By Sara
Are you newly vegan and looking for plant-based dairy substitutes to fall in love with? Dairy, and cheese, in particular, can be one of the most difficult stumbling blocks for those who are newly plant-based or vegan. But it doesn’t have to trip you up. In fact, you may enjoy these more than the dairy-based originals, since you won’t be left with the side effects of regular dairy foods. These foods will actually love you back!
Imagine eating homemade mac’n’cheeze and feeling energized and ready to conquer the next challenge that comes your way following this meal. Such an improvement over the gas, bloating, and constipation that accompanies traditional homemade mac’n’cheese, right? If you’re down for this transformation, join us in going dairy-free! Delicious dairy alternatives have come such a long way!
Another reason to go dairy-free is that dairy is basically liquid or solid saturated fat. It clogs arteries and contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer– 3 of the 10 most common causes of death in the United States.
If this isn’t enough, the cruelty of the industry is another good reason to make the switch to healthier dairy alternatives. The male calves in the dairy industry are either sold to the veal industry to survive only a couple of months inside a very cramped prison or shot and discarded. Those unlucky females are then brought into the practice of milk production themselves. If you do a little research, you too will see that the images we all have in our minds of happy cows living in lush fields, producing the milk you drink are a fairy tale. Plant-based dairy substitutes are here to save the day!
Onto the good stuff– the truly delicious stuff!
“…dairy is basically liquid or solid saturated fat.”
Plant-Based Milks:
Soy milk is plant-based milk most closely resembling cow’s milk as far as protein content goes. There are a lot of different plant milks out there, all with their own taste and consistency.
Your best bet is to try out the different kinds of milk and to choose one that you most enjoy. You have a lot of options: soy, pea, almond, coconut, hemp, rice, oat, cashew, peanut, flax, walnut, macadamia, pistachio, hazelnut, pecan, banana just to name a few!
Plant-Based Buttermilk:
This one is super simple! Just mix ¾ cup + 2 TBSP unsweetened plant-based milk with 2 TBSP lemon juice or white or apple cider vinegar. You can use it cup for cup as an easy substitute. Let this mixture sit for about 10 mins prior to using it in a recipe. Perfect in pancakes, biscuits, ranch dressing, cookies, anything your (vegan) heart desires!
Plant-Based Cheese:
Nuts and seeds have fat in them, making them ideal for turning into cheesy sauces to make mac and cheese, and many other meals. You can soak the nuts and/or seeds and blend them with nutritional yeast and seasonings to whip up whatever cheesy goodness your heart desires. However, if you are reducing fat in your diet, white beans make another great cheese sauce, as their high starch content makes it gooey and the protein packs a punch nutritionally as well.
Alfredo used to be one of my favorite meals prior to becoming vegan. I just used vegan products to substitute for the dairy products in Giada De Laurentiis’ alfredo sauce recipe initially. However, after I switched to a whole-food, plant-based diet, I found a cauliflower-based alfredo sauce that I love to “indulge” in!
And for a nut-free nacho cheese sauce, I love this one: Jill Keever’s 5-minute Game Changer Cheese Sauce.
I’ve found the homemade vegan cheese sauces to be much more tasty and healthier than the store-bought vegan cheeses. And they can be made with many different flavors, just by adjusting the seasonings! They can be smoky, or nacho flavored. You can get a cotija or feta flavor with tofu as the base and seasonings mixed in. mozzarella, provolone, there are just so many options!
Plant-Based Ice Cream:
There are so many processed forms of ice creams these days, with any type of nut or coconut base. Some are even made from oat milk.
The easiest for me is to just make nice cream by throwing some frozen bananas and flavorings into your blender for a soft-serve consistency treat. My favorite is mint chip ice cream.
You can just google your favorite flavor and nice cream and there is bound to be a recipe somewhere. And this is a recipe that frequently doesn’t require any added sweetener, so is relatively healthy too!
Plant-Based Whipped Cream:
Just place a can of regular fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Then scoop out the solids, and whip with some vanilla and sweetener of your choice for a delicious whipped cream!
Plant-Based Yogurt:
There are many plant-based yogurt options available that are processed. You can try these out to see what you prefer.
If you have an Instant Pot, you can make your own yogurt. I haven’t yet tried this, but might be experimenting with this later this summer.
Plant-Based Condensed milk:
You can make your own with full-fat coconut milk and maple syrup! Easy peasy!
Are you feeling inspired to make some dietary changes? Healthy lifestyle choices are so uplifting. You can feel good about giving up dairy products when using these (mostly) whole food plant-based ideas. They end up healthier than the dairy originals, with none of the side effects which dairy provides!
What plant-based dairy substitutes are you most wishing for? Leave a comment below, and if I have a resource, I’ll let you know! Sharing is caring my friend!
If you are interested in making some dietary changes, here are some other posts you may be interested in:
