Homeowners Be Aware

Healthy Ice Cream Can Taste Great

October 25, 2022 George Siegal Season 2 Episode 56
Homeowners Be Aware
Healthy Ice Cream Can Taste Great
Show Notes Transcript

October 25, 2022
56. Healthy Ice Cream Can Taste Great

If you’ve been looking for an ice cream that is gluten-free, and dairy-free but also tastes great, you are going to love this week’s podcast. We visited Coco N’Ice, a local Tampa business, that gives hope to those of us who can’t eat regular ice cream. 

Here are some important moments with Simone from the podcast: 

At 1:37 What motivated you to start Coco N’Ice?

 At 7:37 Is eating this type of Ice Cream an acquired taste? And once people eat it do they have a hard time returning to regular ice cream?

At 13:59 What do you think about when people have soy or soy sauce recipes? 

Here are some ways to follow or contact Coco N’Ice:

Website: https://www.coconice.co 

 Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069104858257 

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coconicecream/ 


Important information from Homeowners Be Aware:

Here are ways you can follow us on-line:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeownersbeaware/

Website:
https://homeownersbeaware.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-siegal/


If you'd like to reach me for any reason, here's the link to my contact form:

https://homeownersbeaware.com/contact

Here's the link to the documentary film I'm making
Built to Last: Buyer Beware.

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Thanks for listening!

Simone Ilić:

For example, the chartered ice cream is only rock cow, coconut milk, and dates, and everybody loves this ice cream. When I run out of this ice cream, it's always horrible.

George Siegal:

I'm George Siegal, and this is The Tell Us How to Make It Better podcast. Every week we introduce you to people who are working on real world problems and providing actual solutions. Tell Us How to Make it Better is partnering with The Readiness Lab, the home for podcasts, webinars, and training in the field of emergency and disaster services. Hi everybody. Thank you so much for joining me on this week's Tell Us How to Make It Better podcast. Continuing the theme of last week where I was out at Sweetwater Organic Community Farm here in Tampa. I'm at another local business here in Tampa. Now. I happen to be one of those people that is gluten-free and dairy-free. I had an allergy test several years ago and they said, Those are two things I should not be eating. And so it makes eating a challenge and it, it makes having good desserts even more challenging. Well, I was so excited when I found this business right here near where I live that has amazing desserts that are gluten free and dairy free. Simone Ilic is the owner of Coco N Ice, located in South Tampa. Hi Simone.

Simone Ilić:

Hi George. How are you doing?

George Siegal:

I'm fantastic. So tell everybody what exactly you have going here because I was, I was saying how excited I was to find a place where I could actually eat gluten-free and dairy-free and have amazing desserts. What made you start a business like this?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, it's a long story behind it. I was very sick. I had Hashimoto this autoimmune disease from the thyroid, and everybody was telling me it's unhealable and that I have to take this, uh, medication. This thyroxine, but uh, when I took this in the beginning, it gave me a lot of side effects and I decided I have to figure out another way to, to heal this. And then I did a lot of research and was studying a lot. And so I came to the point that probably a raw food diet, a strict diet without gluten, sugar, A lot of greens, coconuts, and, uh, Brazilian nuts because they have a lot of selenium. What's good for the thyroid? Uh, yeah, it could heal myself and it worked. And so I wanted to share my success, uh, with, uh, others. And I got one day the idea to make ice cream and healthy deserts.

George Siegal:

Now, a lot of the places that I've been to, I, I always say the term feed my people because I, I consider the gluten-free, dairy-free people a special breed. You sacrifice something when you make those dishes, so they either load 'em up with sugar or they load them up with palm oil or other stuff that just ruins the good of it. How do you avoid doing that?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, I work instead of, um, processed sugar with dates. Those are amazing and they're fat free, uh, controlling the blood sugar. So dates are really the best sweetener. Uh, the other sweetener I figured out, uh, with the years is coconut sugar, cuz it's also unprocessed, low glycemic. And it's also good for, um, it keeps the blood sugar in a, um, good level. So, um, yeah, because I am so fanatic that I heal myself and I know it's only possible with real clean and whole food, I, yeah. Just wanted to share this.

