Going vegan was tough because I had to give up cheese. But when I realized I would also have to give up Cool Whip, a small part of me died. Over the years, I've experimented with Rice Whip canisters (delicious but the nozzles get clogged and stop working ... bummer), homemade coconut whip (hit or miss depending on the brand of coconut milk and whether or not the milk has emulsifiers), Soyatoo Whippable Soy Topping (great but hard to find), and Rich Whip (vegan but loaded with nasty stuff, like hydrogenated oils).
Enter So Delicious Coco Whip!
Yes, the folks at So Delicous have gone and done it again! They're so innovative, and I am just beside myself with joy about this stuff. It's JUST LIKE COOL WHIP, y'all! Seriously. I can eat it with a spoon!!!!!! And it's actually made with good-for-you stuff instead of nasty hydrogenated oils!
There's a full-fat version and a light version (just as delicious, but a little less dense). For my dinner party last Friday, I cracked open the full fat one for this Vegan Death By Chocolate Cake (layered Kahlua-soaked brownies, chocolate pudding, Coco Whip, and dark chocolate chunks). Here's the recipe.
I'm saving the light stuff for eating by itself with a spoon. And I plan to save both tubs and reuse for leftovers because there's nothing more Southern than serving leftovers in a plastic Cool Whip tub.
Some Whole Foods stores should have Coco Whip now, and So Delicious is planning a larger Whole Foods roll-out by spring 2015. I haven't checked the Memphis store, but we tend to be late in getting things. We just got Kite Hill vegan cheese and Earth Balance cheddar crackers this month! I'm just hoping Coco Whip will be available here soon if it isn't already.
So Delicious also sent me samples of their holiday milks! Nothing says fall and winter like vegan holiday milks. So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk is my favorite this time of year. And since it's higher in calories than my usual almond milk, I like to dilute it — half a cup of Pumpkin Spice and half a cup of almond.
It's also excellent in coffee. Pumpkin Spice lattes! As for the So Delicious Nog Coconut Milk, I don't typically crack that open until after Thanksgiving. It's a little tradition in my house to drink rum-spiked vegan nog as I put up the Solstice tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I hate fall and winter, but nog and other holiday treats get me through it.
Holy crap, y'all, I just had a revelation. I can put a dollop of Coco Whip atop a glass of Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk. Oh, it's on now!
