the exception of Book Review Tuesdays. (I actually really enjoy talking about books on here.) I believe that the main reason why that idea didn't work out as well as I thought was because I kept running out of ideas. (Again with the exception of posting book reviews.) Consider the aforementioned disbanded.

Well, back to the idea board!

Veg Talk Fridays: Ice Cream!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Vegans are screaming because non-dairy ice creams have finally gotten their foot in the door and we're really excited.

(We also scream because of the horrors that dairy cows go through but, let's stay positive today.)

All of my life I've loved ice cream. In my house, ice cream was a common dessert that we would buy... even in Ohio's winter. One of the reasons why going vegan took me so long was because I was afraid that I would have to say goodbye to ice cream for good.

So I did my research and visited different stores and over past 5 years, I've found some equally satisfying brands and flavors.

If you're craving that cold, sweet, creamy goodness without the cruelty or messed up stomach. Take a look at these brands.


1. Ben and Jerry's Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

So a few months ago, there was a petition from Change.org circling around the internet. People wanted Ben and Jerry's to make some ice cream flavors that were vegan. Well, they must've heard us loud and clear because the company just came out with non-dairy flavors made from Almond milk this spring. I really enjoy the Coffee Caramel Fudge and Chocolate Fudge Brownie the most. P.B. & Cookies is good. I've heard that the Chunk Monkey is a little disappointing so I haven't tasted it yet. This brand has a creamy taste and isn't really rock hard after taking it out from the freezer. Note: Not all stores have the non-dairy version so be sure to check the website (in the image credits) to see where you can find the Non-Dairy version.

Image courtesy of Ben and Jerry's

2. So Delicious Coconut Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

This was the first vegan ice cream that I tried. It was okay. I really liked the fact that it was cookie dough. It did have a coconut after taste, wasn't as creamy as I had hoped and I had to let it sit out before scooping it. When I first tasted it, it was more like ice milk. For those reasons, their coconut milk ice cream is my least favorite.

Image courtesy of So Delicious

3. So Delicious Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Cashew milk ice cream! My favorite, hands down! 😍 It's smooth, it's creamy, it has a ton of flavors. Slight downside is that I still have to let it sit out for a bit before scooping. 

Image courtesy of So Delicious

4. So Delicious Almond Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

So, I'm not remembering if I tried this particular line before. If for some reason you can't find Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy, you might want to try this if you can find it.

Image courtesy of So Delicious

5. So Delicious Soy Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

This was also a line that I tried a while ago. From what I remember, it was good. As far as the So Delicious Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert brand goes, this would be a notch down from the cashew milk in my book.

Image courtesy of So Delicious

6. Trader Joe's Soy Creamy Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

I just bought this yesterday and it's awesome! My mom (who is not vegan) likes it too. It's as creamy as the So Delicious cashew milk and Ben and Jerry's brands but it's much easier to scoop. Unfortunately the I only saw Vanilla and another brand with cherries (not my forte). This would be really good for anyone that wants plain vegan vanilla ice cream to add to another dessert or to play up with toppings. I'm thinking about trying to make my own marshmallow fluff with Trader Joe's new marshmallows.

7. Almond Dream Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Another brand that I tried a couple years ago. Again, it was okay. This particular brand wasn't as creamy or stay as soft as I wanted it to but it's not like the coconut milk (mentioned above) and it's one that I would buy again if I didn't find the other brands that I like.

Image courtesy of Dream Plant Based

Also, the pictures that are shown above are the flavors that I've tried {or think I've tried.} Go to the website to see what other flavors there are.

So if you're thinking about going vegan, eating more plant based foods or cutting out dairy, this is another thing you don't have to worry about missing.

What other non-dairy frozen desserts (vegan ice cream) brands have you tried? Let me know in the comments below.

Veg Talk Fridays: Dining Out for New Vegans

So, you're with a group of people (friends, family, co-workers, etc.). Everyone is hungry and wants to go out to eat. You are the only vegan of the group so trying to convince them to go to your favorite vegan restaurant may be out of the question. How do you eat? What do you order besides water?

First off, I highly suggest you make sure you have the Happy Cow app and the VeganXpress app if you have iOS. The Happy Cow app will show you different vegan and veg-friendly restaurants and stores that are closest to you. The VeganXpress app has a menu guide of some popular restaurants and the different things on their menu that are vegan-friendly. It also has a guide for beer, wine, liquor, and other food brands that are "accidentally vegan".

Thankfully, many places are including vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and/or egg-free alternatives to their menus. Sometimes all it takes is visiting the restaurant's website or asking your server. If I'm at a restaurant that I've never eaten at before and I didn't have time to research the place, I ask to see their allergens menu. Here you can get a better idea of what foods are animal-free.

The next tip is something that I've heard many other vegans say over and over again. So I'll say it to you. Think about ingredients required to make different meals and what is available in the kitchen. Talk to your server to see if a substitution can be made for a particular meal. For example, I went out with some friends one time and found out that the veggie burger on their menu was made with milk and eggs, so instead I asked for mushrooms in place of the patty and the rest of the veggies that you would normally add on a burger.

So what do you do if you're eating at a place, like a bar, that serves meat, cheesy foods, beer and not much else. Ask about plain fries and order a plateful. Is it ideal? No, not really. There's not much you can do there except leave a kind comment asking them to include more veg-friendly option on their menu. In those cases, I be sure to eat when I get home or eat before hand if the group insists on going to that particular place.

Dining out while vegan isn't hard. It just requires you to think a bit differently. ;)

Veg Talk Fridays - It's okay to start off as vegetarian

Created via fotor.com

Hooray for Friday! Let's kick off the weekend by talking about vegan and veg-friendly topics.

If this is the first post of mine that you've read, yes I am vegan. I've been vegan for almost 2 years now and vegetarian for 3 years before that. My journey started with a frozen package of fish. I looked at the ingredients and wondered what all the extra additives were. One thing led to another and for a month and a half I started doing more research about what was in meat, where it came from and what exactly was factory farming. The results and findings turned my stomach. After I figured I did enough research, I decided to act. I cut out different meats in 2 week intervals replacing them with protein alternatives until I was completely meat free. I still ate eggs and dairy even though my body would advise me not to. It wasn't until a year and a half later when I thought about going vegan. I was worried that I had to give up my favorite meals like mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, cookies, cakes, french toast, ice cream, etc. So I reluctantly stayed with being a vegetarian. (Well, you know the end of the story) I eventually decided to go vegan after trying new recipes, finding new ways to prepare my favorite dishes, and continually doing my research.

It took me a few years to get to the point where I wanted to go vegan and I didn't have any qualms about it. People ask me if I miss meat, eggs or dairy and I simply answer, "no". With what I know now about the meat, egg and dairy industry, I don't miss it nor do I want to put my money towards it. Had I stopped cold tofu, then my answer would've been different. When I see a piece of meat or a dish laden with dairy, I don't see food. I see a being that wanted to live.

What I'm saying is, if you want to go vegan but, like I was, you're too apprehensive or too addicted to meat, eggs or dairy, it's okay to be a vegetarian first. You've acknowledged that your end goal is to go vegan and that's what counts. In the mean time, actively look for vegan recipes for some of your favorite dishes. *hint - try Pinterest* Find a group whether it's a local animal rights group or a friendly Facebook group for vegans. It's all a lot easier than what people think.