Dairy Dilemma
Monday’s Speedy Vegan: I grew up in Wisconsin, so that means my affection for dairy foods — especially ice cream — runs deep. Is there anything better on a chilly winter evening than some hot cocoa or, for ice cream fanatics like myself, a hot fudge sundae?
Eating vegan doesn’t mean you have to give up those guilty pleasures, it just means you have to give up some of the guilt! There’s a lot of reasons why eating a lot of dairy products may not be so great for your health, and even more reasons why dairy products that come from factory farms isn’t the most environmentally friendly choice. A recent report from the BBC said, “The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (says) livestock production, dominated in the West by large-scale factory farming, is responsible for 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions; a bigger share than all of the world’s transport.”
That’s a shocker to me, and creates a real dairy dilemma. It’s not the cows that create concern, in my view. It’s the intensive factory farming practices that feed them unnatural diets creating even more gas than the animals would naturally.
On that lovely cow flatulence note… let’s get back to dairy-free ice cream sundaes!
This recipe for warm chocolate sauce, a perfect topper to rice or soy ice cream, comes from Silk, makers of my very favorite soy coffee creamer:
1 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (look for soy lecithin, not milkfat, as the preferred ingredient)
3/4 cup Silk Original Creamer
1 tsp vanilla extract (I always go for real, not imitation)
In a small saucepan over low heat, heat chocolate chips and Silk original creamer, stirring constantly. Continue to cook and stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Don’t forget your favorite nuts, a sliced banana and maybe even some strawberries or a cherry on top!
