Dairy products often play a starring role in our "comfort foods" -- macaroni and cheese, pizza, ice cream -- but some people for reasons of health or conscience avoid them altogether.
Eschewing cow's milk doesn't mean that all foods creamy and rich are lost, however. Commercial replacements for dairy products abound -- including nondairy milks and cheeses, and tofu-based cream cheeses and sour creams -- but homemade options are even more varied and customizable.
Some dishes convert to dairy-free rather intuitively -- mashed potatoes, for example, can be whipped up easily with nondairy milk and a little margarine. But just as useful are these ideas for swaps:
• Crumbled, seasoned tofu can replace cottage or ricotta cheese.
• Nuts such as cashews, almonds and macadamias can be soaked and blended to add a creamy texture to sauces.
• Oils and avocados can behave as butter.
• Coconut milk can act as milk or cream; as sour cream in baked goods; or simmered with sugar until reduced, as sweetened condensed milk.
• Nuts, seeds, oats, rice, quinoa, coconut and more can be used to create milk substitutes. Grocery stores are stocking an ever-expanding variety, and many nondairy milks can be made at home by blending the nut, seed or grain with water and straining.
• Nutritional yeast, a deactivated yeast beloved as a great source of B vitamins, can lend a "cheesy," earthy flavor to recipes. It can be sprinkled onto popcorn, stirred into mashed potatoes or blended with raw almonds or cashews to create a parmesan cheese substitute (try a 4:1 ratio of nuts to nutritional yeast, and add salt and garlic powder to taste).
Soaked, "raw" cashews (truly raw cashew nuts are toxic; the nuts labeled and sold as "raw" have been steamed as part of the process to make them safe for consumption) or macadamia nuts combined with nutritional yeast can create a "cheesy" Alfredo substitute, but this cauliflower version is a lighter alternative. The recipe is good with chopped, fresh spinach wilted in, or with roasted vegetables such as asparagus or red peppers tossed in to add color and variety.
Cauliflower 'Cream' Pasta
1 pound pasta
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 head cauliflower, about 1 pound, cut into florets
1/2 cup unsweetened plain nondairy milk such as almond milk
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon miso paste (see note)
Fresh spinach or roasted vegetables, optional
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley, optional
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the cauliflower and simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and place it in a blender or food processor; add the milk, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, miso and 1/8 teaspoon salt and process until the sauce is creamy. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the sauce into the pot in which the cauliflower was cooked and heat gently on low. Add the pasta (and any vegetables you'd like) and toss until warm and mixed throughout. Top with parsley, if using, and serve hot.
Makes about 4 servings.
Note: Miso paste is a fermented soy product. It is available at Asian specialty stores and some supermarkets.
Recipe adapted from Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook
Some nut-based sauces can be too heavy, but this one is lightened with carrots while potatoes lend a "cheesy" viscosity. To transform this recipe into a nacho cheese sauce, omit the mustard and add garlic, jalapeno, cumin, a chipotle pepper and hot sauce to taste.
Stovetop Macaroni and 'Cheese'
1 tablespoon PLUS 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided use
8 ounces dried macaroni
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 cup peeled and chopped red or gold potatoes
1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup "raw" cashews
1/3 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, plus more if baking
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Breadcrumbs, optional
Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil; add macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are very soft.
In a blender or food processor, process the cashews, margarine, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and seasonings until very smooth. Add cooked vegetables and cooking water; process until perfectly smooth. Add sauce to pot with macaroni and cook on low until thoroughly heated.
Alternately, transfer mixture to a baking dish, top with additional margarine and breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Recipe adapted from VegNews Magazine, October 2008, and SeriousEats.com
Tofu-based sour creams are available at well-stocked grocery stores, but this homemade version is simple to whip up for use in stroganoffs, on baked potatoes, atop nachos and more.
Tofu Sour Cream
1 (12-ounce) package extra firm light silken tofu, drained (see note)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
Makes about 11/2 cups.
Note: Silken tofu, a soft, Japanese-style tofu, is often packaged in aseptic boxes and stored at room temperature on store shelves. In this recipe, it is preferable to the tofu regularly found refrigerated and packed in water.
Recipe from ForksOverKnives.com
Coconut milk can form the creamy base of frozen desserts like this dairy-free ice cream.
Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
1/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 4 to 6 hours. If the ice cream becomes too solid, let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Or freeze mixture in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions.
Variation: For a chocolate peanut-butter flavor, add 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter.
Recipe adapted from the blog Detoxinista.com
A dollop of this whipped coconut cream is a silky topping for coconut milk ice cream.
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
Granulated sugar, sugar substitute or confectioners' sugar to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight. Transfer the thick coconut cream to a bowl, discarding the thin liquid in the can, and whip in the sweetener and vanilla with a fork or a mixer and serve.
Adapted from the blog chocolatecoveredkatie.com
Lemon curd, normally enriched by eggs and butter, gets a plant-based makeover with coconut milk and a thickener forming the velvety base for tart lemon flavor.
Lemon Curd
4 lemons
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Finely grate zest of 1 lemon and remove zest of another in wide strips using a vegetable peeler. Squeeze juice from all 4 of the lemons.
Place lemon juice, zest and zest strips in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan with coconut milk, sugar and starch, and whisk together until combined. Bring to boil, then simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring frequently, until mixture reduces and thickens.
Transfer curd to sterilized jars, seal and store, or use immediately. Once opened, curd will keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Recipe from Keep It Vegan: Over 100 Simple, Healthy & Delicious Dishes by Aine Carlin
Food on 04/22/2015