George Siegal:

So if you're a person that's say pre-diabetic, and so if I go have an acai bowl at some of these places that are SPR popping up around Tampa, there's probably 60 grams of sugar in that. When I have your ice cream, what am I looking at sugarWise. Cause it tastes so amazing, but I I I seem to function well on it.

Simone Ilić:

Yeah. The key ingredients are only coconut milk and dates and the flavor. For example, your favorite flavor is vanilla, They have cashews and pure vanilla powder. I even don't work with this, uh, artificial, vanilla. So I only use real ingredients, um, unprocessed ingredients. So, and as. More simple. It's better. Better it is.

George Siegal:

Okay. Then this is an obvious question. Why, why aren't more people doing it? Why do they put so much garbage in there that ruins the health value of the food?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, I think, uh, to get a good taste. They think, to get a good taste out of it. But it's actually the other, uh, side when you put pure ingredients inside. It's turning out the best. So this is my, um, when I went to the surrealistic school, there was always a part, um, for raw dishes and we could experi experiment how we wanted. And most of my, um, other, or the other students there, they put everything inside and it gave me always, Problems, digestion problems, and we just use two or three ingredients. It's the best. It tastes better and it's better for your digestion system and you feel a lot better. It's just that we are lost our taste buds with all this artificial food, and so it's difficult to find a way back to nature.

George Siegal:

So how are you finding that people respond to this? When I, I lived in Seattle, there used to be a lot of crummy Chinese food in my neighborhood. And then an amazing place opened up and nobody went there. And I asked the guy one night as we were looking at the line around the block, at the place that had horrible Chinese food, Why aren't more people at your place? And he goes, Because they don't know any better. So when you do something like you are doing, how do people know better? How do they know that this is something they should be eating instead of all that garbage?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, I think a lot of really aware people are finding this place. A lot of people, they were sick or, um, even if they only have dairy intolerance and um, yeah, once they try the products, it convinced them that it's really good for them. That's simple and low ingredients can be, um, healthy and tasty.

George Siegal:

Yeah. For some people. Yeah. It's an acquired taste. There's another place that claim they have gluten-free, uh, dairy-free right up the street from you that my kids love going to, After I ate your ice cream, I couldn't go there anymore because, you know, I'm not just saying that because I'm standing in front of you. I, I used to think that was good. Now it just tastes like sugary garbage and your stuff is so good. So is there an acquired taste for some people? Once you get used to it? It's hard to go back,.

Simone Ilić:

Probably. Yeah. You feel first it's made from here. My passion, my heart, all my passion is inside and yeah, it's my um, it's my big desire that I can bring people back to nature. And I don't know, once you, for example, the chartered ice cream is only rock cow, coconut milk and dates, and everybody loves this ice cream. When I run out of this ice cream, it's always horrible. So...

George Siegal:

I know you've gotten me a little upset a couple times when I've come in here and you were out. It's like, how could you not stock this for me personally when it's so amazing? Um, it's tough cuz there's no real good replacement around here that you can get.

Simone Ilić:

Yeah. This is the secret. It's just nature. Go back to nature. This is the secret.

George Siegal:

So show me some of the stuff that that you have going here. What, what, what's behind the, the refrigerator freezer door?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah. Here, uh, the ice cream. So this is like a magic vanilla. Gold milk is very popular. Gold Milk has also, um, anti-inflammatory effects. It's with turmeric, cinnamon nut milk, ginger, uh, cardman, black pepper. This ice cream is also, um, for dogs. Dogs like the Mae, that's like a sweet potato uhhuh. Um, and I put cinnamon in there. So this is only four ingredients? Yeah.

George Siegal:

Is that for people also or just dogs? Yeah. Everybody loves this. My, my dog likes everything.

Simone Ilić:

I think your dog tried it also.

George Siegal:

He liked it. He said to tell you it was very good. Cosmo said to tell you he loved it.

Simone Ilić:

The passion fruit is also only made from coconut milk dates and, uh, passion fruit. And the other thing, this ice cream is actually raw food because I make the coconut milk by myself, so I chopped the coconuts, and then from the meat I make the coconut milk fresh. And this fresh coconut milk turns into ice cream then.

