I was recently talking to a friend who had just discovered a dairy intolerance, and she was lamenting how much the revelation was affecting her. “How do I live without dairy”, she asked, “It’s just so good!” I told her once she committed to it, it would be easy - understandable her next question was - “But what about CHEESE?!”
Granted, cheese is a tough one to reproduce vegan style, but there are ways. I’ve been living mostly dairy free for years now, because, frankly, it makes me feel like shit. And it’s really awesome NOT to feel like shit, and that’s why, my friends, it’s really awesome to live without dairy.
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Almonds make a super tasty milk alternative.
Photo from Jules | Flickr |
Here’s my survival guide for those of you who suspect that dairy is no longer returning your longtime love.
1.
Coconut milk
Godsend. Seriously. Coconut milk is creamy, delicious, and much tastier than regular old milk. It’s especially good for coffee and tea, as almond and rice milk are usually much too watery to convert your morning beverage into a creamy treat. Just make sure you don’t overdo it - a few tablespoons a day is plenty.
2.
Almond (Cashew, Sunflower Seed, Pumpkin Seed, Hemp, etc.) Milk
Almond milk was my go to for a while, and I still love it, though I prefer the homemade kind the best now. Even though the storebought brands are much better for you than milk, they’ve still been processed in order to sit on a shelf for long periods of time. Try making your own nut milk - it’s super easy. Soak raw almonds overnight. Then add them to 3-4 cups of water. Blend the two ingredients together, and sift it through a strainer or cheesecloth. Add a dash of salt, some vanilla, cinnamon, and maybe even maple syrup to the final product and you’ve got the most delicious milk of all time. See the links above for more recipes.
3.
Nutritional Yeast
Ah yes, nutritional yeast, my love.
Nutritional yeast is one of your new replacements for cheeses. You can throw it on pizza, popcorn, toast, wraps, even on salad, and it adds a unique flavor that somewhat mimics what you may love about cheese. It’s also good for you, which is a major plus. Find it at most natural food stores.
4.
Avocado
Of course, avocado. It’s fatty (in the good way), flavourful, and delicious on pretty much everything. Salads, wraps, toast, pizza, rice, pasta, sandwiches, the list goes on. Add a dash of sea salt to bring out it's ultimate flavour.
5.
When You Just Gotta Have Some Cheese
All right, I get it, cheese is unbelievably delicous. It just is. Sometimes you may crave it just a little bit too much to grab that avocado, and thats ok! In times like these, opt for goat cheese, or feta, and make absolute sure it’s organic. Factory farmed cows produce non-organic cheese, and the energy of that product will throw your system way out of whack. Organic goat cheese and feta are much easier for your body to process than the regular stuff, so if you end up having a bite every week or two, it’s not the end of the world. Just make sure to observe how you feel afterwards.
