Purely Decadent’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream
This is my family’s favorite ice cream. I’d have to say they like it quite a bit more than my homemade Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream.
When I posted that recipe last week, several people asked if I had heard of various brands of store bought vegan, gluten free ice creams. Yes, I have and here it is. Purely Decadent comes in quite a few flavors and I can attest that each one I have tasted is delicious.
Many people also asked if I had ever made coconut ice cream from scratch. In fact, I have been making it for the last few years and my boys love it. They are big coconut eaters and I will post the recipe for my Coconut Ice Cream recipe in the next few weeks.
Although it is supposed to be ice cream weather, we have had day after day of rain here in Boulder. The creek is little higher every time we walk down to it. The grey weather has been quite soothing, though the boys are home from school on summer vacation and going just a tad stir crazy.
As for the winner of last weeks Freebie Friday… Gabrielle Dodd has won a copy of Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s G-Free Diet. Hooray for Gabrielle!
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Rayna Powers says
What stores can I find the coconut ice cream in? My son has a soy allergy so this would be great if we could find this somewhere close to us.
Lilly says
It is scary how good this is. My husband and I just ate the whole coconut container….
elana says
Hi Everyone,
What a fabulous debate over ice cream. Who would have thought that such a simple treat would inspire the sharing of so much information?
First off, I want to thank both Purely Decadent and Coconut Bliss for stopping by to share nutrition, product development and other information in the comments section of this site.
I invited each company to do so and it is not only entirely appropriate, it is a gift to us that these manufacturers would take the time to bring the information right to our conversation, so that we don’t have to take the time to hunt it down.
Here is a summary of some of my thoughts on this great debate:
1) I agree with Barbara’s comment, that the Purely Decadent tastes better than the Coconut Bliss (just my personal preference though).
2) I also would agree with Alchemille’s comment about the Coconut Bliss being healthier. And, as Shirley points out, you really can’t beat a store bought product that has only 5 ingredients. In that realm, I would say that Coconut Bliss wins.
3) On the other hand, I would also agree with Alchemille’s comment about MSG, I think Purely Decadent dispelled any worries that I might have had about this ingredient being in their product.
4) In terms of Kate’s comment regarding GMO’s, I would have to say this is quite an issue and sways me back over to team Coconut Bliss!
5) I also want to thank Christianne and CoconutGal for pointing out the “middle path.”
In the end, I have decided not to eat the Purely Decadent (though still purchase it for the boys). Because of this post,I have decided to go just a tad more Paleo and avoid legumes (hence the Purely Decadent’s gums and other ingredients don’t really work for me at this point).
Finally, I want to thank Vince for sticking his neck out and joining the debate (entirely appropriate) and thank all of you for providing your thoughts, insights and information!
It’s amazing that we could have such great conversation about ice cream!
Hannah Handpainted says
Wow…
That thread took forever to read! Quite intense, too. I have tried all these kinds of ice cream (including the goat’s milk line), and I’ve enjoyed them all.
I think people should do what’s right for themselves and their family diet-wise. We can safeguard our health to a certain extent but I don’t know if we can ever fully protect ourselves, so I’m in agreement to enjoy the things we feel comfortable eating, in accordance with our values.
To everyone in good health and happiness,
Hannah
p.s. liking this rain, Elana? Jeez :) I’m in Loveland–so I’ve gotten the odd mix of rain, hail and the occasional ‘tornado spotting’…
Heather says
We make our own coconut ice cream by blending the ingredients and freezing them into ice cubes before adding them to our vitamix. It turns out really well and it tastes like the soy delicious or coconut bliss except better! I like the reduced waste of making your own and I believe it is also more economical. We use vanilla bean so it has the added flecks of the bean which make it look more authentic as well.
