Meal Plan January 13-19

Glad everyone enjoyed the meal plan so much!  It was one of my top posts of all times!

Anyways – here’s what’s on schedule for this coming week! 

Monday – Burger, Homemade Fries & Salad (I’m making myself these Lentil Walnut Burgers)

Tuesday – Chicken Soup with Homemade Bread ( Vegan Irish Soda Bread)

Wednesday – Family Dinner

Thursday -  Chicken & Brown Rice Casserole with asparagus and probably salad  - in the recipe – will sub unsweetened almond milk for milk & use the non condensed milk version.  

Friday – BBQ Pork and Veggies (peppers, onions and zucchini), roasted sweet potatoe (served with sweet chili sauce) – I will likely skip the pork and have BBQ tofu (marinated in hoisin sauce)

Weekend sometime – Turkey with all the Fixins – probably everything here – we went for dinner at people’s houses for Christmas and missed out on Turkey Leftovers!

___________________________________________________________

 

Other things I’m making for a successful week – So a bunch of girlfriends and I are doing the 90 day Bikini Body Mommy Challenge – it’s a free online workout challenge and we are officially done week #1!  It’s hard work – but I’ve seen results in the first week – WOOO!

To keep myself eating ok – I need to do prep on the weekend – so I will me making;

Kale Chips (sorry the recipe is a little wacky on here – but hopefully you can read it)

Quinoa Coconut Granola Bars

Some kind of hummus – (likely will be making the curry/raisin one which I love to eat with carrots)

My friend Tasha’s low fat Granola to go in cultured coconut milk yougert!

PS – if you are ever looking for Dairy Free Snack ideas – check out this post – huge list (with links!)

Hope you are enjoying these meal plans!!

Dairy Free Snack Ideas

Well hello,

I know one thing I’m always on the hunt for is great snack ideas.  I have a few guidelines for them too, now that I’m a busy mom of a crawling little monster – they have to be quick & healthy! 

 

Here is my current list;

Ants on a log (can sub almond butter, sunflower seed butter, hummus?)

Raw Pies

          - my favorite – banana lemon pie

Hummus with crackers and veggies;

              - Artichoke Hummus

              - Curried Hummus w/raisins

              - Dessert Hummus 

Great cracker recipes

            - Endurance Crackers (Oh She Glows) I LOVE these!

Energy Balls

             -2 Minute protein balls

              -Step by step energy balls

             -Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

             -Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls (guest post)

Trail mix (my favorite is chocolate chips, dry roasted soy beans, craisins and matcha pumpkin seeds)

Apples or other fruit with dip

           -Caramel Apple

           - Cashew Cream

Muffins or Loaves

             -Healthy Banana Bread

             - MY FAVORITE Mom’s Muffins (they take some time to make but makes 45 muffins which freeze awesome!)

             - Smitten Kitchen’s AMAZING zucchini bread – I’ve made this recipe many times, it’s a keeper (and it makes two glorious loaves!) I have subbed apple sauce for oil before and it worked out great!

Kale Chips

          - with a cheesy coating

          - another cheesy coating

Smoothies

           - Creamsicle Smoothie

           - Smoothie Madness (includes funky monkey, Cake Batter, Green Monster, Pina Colada and Hot (Pink) Date)

            - Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie (from Happy Herbavoire) 

Frozen banana

          -Slice banana in 1 inch rounds sandwich with peanut/almond butter and dip in chocolate – freeze!  (YES!)

          - Banana Soft Serve (with bonus recipes for dairy free chocolate and caramel sauce!)

Hard Boiled Eggs

Dairy Free Nuts and Bolts

Pita, English Muffin or Tortilla Pizzas

Fruit and Brownie Kebabs

Pudding & Yougerts

     -chia pudding (step by step guide from choosing raw!)

    -chocolate avocado pudding

    - How to make your own dairy free yougert – super easy!   (Oh She Glow’s link)

A little more sinful – Peanut butter cups, fruit and nut bark, marshmallow snowflakes and chai tea candied nuts! 

From Facebook 

Holly from My Plant Based Family (one of my new fav blogs!) says “I love hummus, Parfait's with non-dairy yogurt, avocado mousse, potatoes, frozen no bites, dry roasted edamame, fruit and nut butter...”

