Ice cream on its own is a delicious, creamy and smooth confection that takes us back to our childhood when calorie was an alien word the adults constantly spoke of. When ice cream toppings were added, we thought that it was definitely better than the three-letter word that adults spoke about, too, albeit in hushed tones when we were around. Well, in many ways, the toppings on ice cream transform a delicious treat into a scrumptious piece of heaven, never mind the added calories.

Even the names are sufficient to transport us into fits of anticipation. Caramel, fudge, strawberry, raspberry, chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch, sprinkles, M&Ms, crushed cookies and Oreos, nuts, candies and the so-called Magic Shell - these are just a few of the toppings and sauces that we all love. As our tastes grew, we might add wine-based sauces to our ice-creams - exotic, yes, but very delicious, indeed.

No matter the ice-cream toppings we choose, it always seemed like vanilla-flavored ice-cream was the best base. No surprise there as vanilla is a blank slate upon which many flavors can be placed on and still taste of both vanilla and whatever topping was used. Call it a synergy between ice-cream and topping, if you will.

But this does not necessarily mean that no other ice-cream flavor will do. For example, we were known for mixing peanut butter ice cream with a banana-flavored sauce and then topped with just about anything from candy sprinkles to crushed cookies, even jelly. Yes, it may have seemed gross to the adults but it was pure heaven to a child's mouth.

After all, when it comes to ice-cream toppings, each person's choice should be respected simply because you will not be the one eating them. Better yet, you should move away from your comfort zone and try new flavors. You will be surprised at how even the oddest-sounding sauce actually tastes so delicious you will regret not tasting it many moons ago.

Toppings and sauces can be bought in many online sites and supermarkets. We recommend buying online for the sheer number of choices available as well as for the ease and convenience of online shopping. Just to provide more details on the various ice-cream sauces and toppings:

* Candy toppings are usually round in shape and can include cinnamon Imperials, Reese's pieces, Skittles, and spice drops

* Chocolate candies like the M&Ms varieties of plain, peanuts and minis.

* Nut toppings like peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans and pistachios

* Baked toppings like chocolate chips, butterscotch and cookies

* Sprinkles from white to all colors of the rainbow

* Gummy candy in rainbow colors and various shapes from animals to hearts

* Sauces like hot fudge, caramel and butterscotch

* Magic shell toppings, which solidifies when it comes in contact with the cold ice cream, in various flavors

* Fresh fruits can be chopped and placed as toppings with whipped cream for added panache

Indeed, with this wide variety of ice cream toppings available, who can resist the allure of the icy treat especially on a hot summer day? At least, not where my family and friends are concerned.

egg cooker

Even though I am vegan I must admit that I still love burgers. I certainly do not mean burgers made with ground animal flesh, I mean veggie burgers. I love the burger, I love the toppings, I love the bun, and I love the side dishes. And I love that it can all easily be vegan.

First comes the burger itself. You can, of course, make your own burgers. While I greatly admire those who do this, it is simply beyond my current culinary skill or enthusiasm. I purchase frozen veggie burgers from my local grocer. Most grocery stores carry some form of veggie burger, however a grocery store with more of a healthy food emphasis will likely have a greater variety. If you are vegan do be certain to find a variety of veggie burger which is vegan. A surprising number of veggie burgers contain such things as eggs and cheese. Generally, if I don't see the work "vegan" prominently displayed on the package I won't purchase it.

I tend to loosely categorize veggie burgers as denser or lighter. I consider vegan Boca Burgers to be a bit denser, and perhaps closer in consistency to a traditional meat burger patty. I consider most varieties of Gardenburgers and Sunshine Burgers to be of a lighter consistency. Lately I have been enjoying Amy's All American burger, which I feel is somewhere in the middle.

Heating a veggie burger with a microwave is fairly easy. It is probably best to consult the instructions printed on the box the burger patty comes in as to microwaving instructions for the specific product that you are preparing. I like to use a microwaveable plate to heat the patty on. Often I won't place the patty directly on the plate, but will place two wooden chopsticks under the patty. I do this because I have had plates break as a patty went from frozen to hot rather quickly. If the patty is frozen I'll heat for a full minute on one side, flip it over and heat for an additional 15 seconds or so. If the patty is not frozen I'll heat for slightly less time.

While the burger is heating I will simultaneously be toasting a bun. I like a sprouted whole wheat bun, but you can use virtually any type of bread, or none at all, to make a great burger. I like the bread and all toppings to be vegan. I won't stress this for every ingredient I list, but I personally like it all to be completely vegan.

You can certainly use the traditional condiments, and put ketchup, mustard, relish and / or pickles on your burger. There is a reason this is so popular. This certainly comes as close as I would want in taste to the meat burgers I ate years ago.

Mayo is another condiment many people enjoy on a burger, and there are some great vegan mayonaises out there including Vegenaise and Nayonaise. I've never liked mayo on burgers, but I do love it on Tofurky sandwiches. Go figure.

I don't often have vegan cheese on hand, but if I do I will add that. This is the one ingredient that you might want to heat along with the burger patty. I'd put it on after I flipped the patty for the last 15 seconds or so of heating, and would not start out with it on the frozen patty.

As some veggie burgers can be a little dry I will often add a topping with some oil such as olive tapenade, sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, or (if I have it) avocado slices. This will really add a lot of body and flavor to the burger.

A tomato slice is a fantastic addition to any burger. A nice red tomato slice looks fantastic and tastes great.

I always like to add a lettuce leaf or two. This adds a great crunch, and I always have some lettuce in the fridge.

A few slices of an onion can add a lot of zest to a burger. The classic onion for this would be a red bermuda, but I think any onion be it vadalia, white, or yellow, would be just fine.

Sautéed mushrooms are great on burgers. However, I've never put them on a veggie burger. It's too much work! My guess is that most people who are up to sautéeing mushrooms aren't eating frozen burger patties. Still, very tasty.

For some reason I like to have a little something on the side when I eat a burger. I don't know why, the burger is usually enough to eat, but I really enjoy a small side dish.

If you cut into a tomato for that tomato slice, why not dice up the rest of the tomato for a side dish. You can even shred up a bit of lettuce and voila!, you have a side salad.

Potato chips. I love potato chips. For me a little can go a long way, and I can stretch a smallish bag for one week of lunches.

And, finally, don't forget the pickles. If I have nice deli style spears I'll put one of those on the side. If I don't, I'll go with a few pickle chips, which I always have a jar of in the fridge.

So there you have it, an easy and delicious vegan lunch. Enjoy every sandwich!

veggie chips vegetable supplement snickers cookies