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.

The Workers Matter Too - Workers in Slaughterhouses and Factory Farms

Click on any website that promotes a vegan lifestyle and you'll learn about the horrors that innocent animals raised for meat, eggs and dairy go through. From birth until death, their lives are spent hidden away from the public eye in conditions that can only be described as filth and squalor. You learn that male chicks are gruesomely killed shortly after hatching and that newborn animals spend little to no time with their mothers. To top it off, the gross and gory details of their deaths aren't held back.

For a lot of people, that can be enough to at least consider a change. However, there's one tidbit about factory farming that's often looked over. The workers. Yes, the animals are important. After all, they are the ones facing death. But as a vegan and a Christian, I have to say that the health and safety of the workers matter as well.

The treatment of factory farm workers is far from stellar. In fact, it's downright horrifying. Even in the 21st century, no one wants to have a job in a slaughterhouse or a factory farm. Let's look at what the workers go through.

Low Wages and Slave Labor

It's not uncommon for workers to be underpaid. This isn't only in the US, it's all over the world. In fact, it's been reported that some countries utilize slave labor to get the work done. (And the fishing industry is not exempt!) One tactic that's been used to trick workers into these situations is "debt bondage". Individuals are lured in with the promise of high (or at least livable) wages. Once works starts, they enter a world where using subpar tools and bullying, exploitation and violence from the people in charge is a norm. Threats, scare tactics and lax or lack of labor laws often prevent the workers from leaving or filing reports against the companies.

Health Issues
Accidents, injuries and workplace illnesses happen far too often. Respiratory diseases, exposure to antibiotic resistant pathogens, hearing problems, falls, cuts, injuries due to repetitive motion, Salmonella, campylobacter, Progressive Inflammatory Neuropathy (aka "swine brain"), loss of limbs, etc. Even worse, there have been cases of fatalities from hydrogen sulfide poisoning and freak accidents that I don't even want to mention. (If you really want to know... remember this story? You can also read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.) To make matters worse, companies have been known to frequently deny slaughterhouse and factory farm workers worker's compensation. Again, to keep the workers quiet companies will often fire, intimidate and exploit workers that try to speak up.

Child Labor

In some cases, companies (in the US and other countries) have and still use under-age workers. Child workers are exposed to the same risks as the adult workers. They work long hours for little or no pay and use tools that, by law, are not to be used by minors or at all. See this example story.

If you want to read more articles and see where I'm getting some of my sources, check out these links

Myanmar Fisherman Goes Home After 22 Years as a Slave

Working Conditions in Slaughterhouses

Working Conditions in Factory Farms

The Human Cost of Factory Farming

Abuses Against Workers Taint US Meat and Poultry

Factory Farms are the New Sweatshops


Why do companies allow and turn blind eyes to illegal, harmful and deadly labor practices? It's faster and cheaper. Individuals who take these kinds of job take them as a last resort. If they aren't poor locals, they're immigrants. So long as there's demand for meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, stuff like this will continue to happen. How can we help stop these horrors from happening?
1. Decrease the demand for meat, fish, eggs and dairy products by switching to a vegan (or at least vegetarian) lifestyle.
2. SPEAK UP! Share the news stories and articles about the subject. Trust me when I say that the stories are out there. You can also look up non-profit organizations like Mercy For Animals and The Humane Society. These groups have been known to start petitions through Change.org.

It's obvious that the animals suffer. But, it should also be made known that the human workers in slaughterhouses and factory farms face horrible conditions and exploitation as well. With action and hope, we can help make this a thing of the past.

What Do Vegans Eat???

Image credit: "Healthy Fruits and Vegetables" by Photokanok via Freedigitalphotos.net

One of the most frequently asked questions vegans get (after "Where do you get your protein?") is,

"What do you eat?"

I can't help but, smile and chuckle at this question because the answer is so vast. If I rattled off all the foods we can eat, they'll probably want to tape my mouth shut. The sad thing is, some people still envision vegans sitting around eating plain salads and something that closely resembles cardboard. Trust me, our food isn't boring nor does it center around salad. (In fact, I don't think a lot of vegans eat salad on the reg.) However we do eat foods like...

Image credit: VegNews Daily | Vancouver Vegans

And... 

Image credit: Chowhound | Vegan comfort food

As well as...

My first attempt at making vegan mac and cheese

Are you drooling yet?

But, before I get deeper into that, allow me to define what is a vegan (in food terms).

Vegan | 'vēgǝn | noun
A person who does not eat meat, eggs, dairy, or ingredients that come from animals

That means no meat (fish are animals too), no eggs, no dairy, no honey. If you think that sounds too restrictive, then here are some examples of the foods that we do eat (and drink)...