 

Do you have any other suggestions?  Feel free to leave a comment here or on facebook! And as always – feel free to PIN AWAY – there is a new PIN IT button just above the title of each post!

Jessica

4 Ingredient Potato Salad (VEGAN)

 

I am trying to blog more – I really am!  I’ve been updating sections of my blog, and am thinking of doing a total blog overhaul in the next little bit to clean it up, add things like PIN IT buttons and just to give it new life!   Please let me know if you have any suggestions!  If anyone has any tips on moving from blogger – wordpress please contact me!!!

 

Ok moving on!

We were so lucky this summer to head out on our friend’s boat.  We spent the day out on the water enjoying the sunshine and the company – we even got to see some Orca whales towards the end of the evening – even though I’ve lived on the coast my whole life, I have never seen Orca’s up close and personal – check out a few of the photos I took!  Amazing!

Plus there was an incredible sunset that night…

Amazing. 

Anyways onto the food!  We had a BBQ on the boat and our friends made this awesome potato salad that I had to share!  With only 4 ingredients – it’s easy as can be!

 

4 Ingredient Vegan Pesto Potato Salad

2lbs potatoes of choice – cut into cubes

3/4 cup Veganise Pesto Mayonnaise

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 cup frozen peas

Optional – daiya cheddar shreds.

 

Directions

Boil potatoes until soft about 10 minutes

Put frozen peas into a strainer

Pour the potatoes and the hot water over the peas

Let potatoes and peas cool.

Once cooled – add veganise and lemon juice (and any extras you choose – I added 1/4 red pepper and chives for added color and crunch – but it’s great as is also!)  Mix together.

Add salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Our friends also added daiya cheddar shreds which added even more creaminess to this – but totally optional!

 

There you have it – super simple and perfect for a BBQ or potluck – or a quick easy addition to dinner!

Lucky us – we got to enjoy this while gazing at this beautiful view.

Hope you enjoyed this quick and easy recipe!  Coming up in the next few days – a post about a few of my new favorite (and not so favorite) things!

Much love,

Jessica

Cashew Cream

Hey guys!

Thank you so much for the congratulations! We are very excited and at now at 17 weeks! YAHOO!!  The baby bump is starting to show!

Anyways – you didn’t come here for baby talk!  The other day I was invited to a brunch at a friends place – I woke up late and didn’t know what to bring…  originally I was going to make my favorite muffin recipe – Mom’s Muffins – but they take a bit of time to make.

So I decided to make “Flourless Oatmeal Pancakes” they are super easy to make and a great vessel for yummy sauces!   I added a bit of unsweetened coconut to the above recipe.

Sorry again for the bad iPhone photo – One day I’ll take out my big camera again!

I needed a topping so I made some raspberry chia jam – Basically just boiled down frozen  raspberries, added some brown sugar and let it boil for about 1/2 hour!   Once I took it off the heat I added about 2 tablespoons of chia seeds – to thicken it up a bit!

For the cashew cream – I had made this before – but I didn’t love it.  Just cashews and water – didn’t cut it for me – So I followed this recipe and added about a tsp of vanilla, a tsp of lemon juice and maple syrup to taste!!  

Together with the raspberry chia jam and the pancakes – it was great!  The kids seem to really like it to – so if you are a parent with a dairy free kiddie this might be a good addition to the family!!

And I feel like the possibilities are endless with the cashew cream!  Here’s what I’m thinking…

• Flavor it with a chai tea bag – would be great on a scone! 
• Strain some of the water off so that it becomes thicker – you could almost use it as a cream cheese!
• Add it to my blended veggie soup! To add to the creaminess!
• Using it like a dairy free sour cream (only adding lemon juice – no vanilla or sweetener)
• Making a fruit dip!  Adding extra vanilla and pouring over strawberries!
• Using it as a base for ice cream!!

I could keep going – but you get the idea!!   

Have you guys tried cashew cream before?

 

Much love,

Jessica

Sundried Tomato Dairy Free Pesto?

Hiya!

What’s shaken folks?

How about a little pesto recipe that is easy, flavourful and dairy free?

I know you want it?

