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don't miss dairy

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.

Vegan

Spicy Roasted Almonds, Pecans, &Walnuts

This was one of the first recipes my husband and I ever made together in our first kitchen. Since then it’s been a favorite. It goes great as a snack to munch on before holiday dinners, and we usually make it for Thanksgiving. It’s not my recipe, but since I’m making it this Thanksgiving, I’d like to share it with everyone. You’ll get a big batch out of this, so it’s great to share with a lot of guests. Use raw nuts that are unseasoned. I used dried oregano from my own garden. Smoked paprika is best and can be bought at Whole Foods, but if it’s too hard to find, regular paprika can also be used. They are addicting!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole almonds
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine almonds, pecans, and walnuts. Adding 1 tablespoon at a time, toss the nuts with olive oil.

2. In a small bowl, combine red pepper, rosemary, oregano, smoked paprika, black pepper, and sea salt. Slowly sprinkle the mixture over the nuts, tossing to coat.

3. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool before serving them in your favorite holiday dish.

Simple Cranberry Sauce

Cranberries are beautiful to photograph. The rich red color reminds me of Christmas decorations like holly berries and poinsettias, complete with pine trees and snow. It’s not snowing in California, but we are still getting into the holidays. Thanksgiving is almost here, and cranberry sauce’s tart, yet sweet flavor goes great with turkey. Eat it on hot sliced turkey, or cold on a leftover turkey sandwich. It stays for weeks in the fridge. I spiced mine up a bit and added some orange zest for a citrusy flavor. Cranberry sauce is so easy to make out of fresh cranberries, I won’t buy the canned stuff ever again.

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh cranberries

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp allspice
Directions:
1. Mix water and sugar together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

2. Add cranberries, return liquid to a boil and stir occasionally for 10 minutes. Skins will pop and it will begin to convert to a jam consistency.

3. Remove from heat and add zest and allspice. Cool to room temperature to serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.

How to Make a Delicious Grilled (Fake) Cheese Sandwich

I made this particular grilled cheese using Trader Joe’s Soy Blend of Mozzarella, Jack, and Cheddar Flavors.

Grilled cheese is one of those comfort foods you don’t have to lose with lactose intolerance. Fake cheese works surprisingly well as a substitute. The trick is to blend it with other flavors. Some fake cheese options are better than others. I’ve tried many different kinds of soy cheese or vegan/dairy free cheese alternatives.

One version of sliced cheese singles I can recommend are Veggie Slices. These are soy based, but they do contain milk protein so watch out if you are allergic. They taste terrible on their own but make a great grilled cheese sandwich. I’ve used them for cold sandwiches but I’d honestly rather do without the fake cheese. This stuff tastes best cooked in something or melted.

If you are looking for vegan and completely dairy free, I always recommend Daiya Shreds. Although for taste, I prefer soy blend cheeses. Two other types I like are Trader Joe’s soy mozzarella and shredded soy blend. These are sometimes hard to find in the cheese aisles so look thoroughly. I always find Daiya Shreds and Veggie Slices at Whole Foods.

Other pluses to lactose free cheeses: no cholesterol, less saturated fat, less sodium, and easy to digest.

Adding another filler in your sandwich blends with the fake cheese, making it taste more authentic. I like to add pickles, tomatoes, bacon, or all three to perfectly replicate a dairy grilled cheese sandwich. Get a nice, thick bread, like sourdough, spread on the SmartBalance Light, and honestly, it’s hard to tell the difference.