George Siegal:

See, that's a commitment I've tried making almond milk and it's, it's not that difficult to do it. It tastes really good, but it still takes time. It's a commitment.

Simone Ilić:

But coconuts, they need a lot of time. Yeah. But for me, it's kind of meditation. I love coconuts. They healed me and I, I love everything with coconuts, so,

George Siegal:

Okay. Um, and, and then, and

Simone Ilić:

another thing, What I created, this is so popular. This is like a vegan Nutella. It's with hazelnuts, cashews coconut sugar, cacao, and vanilla, and a little bit of coconut oil. And this is really, really, really popular.

George Siegal:

I would hope so, cuz my kids like the real actual nettella. And if you read what's in that, that stuff is lethal. That is crap. So if I brought this to my children, how how would they like this taste? I think that would be a tough sell. It's probably more for, for people like us, they will love

Simone Ilić:

it, I feel.

George Siegal:

You think they would love it? Yeah, they will. Money back guarantee on that?

Simone Ilić:

They give you 100% care.

George Siegal:

I would, I would feel too bad bringing it back. Cuz they're tough audience. They don't like the ice cream, you know?

Simone Ilić:

But they were like this,

George Siegal:

Okay, everybody likes . I push the ice cream all the time, but they just look at me like, Dad, I'm gonna eat this garbage that I like. I'm not have your healthy ice cream.

Simone Ilić:

Don't tell them that's that's healthy Nutella. Just give it to them.

George Siegal:

I'm gonna have to buy that because I cringe every time they eat nutella.

Simone Ilić:

Yeah. Nutella is the, isn't

George Siegal:

the first ingredient palm oil in

Simone Ilić:

it, I think. And, and it's a lot of chemicals are inside, but this is real food.

George Siegal:

Okay. Put that aside so I can, uh, buy one of those from you. Um, alright, so you also make stuff here. You, you have different specials and things that you cook up. How do you come up with these recipes? When I, I come in and I see you've got muffins or you've got little pie,

Simone Ilić:

So the muffins. Those are actually, um, from my daughter. She made, because I don't bake anymore, I just make raw food cakes and, but she makes, uh, this muffin soza bananas, oat flour, coconut sugar, and uh, the whipped cream is with the vegan butter and coconut sugar and vanilla.

George Siegal:

So Well, here's my question cuz my wife likes to eat healthy, but she does not like the food that I like. So if I come in here and really like something, she, she does not like it. Does, does your family like the food that you make or are you the only one that eats like this?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, they do. Which is, they was skeptical in the beginning. Um, when I started with all this raw food and when I started experimenting, but for example, tiramisu, uh, yeah, everybody likes.

George Siegal:

Okay. Now tell me about the stuff you have over there behind you on your, over your right shoulder. Cuz there's some things I come in and buy that, uh, some of that stuff all the time. I love your cereal that you make, you make that here? Yeah. And then the, um, what's in that that makes it so good?

Simone Ilić:

The cereal is with oats, almonds, coconut flakes, Mulberries.. George Siegal: And then, and You make the, um, I forget what the name of it is in the brand. The kale chips. Yes. The kale chips are made with cashews, um, lime juice, curry and coconut aminos. This is, uh, like a soy sauce replacement. A natural soy sauce replacement.

George Siegal:

Yeah. I went to one healthy eating, alleged healthy eating place here, and the woman was still using soy sauce in her gluten-free dishes. And I said, Why? Why won't you just switch? And she just rolled her eyes and said she wasn't going to switch.. So, I mean, that's a big deal to, to some pe some eaters, they don't want soy sauce in their food.

Simone Ilić:

I never used soy sauce, so soy is actually not good at all for us. And um, yeah, I replaced every as, um, well as nutritional yeast. I couldn't recommend.

George Siegal:

Would you ever eat soybeans?

Simone Ilić:

Uh, no.

George Siegal:

You don't eat those either?

Simone Ilić:

No, I don't eat soy at all. Because when I was really, um, into, to heal this, I figured out gluten, soy, processed sugar. This is poison and it's actually poison for everybody. Soy is so, uh, manipulated, it's gmo. So I could never, ever recommend soy. So I, I don't use soy at all.