 

Sundried Tomato Pesto (Dairy Free)

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/4 cup raw or toasted almonds

1/2 (or more) packed basil

1/2 cup chicken broth (or veggie)

2 TBSP oil – I used grape seed

1/4 cup sundried tomato in oil – rinsed of excess oil

1 TBSP nutritional yeast (optional)

1 clove of garlic (or more if you are a garlic lover)

Process all ingredients in a food processor! – You will probably have to scrape down the sidesa few times to get everything processed!   Yum that’s it!!  Add more liquid as required – this made a fairly thick pesto!

 

Now what to do with it you ask?

• I roasted a bunch of my favourite veggies, and tossed it with them and some pasta and topped with chicken.
• As a base for pizza instead of tomatoes sauce
• Spread for sandwiches
• Dip for crackers/veggies
• Spread on burgers
• Spread on chicken/fish/tofu
• Thinned out and used as a salad dressing
• Coating for kale chips (mmmmmm must try this!)
• Inside a lettuce or rice wrap

Now that summer is here, I’m hoping to do more cooking and start getting recipes out to you guys! I’ve had TONS of emails (thank you) encouraging me to get back into blogging, I’m so sorry for my absence – I lost my blogging mojo a bit – but hopefully I’ll be back soon!

 

Any recipe requests out there?  Also, any great ideas for Arugula?  I was gifted a big bag of garden fresh stuff, but haven’t used it much!?   Thank you!! 

 

Hope you guys  are all doing well!  My posts on facebook haven’t been reaching everyone – so if you’d like to make sure you receive all my posts – please sign up through  email!!   The link is at the very top of my page on the right hand side!! Thank you bunches for your support!

Much love,

Jessica

Dairy Free Hollandaise Sauce

So being dairy free – do you remember the smooth, creamy, buttery taste of hollandaise sauce? Don’t worry, I won’t make your mouth water for nothing!

When I lived in Kelowna, I used to go on Sunday’s with friends to a place called the Jammery for Eggs Benny!   They would do English Muffins w/cream cheese, apricot jam, ham, eggs and hollandaise sauce – it was TO DIE FOR!!!! 

So I was thinking about that – mouth watering and decided to try out a recipe and see what happened?    Now it’s been a long time since I’ve tasted hollandaise – but I felt like it was close!

This recipe is by no means good for you!

Dairy Free Hollandaise Sauce

1/4 cup dairy free margarine

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp turmeric ( I added more but I love turmeric!)

1 tsp lemon juice

Whisk together all ingredients over medium heat!   Add salt to taste.  Depending on the coconut milk you use, you may need to add some thickener to it – I added about 1 tsp sifted cornstarch.   Continue whisking together until everything is combined and warmed!

I served over a peice of dairy free toast (which I cut the corners off of to make it look pretty), sautéed kale  and of course with a perfectly poached egg!

It was oozy and delicious and perfect for a lazy weekend treat!

Sorry it took me awhile to post – but I hope you enjoy this recipe!!   Next time I will recreate the Jammery’s recipe with dairy free cream cheese and apricot jam!! Mmmm!!

xo Jessica

What was baked!

Hey guys!

Can you believe it’s almost Christmas?  Time flies when you are having fun!!  This has been a whirlwind kind of week.  My husband finished his masters degree on Tuesday (YAY), I had a surprise party for him Friday, tonight is my Christmas party and the hubby’s parents are coming to stay with us for a week – so as you can imagine, life is busy (but wonderful)…

I’ve had a few emails regarding surviving over the holidays being dairy free.  I highly recommend taking a look at my Dairy Free Survival Guide for ideas and also my post, Challenges of Being Dairy Free is a great one with tips for what to do where!   These posts and a few more can always been found at the top of my blog under Dairy Free Resources.  

Moving on – I have been terrible at taking food photos – so bear with me.    I wanted to compile a list of all the things that I baked this Christmas!!

Ready?

