Vegetables

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad with Lemon Balsamic

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad from dontmissdairy.com

Happy New Year!!!

I’ve taken a month hiatus from blogging for the first time in years, and I’m ready to get back into the swing of things with some healthy, simple, and delicious dairy-free recipes.

The month long break wasn’t intentional; December came at me like a charging bull, and it was keep up or get trampled. I think I might have gotten stepped on a few times.

During November, I finally finished the first part of one of the biggest goals of my life: to write a novel. I did it with the encouragement and motivation of NaNoWriMo, and I successfully completed 50,000 more words, adding to my start of 26,000. I now have a full-length fiction novel under my belt, with a great plot, ending, fully developed characters and everything.

After that, the onslaught of everything else in my life I postponed came at me, plus a series of other things. I put the novel on hold for a bit so I could catch my breath. I intend to start the rewrite now that I can breathe, but the whole catching my breath part lasted much longer than I expected.

The holidays are always busy, but the biggest time consumer this month was our move to a new apartment and the horrible cold I caught that resulted…from the stress of moving…before a strict time deadline…on the coldest day of the year.

On top of all that, I had to unpack and set up the whole apartment–you can guess how long that took! I just remember the painful task of searching in box after box for tea, honey, and a mug. My husband was amazing and took care of me so nicely, bringing me medicine, orange juice, and flowers. Thankfully, he didn’t even get sick.

Now I finally have my new kitchen set up the way I want it, my refrigerator full, and I’ve even started cooking.

I got some awesome new photography equipment for Christmas, so as soon as I learn how to use it properly, my pictures will get better and better! For this particular recipe, I used my brand new tripod, reflector, and remote for the first time. 

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad from dontmissdairy.com

I’m starting this year off with one of my favorite salad combinations. I’ve never posted a salad before, but I’m trying to stay healthy by eating fresh, raw, colorful veggies. Soup and salad is the way to go right now.

This simple spinach salad is packed full of omega 3s and antioxidants. There’s nothing quite better than the light tasting yet flavorful combination of lemon olive oil with fruit-infused balsamic vinegar. I used fig-infused balsamic to be exact.

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad from dontmissdairy.com

Store-bought salad dressings are a thing of the past for me! This salad has no added salt and makes you wonder how you could ever have eaten that iceberg lettuce and cheese combination with ranch. Would you like some lettuce with your fat?

Just kidding, if I could eat dairy I totally would. But this spinach salad is seriously delicious. It’s crisp, refreshing, and super healthy. Pair with a steaming bowl of soup.

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad from dontmissdairy.com

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad with Lemon Balsamic Dressing
Serves 1
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups raw spinach, washed and drained
  2. 1/4 cup raw walnut pieces
  3. 1/4 cub dried, sweetened cranberries
  4. 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  5. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  6. 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  7. 1 tablespoon lemon infused olive oil
  8. 1 tablespoon fruit infused balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. In a medium size bowl with a lid, add spinach, walnuts, cranberries, chia seeds, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Close the lid tightly and shake until the ingredients are mixed.
  2. Transfer onto a large salad plate and drizzle on lemon olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add more to taste, along with salt and pepper if you desire. Don't you feel so healthy?
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Cranberry, Walnut, and Chia Seed Spinach Salad from dontmissdairy.com

Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnut Crumble

Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnut Crumble from dontmissdairy.com
This is the favorite dish for our Thanksgiving meal! It’s sweet, creamy, and delicious, yet completely dairy- and gluten-free.

Instead of milk and butter, this recipe calls for sweet vanilla soy milk and your favorite dairy free butter alternative such as Smart Balance Light or Earth Balance spread.

While we had a very small Thanksgiving get-together this year, I still made a full casserole of this recipe. We were determined to have lots of leftovers!

I adapted this recipe from Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole on allrecipes.com. I hope it becomes a holiday favorite for your family!

Sweet Potato Casserole from dontmissdairy.com

Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnut Crumble
Serves 12
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Casserole
  1. 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  2. 1/2 cup white sugar
  3. 2 eggs, beaten
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. 4 tablespoons Smart Balance Light, softened
  6. 1/2 cup Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk
  7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
  1. 1/4 cup brown sugar
  2. 3 tablespoons Smart Balance, melted
  3. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Put cubed sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer over medium low heat until tender. Use a fork to test softness after 10 minutes. Drain.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, Smart Balance, soy milk, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  4. Sprinkle the crumbled walnuts evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Add melted butter on top, and then sprinkle with brown sugar.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes.
Adapted from Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Sweet Potato Casserole with Walnut Crumble from dontmissdairy.com

Flavorful Dairy-Free, Fat-Free Mashed Potatoes

Dairy free, fat free mashed potatoes from dontmissdairy.com

(Updated from post previously published on November 18, 2012)

Healthy mashed potatoes here! This is my go-to mashed potatoes recipe that I make for Thanksgiving every year. You won’t believe how flavorful this dish is, considering that it’s vegan, gluten free, dairy free, fat free, and low sodium. Heavenly!

Dairy free, fat free mashed potatoes from dontmissdairy.com

Right after mashing, adding the chives.

Did you know that russet potatoes are practically fat free? Mashed potatoes are often so fattening because of the ton of butter and milk added to them. Okay, okay, I know all about carbs, but it’s Thanksgiving!

And if you must eat mashed potatoes, why not make them as healthy as possible, without sacrificing taste? 

I’ve tried this recipe using chicken and vegetable stock. I always end up adding some sea salt, but it doesn’t need much. If you’d like to keep this dish vegan, stick with vegetable stock. Here’s a great tip: save some of the stock you drain in the refrigerator, and add to the potatoes for reheating.

You can try adding some other herbs to this as well. I have a lovely pot full of fragrant chives, which is why they are featured in this dish. But you could also try fresh parsley or maybe thyme? Please let me know if you do and how it turns out! The chives keep well, even through re-heating.
Dairy free, fat free mashed potatoes

Flavorful Dairy-Free, Fat-Free Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6
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Ingredients
  1. 6 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  2. Unsalted chicken or vegetable stock
  3. 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  4. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  5. 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, pour stock over peeled, cubed potatoes until just covered. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Try testing with a fork for softness. The potato cube should break apart easily.
  3. Drain, but reserve the broth.
  4. With a hand masher or electric mixer, mash potatoes with 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved broth, adding a little at a time. Be careful not to overdo it, or the potatoes could be too moist. Stop adding broth at desired consistency.
  5. Stir in chives, salt, and pepper.
don't miss dairy https://dontmissdairy.com/

Dairy free, fat free mashed potatoes from dontmissdairy.com