Ten Healthy Toppings for Vanilla “Ice Cream”
I find that the difference between a good meal and a heavenly meal is frequently the toppings. The few extra minutes required to make a special home-made sauce, or to chop up a few nuts or fresh herbs, will enable both your guests and your tastebuds to reap the rewards.
Tonight, I had one of those occasions. I chose Vanilla Bean Hempmilk Cream this time, but also enjoy rice milk cream or my favorite, coconut milk cream. Coconut milk cream is still an indulgence. I’d love to pretend it’s low-fat, but no such luck. Still, I’m fortunate. Because I regularly eat a healthy, whole-food, plant-based diet and exercise 4 or 5 times a week, I don’t really have to worry about fat. On average, I’ve found that my expeditions into the land of non-dairy desserts offer far superior richness of flavors and are far creamier than most of the traditional ice creams I’ve explored.
It’s really the leisurely visit to the ice cream store that I miss the most. I’m still waiting for someone to open a shop of non-dairy healthy frozen desserts that I can eat to bring that experience back to me. Ann? 
In the meantime, here are ten healthy topping recipes I use at home to make vanilla “ice cream” go from good to heavenly. Still use ice cream? Learn about all the great reasons to explore the alternatives. Feel free to mix and match to find your own divine inspiration. I use a lot of molasses, because it’s loaded with minerals and just so darned good for you. If it’s too strong for your taste, try a milder natural sweetener like agave nectar, brown rice syrup or maple syrup. They’re much better at preventing those highs and lows that come along with processed, bleached sugars.
1) Morning Mint
- 1 Tbsp dark molasses
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1-2 sprigs of fresh mint leaves, chopped
2) Berry Tart
- 1/2 cup mixed frozen berries
- 1 Tbsp frozen apple juice concentrate
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup water
- Bring all ingredients to boil and reduce to thick liquid
3) Coconut Cookie
- 1 – 2 Tbsp raw coconut flakes
- 1 – 2 Tbsp raw macadamia nuts
- 1 Tbsp dark molasses
4) Gingerbread Dream
- 1-2 Tbsp candied ginger, with sugar rinsed off and chopped
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 1 Tbsp raw almonds or pecans, chopped
5) The Great Outdoors
- 1 – 2 Tbsp granola (check ingredients carefully – avoid heavy syrups!)
- 1 Tbsp goji berries, chopped
- 1 Tbsp currants
- 1 Tbsp cashews, chopped
6) Grandma’s Applie Pie
- 1 Tbsp apple sauce
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp coconut milk or light coconut milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Heat and blend all ingredients over low heat to drizzly perfection
7) Wait, did I say 10? Insert your ideas here…
There are so many great ideas, I’d love to hear yours. Drop me a suggestion and I’ll round out the final 5.