George Siegal:

Yeah, the doctor that told me not to eat gluten, And dairy anymore said also never have soy. And so

Simone Ilić:

that's a good doctor. George Siegal: Yeah, I mean, I mean, I think I was going downhill fast, and so I just believe that makes a major difference, but, But most people still fight it. They don't care. Sometimes they have to get really, really, really sick that they don't know what to do anymore. And when they come to this point, They want to, uh, they open up to, to, to change their nutrition, but I also know people that it's all bullshit and, uh, and they have a lot of health issues and I never question, maybe it could be the gluten or anything, what I'm eating. Dairy is also very bad for us, but, um, not everybody, um, is open to change or to make. Switches. So...

George Siegal:

Now you have this small business in Tampa, Florida. Um, where do you see it going? Can you ship stuff around the country? Are you just happy having your piece of the, the, the market here that you get? Where, where do you see long term?

Simone Ilić:

So long term is definitely to bring it out to the big stores. I get questions. Uh, Uh, if we can ship it or if, uh, uh, they can buy it. All parts of the, um, country, and we are working on it right now to find a producer that we can get the ice cream out to the big stores and then you can, um, buy it everywhere. So this is one thing we, um, are shipping now, um, like the nutella. So the stuff, the dry stuff, we, we can ship already. Yeah. And we are working on it that it really grows into a big, um, a big worldwide thing hopefully. So this here is our new sitting and chilling area. I met a also a German guy at the beach. And I told him and his friend, Hey, come over here, eat some ice cream. And when he saw this, he said, Oh, this is amazing. I want to build something for you outside. And I said, Yeah, go ahead. And this is what he did. So, um, you can sit here and this is the patio. We have to get some more herbs, plants for relaxing.

George Siegal:

You know, this is the one thing that I used to say to you when I first started coming in. You just had those two chairs out front. There wasn't any place to really sit. Yeah. Yeah. So now people can just come chill out here. Very nice. Now you said something interesting. So people told you you were crazy. Tell me that story. When you said you wanted to start a business like this, what were your, what were people telling you?

Simone Ilić:

Yeah, everybody told me I'm crazy. What are you doing? And cuz when you are on this health journey, you probably know this old, everybody thinks you are nuts, you're this, And my niche is very specific so, um, everybody told me I'm crazy and it's too risky. I just wanted to do it because I wanted to share this passion and yeah, bring, bring it out to the market that is, there is really something clean, healthy, and very tasty. So it's, it's simple. It's easy, simple. Like I said, it's just, here. When I was traveling, uh, all the time, I never could find anything and I had always my suitcase full of. I had a, a small blender in my suitcase and I had, yeah, suitcase full of tools that I can prepare my own food. So, um, this was one of the reasons why I really wanted to open, um, a clean place where you can, like you. I can just come and enjoy and don't have to, Oh, question. Maybe there could be this or that inside, because I guarantee that it's really clean and safe food because I would never, ever sell anything that I wouldn't eat. And I'm really very, very strict in everything. So, but I think are not aware enough that gluten is so, um, yeah, so bad for us and it's because they are, all the time they're telling us this is good, this is, they bring new stuff to the market and we are so, um, overwhelmed from everything and we are so busy with everything that nobody takes really care. Yeah. And probably you have to get really, really, really sick that you finally realize that there must be something else. And yeah, a lot of our food are really bad drugs for us, so, But nobody's realizing this.

George Siegal:

Wake up call.

Simone Ilić:

Yeah. And this is what I really hope that I can, uh, wake people up. Through food, through healthy food and, uh.

George Siegal:

Well, you've made dessert fun for me again. So thank, thank you and thank you for your time today,. Simone Ilić: Thank you. Thank you so much for joining me on this week's Tell Us How to Make It Better podcast. All the information to get in touch with Simone is in the show notes. And if you have any questions or comments for me, there's a contact form in the show notes. I'd love to hear. Get your thoughts on segments you've seen or anything you'd like to see in the future, and also all of our social media to follow us. And if you enjoyed the podcast, please share it with other people and leave a review. Thanks again for listening. See you next time.