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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.

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Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes

Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes from dontmissdairy.com

I’m on a key lime flavor kick this summer. 

I’m sure you know these are not actually cheesecakes, but they really taste like them! There’s just something about cashews that imitate that cheesecake taste and texture. 

These delicious desserts are dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and mostly raw. They are made with cashews and coconut oil with a maple walnut crust. Fresh lime juice and lime zest give them their tropical key lime flavor.

While we are on the topic of lime zest, let’s talk about something.  

Does anyone know of a high tech/futuristic/affordable tool that automatically zests citrus for you? ‘Cause I could really use one of those. Maybe there’s something on Kickstarter? Please help! You know I like to keep my recipes as simple as possible.

Zesting is about as fun as folding laundry. And unless you are one of those people who like folding laundry, you get what I’m saying.

I tried to think of ways I could make this taste like key lime pie without having to zest a single lime…but, yeah, I got nothing. Taking the time to zest a few limes is so worth it. That tart, limey zest just pops in your mouth.

Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes from dontmissdairy.com

I served these key lime cheesecakes at a shopping party and they were a big hit among dairy eating folks! My little food processor was able to handle this noble task. They aren’t super smooth, a texture you would get by soaking the cashews for hours or by owning a Vitamix–the 1st option requires advance planning, the 2nd requires, well….a Vitamix. 

Ahhh Vitamix…I picture it standing tall on my granite countertop like the Lombardi Trophy of kitchen appliances (is it football season yet??). People will ooo and ahh and say things like, “Wow, you could sell these mini cheesecakes in a shop! They’re so perfect and smooth!”

But really, they don’t have to say anything. An empty plate where mini cheesecakes used to be is all I need to encourage me to keep making delicious dairy-free desserts–Vitamix or no Vitamix. They can always be smoother, but they still taste incredible.

These cheesecakes prove that you do not need a Vitamix to make this dessert. You do, however, need a food processor. If you don’t have a mini cheesecake pan, use a muffin pan lined with cupcake wrappers for easy removal. 

They are soft, so keep them in the fridge until you are ready to eat. I hope you enjoy these yummy desserts as much as I did!

Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes from dontmissdairy.com

Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes
Serves 12
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For the Crust
  1. 2 cups raw walnuts
  2. 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  3. 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Filling
  1. 2 cups raw cashews
  2. 1/2 cup coconut oil
  3. 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or more to taste)
  4. 1/2 cup key lime juice
  5. zest of 4-6 key limes
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse raw walnuts until finely ground. Add maple syrup and vanilla and pulse until ball begins to form.
  2. Press 2 teaspoons of the walnut crust mixture into each bottom of the 12 cup mini cheesecake pan, or into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers.
  3. Clean out your food processor to prepare the filling. Add cashews and pulse until finely ground.
  4. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, lime juice, and lime zest, and pulse until well combined. Spoon mixture evenly on top of walnut mixture. Sprinkle with extra lime zest for a pop of color and flavor.
  5. Freeze for one hour and then store in refrigerator. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Adapted from Coconut Lime Cream Cakes
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/
Mini Vegan Key Lime Cheesecakes from dontmissdairy.com

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream from dontmissdairy.com
I am so ready for summer.

Is it me, or has summer been a long time coming? 

All I can think about now is sunbathing, vacation, fruity cocktails, and… 

ICE CREAM.

I know you are thinking about it too, now that I’ve flaunted this delicious looking treat in your face. What screams summer-time ice cream flavor better than key lime pie? I scream, you scream, we all scream for key lime pie ice cream! 

I know that’s so cheesy, and yet not, because it’s completely dairy-free!

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream from dontmissdairy.com
It’s vegan and gluten-free as well, with only four ingredients. Who’d have thought that something so delicious could be so darn simple. 

If you are vegan or lactose intolerant and do not have an electric ice cream maker, I highly recommend getting one. It’s not very expensive and it’s so worth it to make your own dairy-free ice cream. Store-bought dairy-free ice cream is great, but it’s pricey. Mostly because it’s only sold in small containers. It also usually contains unnecessary thickeners and fillers–yuck. 

Making it at home is convenient, easy, and healthy. The hardest part for me is storing the bowl in my teeny tiny little freezer, but I make room for it. Why? Because it’s such a treat to make my own dairy-free ice cream!

Seriously, it’s the best thing ever. Happy summer!

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cans full fat coconut milk, chilled*
  2. zest of 2 key limes
  3. 3/4 cup pure key lime juice
  4. 3/4 cup white sugar
  5. 6 graham crackers, coarsely crumbled
Instructions
  1. Whisk coconut milk and sugar together in large bowl until sugar is dissolved and any solids are melted.
  2. Add lime juice and lime zest and stir to combine.
  3. Set up electric ice cream maker according to directions and pour mixture into ice cream maker, allowing to churn for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Scoop soft ice cream into a large mixing bowl and add graham cracker crumbs. Fold in gently to combine.
  5. Freeze for at least 1 hour before enjoying.
Notes
  1. *13.5 oz cans.
  2. Yields 1 1/2 quarts.
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream from dontmissdairy.com

Coconut Key Lime Pie Ice Cream from dontmissdairy.com

Roasted “Buttery” Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes from dontmissdairy.com
Plants are amazing. 

I dabble in gardening over the course of each year. It’s hard to do much with a small patio, but I have three earth boxes and sundry pots.

I’d like to say I grew eight trees for Earth Day, as I have four grapefruit and four lemon seedlings at the moment. They are healthy and green little babies.

But I didn’t grow them for Earth Day, I just happened to be growing them on Earth Day.  For me, every day is Earth Day. I love plants, and I love helping them grow. I also love reaping the benefits of my hard work. 

Sometimes I barely do any work. Let’s take a look at my pot of baby potatoes, which inspired me to make this dish.

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes from dontmissdairy.com

I had a bag of sprouting red, gold, and purple potatoes last year, so I cut them up and buried them in a pot full of yummy soil (for the plants, that is).

It took awhile, but they eventually sprouted beautiful, green stems. These stems were yummy, too (for the snails, that is).

When we moved in to our new apartment in December, the potatoes weren’t ready yet, so I had to move them to my new patio. After a month or so of little progress, they were viciously eaten by an onslaught of hungry, slimy snails.

The green stems were completely gone. I considered my potatoes eliminated, finished.

This month, however, as I was getting that pot ready for replanting, I found buried treasure in the form of cute little colorful potatoes!

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes from dontmissdairy.com

I was absolutely amazed. They had been abandoned by me. How did these little potatoes not get eaten by insects, sprout, or decompose? They were full, healthy potatoes that had survived for months, just waiting to be dug up. Plants are truly amazing.

I didn’t quite have enough to make this full dish, but I supplemented with store-bought potatoes.

I was very much inspired by my garden to make this flavorful, buttery roasted potato dish–dairy free and yummy, too (for the humans, that is)!

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes from dontmissdairy.com

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 5
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Ingredients
  1. 1 bag of organic fingerling potatoes (about 30)
  2. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  3. 3 tablespoons vegan butter such as Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
  4. 2 teaspoons black pepper
  5. 2 teaspoons basil
  6. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  7. 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Rinse potatoes and scrub if needed, lightly drying on a cloth or paper towel.
  3. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of a large baking dish.
  4. Add potatoes and stir to coat in olive oil. Then add black pepper, basil, garlic powder, and sea salt. Stir to coat.
  5. Top with 3 tablespoons (dollops) vegan butter, evenly spaced to melt when baking.
  6. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Roasted "Buttery" Fingerling Potatoes from dontmissdairy.com