Thursday, February 3, 2011

Ice Cream Anyone?

My favorite ice cream is Butter Pecan, but until recently I hadn't even tasted real ice cream in many years.  While I thoroughly enjoyed my dairy-free, sugar-free, coconut milk frozen dessert, aptly named Purely Decadent, it just wasn't the real thing.  My new diet allowed many good things, but for general health reasons, I was still avoiding processed sugar, white flour, anything artificial, and preservatives.

During my move last summer I ate a number of convenient foods that were not so healthy, including pizza, potato chips, and French fries.  Still lactose intolerant, I was really hesitant to give in to my number one weakness - ice cream.  My determination was wearing thin each time I passed Bruster’s Ice Cream Parlor, which was conveniently located at a traffic light en route to my new home.  One warm September afternoon, stopped by that traffic light, I decided to give in and turn in to Bruster’s.  “One scoop butter pecan on a cake cone, please.”  It was down hill from there!

It was delicious - cold and creamy, and loaded with pecans!  Interestingly, it was rather sweet for my palate, but I worked thru it, enjoying the freedom to eat my favorite warm-weather treat!  Mindful of the calories piling into my body, I vowed to treat myself only once a month; a vow I failed to keep!  Two months, and many calories later, my waistline and my doctor’s scale screamed out to me, “forget once a month, try once a year!”

Winter rescued me!  It has been unusually cold and snowy this winter, so it’s been a lot easier to bypass my favorite indulgence without a second thought.  Watch out summer!