Rice Milk?

[Raksha]

Hi! I finally had to stop lurking and register, already, so I could ask a question!


I've been vegetarian for about 7 years now, but I'd like to go semi-vegan now. I would go all the way, but I can't give up chocolate. Everyone in my family is addicted to something, and I count myself lucky that my vices are just chocolate and comic books!

Anyway, I'd like to cut out as much dairy and eggs as I can. However, I'm a little wary of soy milk, given the amount of processing necessary to make it, especially after reading the thread on this board about soy processing. Would rice milk be a healthier alternative? And if so, what brands taste the best and which ones are the best for cooking?

Thanks!

[aliciam712]

personally, i prefer rice milk over soy milk...
rice dream is the only brand i've seen around here...and it's great!!

[kentauros]

Welcome Raksha!

I don't think I can answer the part about rice milk, but you might try making your own almond milk. There should be something about it in the Food section here, but I am not absolutely sure about that. But, I have seen plenty of folks here mention cooking with the various plant-milks, so that part should not be a problem.

As for the chocolate, if you can cut out milk chocolate (if you don't already) and switch to dark chocolate you will no longer have to worry about it not being vegan. Dark chocolate is made with something called "cocoa butter" but that is just the fat of the cocoa bean; it has nothing to do with animal fat-butter. And, the higher the percentage of cocoa in the dark chocolate, the lower the amount of fat. 70% is usually the highest dark chocolate goes to, but I have seen it as low as (I think) 55% and possibly as high as 74%. It gets more and more bitter-sweet the higher the cocoa percentage though...

Hope that helps some!

[Pisces Coda]

I think soy milk is horrid. Some rice milks are, too, so try a few & see what you like. I prefer RiceSense.

ETA: and enriched original rice dream. :-)

[Raksha]

Thanks, guys! This helps!

kentauros: Yeah, I'd heard that about dark chocolate, and I like it well enough, but it's not my favorite. I have been planning to substitute it for milk chocolate during some of my more minor cravings. But I can't help it, sometimes must have milk chocolate, or cake, or ice cream or whatever. Some of those I can substitute with vegan alternatives if the craving is minor enough, but they're just not the same. On top of being a Chocolate Addict, I'm also a bit of a Chocolate Snob

[sorrowthepig]

I love Rice Dream (esp. vanilla) but have never cooked with it. Can't stand any soy milk brands I've tried.

[catgurrl978]

I love Rice Dream in my cereal - I've never tried it for cooking or anything like that. I love chocolate soy milk too

[4EverGrounded]

For straight up drinking, it's chocolate almond breeze allll the way.

Chocolate Vitasoy is nice for drinking, too.

I don't know what part of the world you're in, but Lindt makes a 70% dark that tastes pretty good. If you can get that, that might be worth a try.

[Miss Meg]

I only use it in things but I love Rice Dream. I don't drink any of the "milks" straight. I'm not a fan of soymilk.

[kentauros]

I don't know what part of the world you're in, but Lindt makes a 70% dark that tastes pretty good. If you can get that, that might be worth a try.

Lindt is an excellent brand I once worked with a Swiss baker that lived in the same town its factory was in. He talked about riding his bicycle on the way to the bakery and the wonderful smells it produced The other European brands I can think of are Callebaut and Valrhona. Had to look up online for the American brands of quality and found Chocosphere. That one's been bookmarked

Rice milk is also great in smoothies and "shakes" if you freeze it and then blend/process it to that consistency. Add anything else like fruit and so on I may get some rice milk soon and see how well it makes rice pudding, too. I have seen a recipe for that using coconut milk and might try that.