Bananas, apples, oranges, limes, lemons, kale, collards, mustard greens, spinach, black beans, garbanzo beans, rice, quinoa, barley, couscous, pears, peaches, wheat, black eyed peas, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, strawberries, almonds, peanuts, cantaloupe, grapes, onion, bell peppers, pumpkin, squash, cucumber, carrots, pineapple, beets, radish, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, watermelon, avocado, tomatoes, honeydew melon, jackfruit, corn, oats, grits, millet, spelt, kamut, amaranth, pasta (egg-less), almond milk, cashew milk, vegan cheese, vegan mayo (I LOVE Just Mayo), peanut butter, fruit jam, soy milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, soy yogurt, vegan-friendly chocolate, coffee, garlic, olive oil, canola oil, egg plant, lettuce, celery, vegan sandwich slices, nutritional yeast, mushrooms, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, flour, sugar, raisins, asparagus, sprouts, bulgar, buckwheat, peas, artichoke, cauliflower, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, apricots, tangerines, grapefruit, plum, mangos, papayas, figs, tofu, tempeh, vegan-friendly breads, vegan-friendly crackers, vegan-friendly cookies (like Oreos), hummus, lentils, coconut oil, coconut, kiwifruit, dragonfruit, starfruit, cabbage, herbs, edamame, hot peppers, unsweetened cocoa powder, vegan marshmallows, Bee Free Honey, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, jelly, pickles, ketchup, mustard, peanut oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, tea, applesauce, chocolate almond milk, vegan-friendly pancakes, vegan-friendly waffles, maple syrup, agave nectar, vegan pepperoni, chia seeds, vegan-friendly beer and wine... and so much more!

Still with me?? With so many options out there, we're not missing out on anything (taste or nutrition) nor do we miss eating animal derived products. And don't even get me started on recipes and vegan baking! Eating vegan doesn't have to be expensive either. Buying foods in season, on sale and from certain stores can help keep the bill low.

Overwhelmed? Yeah, I was too when I started out as a vegetarian. But I started off small, made small goals, found easy recipes on Pinterest, found a community of like-minded people, and made Google my friend. Now, I get excited when I find out about new vegan foods and recipes.

If you could live in a way that caused the least amount of harm, why wouldn't you? So, I have a little dare for you. I double dare you to try going vegan this month. You can try the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart or go to Brown Vegan for tips and advice. I encourage you to seek community and don't beat yourself up if you stumble. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I'm rooting for you! Do it for: your health, for the animals, for the planet, and for the people.

V is for Vegan

Hello lovelies!

I'm back with a new post. My "Vegan Story". About 2 years and 11 months ago, I became a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I did it primarily for my health, the environment, and the animals as well. So as time passed, I continued to do more reading and research. My love for animals deepened and my awareness of what truly goes on in the meat and dairy industry heightened. I felt that being vegan was something I needed to do.

So what was holding me back? Fear in the form of excuses. I feared missing out on certain meals and getting a lot of negative social consequences from friends and loved ones. Holding on to those fears, I stayed as I was but decided not to consume or buy as much dairy and eggs. However, eating and buying them from time to time still induced some guilt.

Over time, things in my family's diet and my body started to change. The amount of eggs and dairy that my parents consumed decreased. My body was adamant in letting me know that I couldn't handle eggs and dairy. So, I started trying more dairy-and-egg-free foods and recipes. I enjoyed them just as much if not more than the original. And the knowing that no animals were harmed in the making of my meal made me happy. The more vegan foods I consumed, the less I missed and craved animal by-products.

As of August 2014, I am now vegan. I am vegan for the animals, the planet, my health, the people and to further show compassion and nonviolence. And that's my "Vegan Story".

Some of my favorite vegan-style foods include: mac and cheese, chocolate cake, oven roasted asparagus with nutritional yeast, IZZE drinks, chocolate, and spaghetti with veggie crumbles.

Got a sweet tooth?

Well hello there reader!

Long time no see. I know it's my fault, please forgive me!

I wanted to create a short post on my new favorite gummy snacks by Surf Sweets . I'm particularly fond of the sour worms. While they're not really sour, that doesn't take away from the fact they're absolutely delicious. 

This company makes candy that's free of: gluten, corn syrup, artificial flavoring and coloring, nuts, dairy, casein. The candies are made in a factory that's free of the top 10 most common allergens. 9 of their products are vegetarian and 7 of them are vegan. (Note: gelatin is not vegetarian and confectioner's glaze typically is not vegan.)

Are you intrigued at all? If so, go to the website link above and check them out.

TTYL!