We’ve all heard this one before- What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. When it comes to ice cream, I am definitely a nutter.

Despite the knowledge that I’m lactose intolerant, that my skin looks a hundred times better when I avoid excess dairy, and that even one cold, creamy, delectable scoop leaves me, well, let’s just say “uncomfortable” for at least two days, if it’s around I can’t NOT have ice cream. It doesn’t help that my roommate (who is also not so good with the dairy products) is a HUGE Ben & Jerry’s fan. She’ll bring home a pint (or two) and we’ll indulge “just this time”, but then we’ll run out…so I have to buy more, since she bought it last time. Before we know it, we’ve each gained two pounds, are grouchy, breaking out, and not feeling so hot, at which point I resolve to go back to being ice cream-free (until the next craving hits).

Additionally, I’m a foodie. I love to cook and bake which, to its merit, has kept me in avoidance of processed foods. My rule has been that I pretty much eat what I want, as long as it’s made fresh, from scratch, with as many organic ingredients as possible. On the flip side, though, I love great cheese and great bread. For me, a spinach salad with seared organic skirt-steak, tomatoes, red onion, orange wedges and homemade balsamic-olive oil-vinaigrette is only truly complete and balanced with a dollop of fresh Chevrie goat cheese on top. And so I continue to compromise- especially on the dairy thing. More especially on the ice cream thing.

Then, I read an article in the May 2010 issue of Psychology Today (sorry the article’s not online-but it’s worth buying the issue which has a ton of great articles) about the Paleolithic diet- the concept that, from an evolutionary perspective, human beings were never really designed to consume dairy and grains (even though the ubiquitous food pyramid would have us think differently)- certainly not in the quantities that we do today. Before the advent of modern agriculture, humans ate lots of plant foods- fruits, nuts, berries, etc- and lots of lean proteins from wild game and fish. But cheese? Milk? bread? The modern staples (practically) of the human diet- these were not part of the our original diet. This food theory goes on to posture that many of our modern diseases and health problems are due, in large part, to our diet. While there are arguments for and against this Paleolithic diet, I think Dr. Andrew Weil has perhaps the best, most intelligently guided advice on this subject. Basically, let’s do our best to go back to eating more like our ancestors, but still incorporate lots of fresh fruits and veggies (which they couldn’t always) and some carbs-but the right ones.

So I resolved that, while I’m just not ready to give up my morning latte (made with lactose-free milk), I would cut back on as much unnecessary dairy as possible so I could enjoy the benefits of feeling and looking better. Wouldn’t you know it, just before the weekend, a fun, spunky, very sweet girl happened to come into the store and we started talking about exactly this. She shared with me the story of her recent nutritional revelation. She cut out her soft drinks and juices, started using only fresh ingredients, and not only did she lose weight (10 lbs in a month!) without even trying, she was feeling better. She found that after a couple of weeks, she couldn’t even eat the processed, high-fat, foods that she used to without feeling ill. Buh-bye Popeye’s.

And then, she blew my mind…

“You have to try this ice cream!” she insisted. “It’s called Purely Decadent- it’s got these chocolate praline things in it and caramel, like, real, caramel! And it’s totally dairy-free.” She could see the skepticism all over my face. After all, being health conscious, lactose-intolerant, and right around the corner from Whole Foods,  I had made a few forays into the world of non-dairy frozen treats before and was always disappointed. “Seriously,” she urged me “I was like- there no milk in this? You’ve gotta be kidding me.” The whole rest of the day, all I could think about was this supposedly delicious dairy-free ice cream.

So I went to Whole Foods after work, and bought a pint of the Turtle Tracks (she had been very clear that I was to get the one with the pralines in it). My first bite was cold, sweet and surprisingly creamy (far more than the coconut milk ice cream I had previously tried), with only a barely perceptible taste of the soy. By the time a got to my third bite (it was good enough to keep eating, for sure) the soy flavor was even less apparent.

Later that night when I dug into my second serving (I told you I was an ice cream-crackpot) I couldn’t even taste the soy. She was soooooo right- the pint was packed with tons of gooey caramel and dark chocolate covered pralines (which were my favorite part, too). The whole pint is gone now, and I’m going back to Whole Foods after work to try another flavor. Maybe one with less caramel this time. But seriously, when my only complaint (if you even can call it that) about this SOY ICE CREAM is that there might have been more caramel than was necessary, I think that’s pretty impressive.

Purely Decadent from Turtle Mountain is vegan and dairy-free and the Gluten-free flavors are clearly labeled as such. There’s also a coconut milk-based ice cream, but I haven’t tried it, so be sure you get the soy one. BONUS- click on the “Rewards” tab at the top of the website and you can print a coupon for $1 off- which, at $4 a pint is 25% off!

Epilogue: A Purely Decadent Evening

Naturally, I left my coupon in the car when I went to Whole Foods after work, but that didn’t stop me from getting another pint of Purely Decadent’s soy ice cream (you know, because I have to do my due diligence for you guys!). I finally decided on the Mint Chocolate Chip. Well, I didn’t wait until after dinner to try it- in fact, it didn’t even make it into the freezer! The Mint Chocolate Chip was even better than the Turtle Tracks- the rich, dark chocolate shavings were generously swirled throughout the entire pint (very Ben & Jerry’s style), and they were rich and very, very satisfying. The mint “ice cream” was dreamy, perfectly minty, and so creamy it could easily be mistaken for dairy. Purely Decadent now not only has my approval, but my deepest gratitude.

Shayna Teicher

After nearly three years managing a bath and beauty boutique, Shayna decided to go out on her own and open Butterfly Effect, a holistic, eco-conscious beauty boutique located in Sarasota, Florida. Our very own “Beauty Chick”, read Shayna’s other intriguing articles and product reviews here.