Gail Davis says
We have been joyfully making dairy-free frozen desserts here at Turtle Mountain for more than 20 years. When we decided to start making coconut milk-based ice cream, we weren’t attempting to reinvent the wheel, but rather, create an alternative for our customers, who cannot consume soy. We could have chosen to use rice, hemp, cashews, or oats, but found that coconut milk not only gave us the great taste and creamy, rich consistency we were looking for, but offered many nutritional benefits.
Regarding the concerns that have been raised in comments posted to this blog, let me begin by saying that we care deeply about the health and safety of our customers and work hard to make products that are not only enjoyable, but free of questionable ingredients and non-declared allergens.
While MSG can form naturally during soy fermentation or yeast extraction, it is not a normal, or common constituent of natural flavors. It is a myth that the term “natural flavors” is a cover for ingredients containing MSG. Our natural flavors come from botanicals and extracts from natural sources, and we purchase them from only a handful of companies with whom we have developed a trusting relationship.
Each manufacturer extracts individual components from natural sources and combines them into various combinations to achieve the flavor and texture profile they desire. We use guar gum, which is derived from the seed of the leguminous guar plant, to thicken, stabilize, and prevent graininess, and carob bean gum, derived from the seed of the leguminous carob tree, as a stabilizer. Neither ingredient contains MSG. In fact, all of our ingredients are carefully screened for the presence of MSG, and they are all free and clear of MSG.
The question of whether phytochemicals in soy may contribute to an increased cancer risk due to estrogenic effects has been raised. However, there is evidence that consuming soy at a young age reduces cancer risk later in life. Isoflavones (types of phytoestrogens in soy), are the subject of numerous scientific studies. Most of these studies indicate that isoflavones have some health benefit. Research in several areas has shown that the consumption of isoflavones may play a significant role in fighting disease on several fronts:
1. Reducing long-term overall cancer risk
2. Reducing risk of heart disease
3. Protecting against the progression and development of breast and prostate cancer
4. Preservation and improvement of bone health
5. Easing of menopause symptoms
We believe that there is a significant amount of scientific evidence supporting the inclusion of soy as part of a healthy diet.
We began using agave syrup in response to customer requests for a low-glycemic alternative to dehydrated cane sugar crystals. Agave syrup has a delicately sweet taste, blends well with coconut milk, and has the lowest glycemic index of any natural, caloric sweetener.
Our line of coconut milk ice cream has been so well-received, that we have also introduced a line of coconut milk yogurts and coconut milk beverages to meet our customers’ demand for delicious, healthful alternatives to dairy and soy-based foods.
I think it is important to remember that dairy-free ice cream is a delicious treat made with fat and sugar to be enjoyed as part of, but certainly not as the centerpiece of a healthy diet. However, I think it is also worth noting that Purely Decadent Made with Coconut Milk is significantly lower in fat and calories than Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss. We strive hard to meet our customers’ needs, and value and welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Alchemille says
Paula, of course they won’t tell you their products contain MSG (it’s possible they don’t even know it).
MSG takes many forms (natural or not) and glutamic acid is even found in vegetables such as tomatoes and mushrooms.
Meghan (Making Love In The Kitchen says
I can’t wait to see the recipe for the from scratch coconut ice cream.
Eden says
Okay, just tried the Coconut Bliss Hazlenut Fudge and hmmmm–it was delicious. I really liked Purely Decadent simple Coconut flavor too. Even made my mom a convert to that one.
I love, love, love that I can actually eat coconut ice cream. There is so much that I can’t eat that it is nice to have a treat I know I can buy.
Kimi @ The Nourishing Gourmet says
Gotta say, I love Coconut Bliss the most! I now make most all of my own ice cream, so that I can control what sweeteners are used as we try not to have agave except on rare occasions. Like others, I like coconut bliss for the few ingredients they use, but also for their rich taste. That’s real ice cream to me!
But to each his own. :-) I am sure that Elena is right and some of Purely Decadent’s ice creams are good (I’ve only tried their vanilla which none of us liked, texture and taste wise).
As a fellow ice cream “maker” ;-) I am looking forward to your recipe Elena!