No-Moo Tofu Berry "Ice Cream"

I have a number of lactose-intolerant friends, all of whom LOVE ice cream but can't eat it. What torture! I myself was craving ice cream after an unfortunate lab for my food science class required me to make and then sample hot chillies...bad news, dudes.

There are numerous soy- and almond- based ice creams available, but boy are they expensive! And a handful contain some funky ingredients, so I decided to try and make my own dairy-free frozen treat.

Ingredients (makes 4-5 servings):

• 12 oz extra firm tofu, drained (I plan on playing around with different types of tofu to see which firmness works best here)
• 2.5 c frozen mixed berries
• 1c soy milk
• 1 TBS agave (or honey)
• 1 Tsp vanilla extract

 Drain, Dump, Blend:

1.  Drain the tofu and press out any excess water with a dish towel.
2. Blend tofu, 1/2 cup soy milk, agave, and vanilla until smooth. Add berries in three parts and blend together. Add additional soy milk as needed to allow the mixture to blend. I ended up using about 1 c soy milk.
3.  Now for the hard part... RESIST eating it just yet! Transfer the berry tofu mixture into a sealed container and stick it in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until it solidifies. Stir every hour or so, as the edges will freeze faster than the center.At the 3-4 hour mark it is a scoopable consistency, but if left overnight it becomes rock solid. Nothing a quick defrost in the microwave can't fix.

Soy: Cancer culprit?
The estrogen-like compounds in soy have been accused of predisposing women to breast cancer. There are other studies that suggest that  among women with breast cancer, consuming soy-based foods such as tofu was associated with a decreased risk of death and recurrence.The bottom line is that too much, or too little, of any number of lifestyle or diet factors can lead to disease. It is difficult to trace cancer back to one definitive cause. Maintaining an active lifestyle, abstaining from certain activities such as smoking, and consuming a varied and plant-based diet (which can include soy) is your best bet for preventing cancer.
Another note on soy: along with corn, soy is one of the most heavily genetically modified crops. I don't buy all of my produce organic, but soy (tofu and soy milk) I buy organic without fail. We're not really sure of all the negative effects of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) quite yet.