Sundae For Halloween

A special chocolate ice cream sundae just for today. It doesn't matter if you celebrate Halloween or not .... you don't really need an excuse for a treat, do you? Go on and spoil yourself!

Did you know that chocolate has been scientifically proven to be good for you? Earlier this year I read a fascinating BBC article about how chocolate can actually help you slim. Now there's a thought.

Marilyn's Ice Cream Passion

Now ice cream might not, in the minds of most people, be top of the list as part of a diet to stay slim but Marilyn Monroe was proof that it can really be the case..

Marilyn loved ice cream, once admitting that she would regularly stop by a local ice cream parlor for a hot fudge sundae on her way back from drama classes.

Regular hot fudge sundaes but still a size 8 - how can that be?

The truth is it's all about moderation. Marilyn only ate moderate, simple meals, such as broiled steak with 4 or 5 raw carrots for dinner. Hers was what is now called an 80/20 diet - eating sensibly for 80% of the time with treats just 20% of the time.

I have always believed that ice cream is essentially a good food, providing a much-needed sense of fun in life. It's only if you eat too much that it becomes detrimental.Read more about Marilyn's love and ice cream and her diet here

Doggie Ice Cream

Animals of all kinds love ice cream. I've seen videos of cats, horses, rabbits, birds and even a lizard tucking into some ice cream! Click here to see a selection of fun video clips.

Dogs, it seems, love ice cream possibly more than any other animal. I know that from personal experience having shared many an ice cream cone with my Yorkshire Terrier Josie as I grew up. I never stopped to think about why that was but have since learned that dogs don't have sweat glands, hence why they pant when they're hot. So licking ice-cool ice cream is a big draw for them.

Last month I was having dinner with my family in seaside restaurant, opposite a big and very popular ice cream parlor. A family of 4 came along, bought an ice cream cone each and sat down on a bench at the side of the parlor to eat them. They had a beautiful golden retriever with them and it was obvious he was a big ice cream fan! I watched with fascination at what happened next. These pictures tell the story .....

Dog watches everyone eating their ice cream cones. He's calm but clearly interested .....

 

His interest starts to turn to excitement ....

Taken across to one of the ice cream vending machines, he's clearly on his best behavior!

He gets his reward ...

 

Ice Cream Sandwich - Bubblegum & Banana

Large, chunky chocolate chip cookies with 2 scoops of delicious ice cream wedged in between and all topped off with sugared, whipped cream and hot chocolate sauce. Ice cream sandwiches don't get much better than this!

The ice cream flavors in this sandwich were bubblegum and banana. Ideal for kids but personally I prefer straight chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Old fashioned? Maybe, but oh so good!