Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ After sharing his creamy frozen desserts for numerous reviews and special events, Wheeler has at last opened his official storefront in Boston, MA ... and not a moment too soon.  With summer knocking at our door, Wheeler's vegan "ice cream" will be a welcome site to anyone who forgoes dairy, but would like to enjoy a cool and creamy treat in the heat of the afternoon.  To the best of my knowledge, this is the first dedicated vegan and dairy-free "ice cream" parlor in the United States.  Taking it a step further, Wheeler's Frozen Desserts will also have vegan and gluten-free pastries on hand.  See below for a list of flavors and desserts to be served and the store location.

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ Gluten-Free Essentials has kept their ovens working overtime.  This relatively new company is already boasting over 30 “free-from” mixes, ranging from cakes and frosting to rice blends and savory bread.  But they just can’t stop, not while there are so many great foods to work with.  Having recently discovered the nutritional benefits of hemp, Lorraine Palmer, one of the founders of Gluten-Free Essentials was compelled to start a new product line focused around this super-seed.  Under the trade name Healthy Harvest, Gluten-Free Essentials has released their first hemp-based product, Cranberry Apple-Spice Cookies …

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ Exceeding the expectations of the 100-calorie snacker, Clif Bar & Company has created a miniaturized version of their popular LUNA bar product line, with each half-size bar weighing in at just 80 calories.  LUNA Minis were first unveiled at Expo West in Anaheim, California in March, but they are now available to the public for purchase in an 18-mini variety pack containing an equal selection of the S'mores, Nutz Over Chocolate® and Caramel Nut Brownie LUNA bar flavors. Each LUNA Mini contains 4g of protein, is high in folic acid, and is also a good source of calcium ...

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ Terra Nostra, a Vancouver BC producer of gourmet chocolate, has captured the attention of reviewers with their most recent product line, dairy-free "milk" chocolate.  The line, which was introduced in 2007, goes under the brand of Ricemilk Choco™, and currently comes in three chocolate bar varieties: Original, with Almonds, and with Dark Truffle Center.  Though the market for a vegan "milk" chocolate was largely untapped, yielding virtually no competition, Terra Nostra opted to start with a superior product, rather than lunging at the opportunity to be first to market.  The result was a quality product that is now gaining the recognition of popular vegan food reviewers ...

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ On her blog, Oprah announced that she will eliminate caffeine, sugar, alcohol, gluten and animal products (meat and dairy) from her diet for a 21 day cleanse.  Inspired by Kathy Freston's book, Quantum Wellness, Oprah is taking on the concept of "conscious eating" to discover what her attachments are to certain foods and what she is willing to do to change.  In addition to the cleanse, Oprah is going vegan in the hopes to make it a new trend.  She has already expressed her delight at how satisfying the vegan diet can be, and shared what she ate on Day 1:

• Breakfast: Steel-cut oatmeal with fresh blueberries, strawberries, chopped walnuts, a splash of soy milk and some agave nectar. 
• Lunch: Chunky mushroom soup with wild rice and pecans. 
• Snack: A handful of roasted almonds.
• Dinner: A baked potato drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper with a salad of shredded lettuce, cranberries, pine nuts and tiny orange slices with a vinegar and oil dressing.