The Vegan Scoop

Even though there are tons of ice creams stocked on grocers shelves, few summertime activities are as satisfying as making a batch of homemade ice cream and eating it fresh out of the ice cream maker. This can be a challenge for some home cooks who prefer not to eat eggs and dairy, but still want the satisfaction of being able to make indulgent, refreshing summer treats at home. Enter The Vegan Scoop, a cookbook full of dairy and egg free ice cream recipes. It’s perfect for vegans, vegetarians, those with dietary restrictions and non-vegans looking for a little more variety in the kitchen.

The book has 150 recipes that run the gamut from classic – Vanilla, Chocolate, Rocky Road, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – to crazy – Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Pretzel, Thai Chili, Wasabi – and everything sweet and fruity in between. They are all quite easy to make and use similar techniques that you’d find in other ice creams. The primary difference, of course, is that these recipes use a variety of non-dairy milks, including almond milk, coconut milk and soy milk. They also call for the use of soy creamer, which adds creaminess to the finished dishes. Most use bold flavors and are generous with them, so you won’t end up with an ice cream that “sort-of” tastes like the flavor the name promises.

Some of the selling points to those cooks who normally reach for “regular” ice creams include the fact that most of these recipes have about 1/3 fewer calories than their dairy-based cousins and also contain more “healthy” ingredients, such as flaxseed and lots of fresh fruit. The book actually has lots of little tips throughout that discuss the health aspects of some of the ingredients, as well as their origins. It also has a fairly comprehensive introduction that discusses many of the ingredients (including the various types of milk) used in the book and techniques for making ice creams in general, as well as a chapter at the end with recipes for accompaniments – vegan, of course – to the ice creams.