We All Scream for Nice Cream!

With summer's arrival comes warmer weather and we all know there's no better way to cool off than with a cold treat!

Buying a box of individually wrapped treats may be a convenient way to deal with the summer heat, but doing so causes more harm than good. Each of these packages contribute waste in the form of plastic wrappers, non-recyclable containers or popsicle sticks every time you eat one. Making your own treats at home with the environment in mind is an easy way to avoid this!

What's so nice about "nice cream"?

"Nice Cream" is a plant-based alternative to traditional ice cream that typically uses bananas and a few simple ingredients to create any flavour you could ask for! And fortunately, picking a dairy-free summer treat you can make yourself has numerous benefits for the environment.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the dairy industry puts a lot of pressure on environmental resources to meet the growing demands of consumer diets all over the world. By choosing a dairy-free treat, you are taking a step towards reducing your impact as a consumer!

So what impact are you reducing?

1. Air Pollution - farm activities can releases Greenhouse Gases, ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. These gases can greatly affect the air quality and affect the earth's ability to regulate temperature, which contributes to global warming.

2. Water - large amounts of water are used to grow feed, wash cows, process products and manage waste from livestock. In addition, the runoff from farm activities can affect local sources of water, resulting in algal blooms that affect health of aquatic life.

3. Soil - converting forests into land to provide the space needed to support these livestock, creates potential loss for topsoil and essential soil nutrients needed by plants to grow.

4. Animal Welfare - mistreatment of livestock is common within the dairy industry, affecting their health and overall wellbeing. By buying dairy you can unknowingly support these actions!

With all things considered, it's better to go dairy-free if your summer plans include eating all the ice cream your heart desires!

My personal favourite spin to Banana Nice Cream is adding coconut cream as a fat ingredient, coconut milk, pineapple and coconut flakes on top to make a Pina Colada flavour!

Now here's a simple recipe for 1 batch of banana nice cream that you can personalize to your taste.

Simple Banana Nice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 large frozen bananas (preferably overripe)

• 2 tbsp of a fat ingredient (options: almond butter, peanut butter, tahini cream, coconut cream)

• 1 cup of plant-milk (options: almond milk, pea protein, coconut milk, rice milk etc.)

• Optional to add for flavour: Cocoa powder, vanilla bean paste or extract, frozen fruits, chocolate chips

• Optional toppings include: coconut flakes, nuts, chocolate chips, frozen fruit chunks

What you'll need:

• Blender

• Loaf Pan

• Spatula or wooden spoon

• Ice cream scoop

Steps:

1. Blend desired ingredients together until you have a smooth, soft-serve consistency (NOTE: if soft serve is what you desire, eat it now before it melts!)

2. Pour into loaf pan and spread evenly with a spatula or wooden spoon

3. Add toppings

4. To have firmer nice cream freeze it for 1 to 2 hours and remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving! (NOTE: if you wish to freeze it longer, stir every hour to two hours and place back in freezer)

5. Use an ice cream scoop to serve desired amount. Enjoy!