Soy no more?

Shortly after purchasing a grande iced soy latte the other morning, I heard an interview on KKNW where the person being interviewed spoke passionately about the negative effects of soy on the body. As if finding a dairy alternative at local cafes and restaurants wasn't challenging enough, I was suddenly faced with the realization that maybe I shouldn't be consuming soy more than once or twice a week, if at all. There are plenty of articles, websites and books that tout soy as the "superfood cure all" however there are also plenty of articles and books that describe the risks associated with daily soy intake. This website lists a few of the recent books that discuss soy risks, particulary associated with thyroid and estrogen. I'm wincing as I write this because my dad recently told me that soy was a superfood and I know he will debate this to death with me if I don't have scientific evidence to disprove the "superfood" claim*. While there are plenty of conflicting stories, I personally feel better now eating/drinking soy in moderation. Of course this means finding a suitable replacement for my daily soy latte which was the alternative to my old favorite coffee drink, the nonfat vanilla latte. *note: I love debating with my dad, but this "just because I feel better" argument will likely result in my dad shaking his head and saying "ok" with a tinge of pity in his voice.

How many times have you seen rice, almond, coconut or hemp milk alternatives at your local cafe or restaurant? Maybe you've never looked for these alternatives?  Take my word for it, they aren't widely available in the Seattle suburbs. There are two local resources with dairy/soy alternatives for my love of the latte, PCC Natural Market and Whole Foods , neither of which are conveniently located.

See a business opportunity here? It strengthens my desire to open up a cafe on the eastside of Seattle that offers yummy vegan treats and dairy alternatives other than soy. I will likely purchase an espresso machine along with a few milk alternatives to make the occasional caffe latte at home but I don't want to lose track of the opportunity to make a difference for others. There are a lot of lactose intolerant folks on the eastside of Seattle (and vegans, too!) who could benefit from a healthy, tasty alternative for their coffee habit. (I did try a Caffe Americano and a Chai Tea with water instead of steamed milk this weekend. Bleck.)

I did a little shopping at Amazon and purchased some inspirational reading a la business books such as "How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop" and "The Restaurant Manager's Handbook". Confucius says "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

On a related note (dairy/soy alternative), I picked up a pint of Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss frozen dessert from Fred Meyer today and fell in love. Not only is it amazing by itself but once I put a bit of melted vegan chocolate chips on top (like the old "Magic Shell" concoction), I fell in love. If you like coconut, do yourself a favor and go to their website to find out which store near you sells Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss and buy some. I'm starting to hear more and more about the benefits of coconut (nice little bonus).

Yummmm...