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Emily Stokes
I'm a lady who loves cheese, sour cream, & ice cream, but I recently became lactose intolerant. My key focus in recreating dairy recipes is taste, but I try to be as health conscious as possible. Some of my recipes are low lactose rather than dairy free. I'm also a writer, teacher, nanny, dog mom, housewife, native Yinzer, current Californian, and social organizer extraordinaire.

Bacon

Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins

Dairy_Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.com

It’s game time. Whether you’re excited for the Superbowl or the Oscar’s, make these for your next party!

We were in Seattle last year in time for the big Seahawks vs. 49ers showdown. The atmosphere was tense and exciting, and it seemed like everyone in Seattle was a fan–which explains the 12th man. It was so different from the Bay Area’s reaction to football that I became a Seahawks fan in less than a week. 

Now, I’m not saying I’d root for Seattle over the Pittsburgh Steelers or anything, but when it comes down to it, I’ll be tense in those final moments, hoping for that miraculous touchdown or field goal to carry the Seahawks into victory. 

But mostly, I’ll be watching sappy Budweiser commercials and eating these loaded cheesy potato skins.

Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.com

Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.com

Crispy, buttery, cheesy, bacon-y, these pair perfectly with an ice cold beer on game day.

Even your dairy-loving friends will find these delicious! Just make sure to use a tried and trusted vegan cheese that you know performs well. I used Daiya, but I would also recommend soy cheese–it tastes the most authentic. I choose sweetened almond milk because it tastes closest to real milk, but feel free to experiment with other non-dairy milks and see what you come up with. Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.com

Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. 8 russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
  2. 2 tablespoons vegan butter*
  3. Sea salt
  4. Black pepper
  5. 2 cups shredded vegan cheddar cheese**
  6. 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  7. fresh chives, chopped
White Cheese Sauce
  1. 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese**
  2. 1/2 cup sweetened almond milk***
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Pierce each potato on each side with a fork. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 50 minutes, until the skins are crisp and the potatoes tender enough to cut. Transfer to a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile make your cheese sauce and set aside.
  3. Set oven to broil on high.
  4. Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch intact. Brush the insides of the potatoes with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip the potatoes over, brush the skin sides with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Evenly space the potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and broil until the skins start to crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes (keep a close watch so they don’t burn). Flip the potato halves over and broil until the top edges just start to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
  6. Evenly fill each skin with vegan cheese and crumbled bacon. Place in the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  7. Remove from the broiler and drizzle with white cheese sauce then sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.
White Cheese Sauce
  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring almond milk to a simmer.
  2. Add vegan mozzarella and whisk until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.
Notes
  1. *I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread.
  2. **I used Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds for the filling and Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds for the cheese sauce.
  3. ***I used Almond Dream Original Almond Milk.
Adapted from Easy Potato Skins
Adapted from Easy Potato Skins
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/
 Dairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.comDairy-Free Loaded Potato Skins from dontmissdairy.com

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon

Rainbow Swiss Chard with bacon from dontmissdairy.com
 

This summer I planted my garden very late, because I was traveling for most of June. I had to choose some late summer vegetables like cucumbers and peppers. I did research and read that chard is a perfect vegetable to grow in July in California, so I grew some beautiful Rainbow Swiss Chard in an earth box right on my patio.

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com

Isn’t it pretty?

My chard quickly flourished, so I needed to cook some before the leaves got too big and bitter tasting. I didn’t have much to cut–about 12 stems–but it seemed like enough for a side dish for two. I cut the larger leaves from the outside of the plants and put them in a bowl of water. I let them soak for 15 minutes to get nice and clean and plump.

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com
The portion was almost perfect, but it turned out so amazing that I really wanted another helping! If you are cooking for one follow this recipe, but double it for two or three people.

The chard cooks quickly, so I cut off the stems and cooked them in olive oil before adding anything else to the pan. While the colorful stems were sautéing, I chopped up the leaves and some precooked, cooled bacon strips (uncured is the healthiest). The bacon could also be crumbled up into bacon bits.

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com
Rainbow Swiss Chards with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com

This has been deemed the best Swiss chard recipe of all time by my husband. He joked that he married me because he knew in three years, I was going to make the best chard he’s ever had, so it would all be worth it. I think it was really just the bacon. Maybe I need to start using more bacon.

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon
Serves 2
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Ingredients
  1. 12 leaves rainbow Swiss chard with stems
  2. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  3. 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  4. 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (a dash or two)
  5. dash sea salt
  6. dash black pepper
  7. splash red wine vinegar
  8. 2 pieces uncured bacon, cooked to desired crispiness
Instructions
  1. Soak your chard in water for a few minutes, then rinse well and shake dry or use a salad spinner. Cut off the stems to cook first.
  2. Over medium heat, add olive oil to a nonstick pan. Once the oil gets hot, add the chard stems and cook for 3-5 minutes until they become translucent but not too soft. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the chard leaves and bacon.
  3. Add red pepper flakes (according to your heat tolerance) and minced garlic to the pan, cooking for no more than 1 minute.
  4. Add chard leaves, sea salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar, tossing quickly to coat and allow to cook for one minute. Add bacon. Cook chard for a few minutes until liquid absorbs and leaves wilt. Serve hot and fresh!
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com

Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com
 
Rainbow Swiss Chard with Bacon from dontmissdairy.com
 

Leave me a comment if you like it!