• Mama Pea’s No Bake Snowball Cookies – easy, fast and gooey!  I love them, the hubby thought they were too oatmeal.
• Dandelions on the Wall’s – Allergy Free Fudge. (OMG). So good! Made two batches – one I melted some peanut butter and swirled in and the second I added super finely ground espresso beans!  SOOOOOOOOo good!!
• Made a double batch of the Chocolate Love Affair Cookies!
• Oh She Glow’s Egg Nog Biscotti’s – which have become a favourite around here!
• Haven’t’ made these yet, but I may!!  Of course sub the butter for either DF butter or coconut oil! Low Fat Gingerbread Cookies.
• I also made Caramel Chocolate Goodies.  Super easy caramel recipe – I have used it for a few things including – turtles (caramel and chocolate covered pecans) and caramel popcorn with peanuts and peanut clusters!!  Best Caramel Recipe I’ve found!
• Still on the list to make – probably for Christmas dinner - Sinless Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding!!  Droooooooooooool.    Funny story – before becoming dairy free and when I lived in Calgary, I often went for “dinner” at Earls, and actually only would eat a sticky toffee pudding…  It was warm and drippy and had a caramel lattice on top that was crunchy and sticky – such a great combo!!
• Peanut Butter Cups – of course!!  I had one of my Special Olympics girls say they were the best peanut butter cups EVERRRRRRR!!  hehe  

I baked 2 other kinds of cookies – a gingersnap and a banana snicker doodle -  they were just ok though and I want to only give you the best of the best!!

What are you/did you bake this Christmas?

Dairy Free Christmas Treats

Hey everyone!!  Finally a post from me!    I apologize for not posting, but I have only been cooking 1x per week due to my work schedule (working nights) and our busy weekends! 

I’m starting my holiday baking though, which reminded me of a few treats I made last year when I was writing for Our Big Earth!

Here you go!!  I will try to post more baking – as I am obsessed with this caramel recipe and I’m trying to make lots of Christmas caramel treats!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s amazing that the store shelves have been stocked with Christmas decorations for a month now, and that Christmas is just around the bend, which means it’s a perfect time to start Christmas baking!  

As many of you know, if you don’t bake or make treats that means you probably won’t get any treats at Christmas. Every treat laid out beautifully at family and friend’s homes that you can’t touch. For me baked goods don’t call my name as much as chocolate does! One of my favourite Christmas treats were my Grandma’s chocolate covered dried fruit and nuts, oh the horror when I couldn’t even have a single bite!

If you are dairy-free or vegan I know you feel my pain. But I have a bunch of great alternatives for you this holiday season! Each one of these is very fast to make, cheap, gluten-free and make fantastic gifts. I don’t often go anywhere over the holidays without a plate of these goodies and they are typically the first ones to disappear (I promise I’m not the only one eating them!) All the goodies can be frozen, to pull out before guests arrive.

After a few years of buying very expensive dairy free chocolate, I was ecstatic to find out that President’s Choice, “The Decedent” chocolate chips are dairy-free. They have a great rich chocolate flavour, and are the chocolate that I use in all the recipes.  I also buy a 10lb box of chocolate chips at Costco – and they are dairy free and tasty!

Peanut Butter Cups

These little beauties are a favourite around our house. Also last year they won a Christmas baking contest! They are so simple, yet so tasty!

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP coconut oil (optional, but adds to the flavours)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• Mini cupcake liners (Dollar store often has fun holiday themed ones!)

-Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler until smooth.

-Mix peanut butter and icing sugar together to form a dough. If dough is sticky to touch, add extra icing sugar.

-Add a bit of melted chocolate to cupcake liner. Tap on counter until chocolate fills bottom of liner.

-Once all liners are full, put into fridge or freezer until solid.

-Once chocolate is solid, take a dime size amount of peanut butter dough and roll into a ball, then flatten.

-Add to liner; keep the peanut butter dough away from the corners of the liner.

-Cover with a bit of melted chocolate – tap until peanut butter is covered.

-Return to fridge/freezer until harden.

Fruit and Nut Bark

• 1/2 cup toasted, unsalted nuts (can be assorted), pistachios look beautiful!
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (chopping into small pieces )
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP coconut oil

-Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler.

-Once melted, mix nuts and dried fruit into chocolate mixture.

-Pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

-Smooth until 1 inch thick

-Place in fridge or freeze until solid

-Break into assorted sized pieces and serve slightly chilled

Marshmallow Snowflakes

Great recipe for left over chocolate!! Looks beautiful on a plate with other goodies.

-Dip marshmallows into melted chocolate and roll in coconut.

-Place on parchment lined baking sheet and place in fridge until chocolate is solid.

Chai Tea Candied Nuts

I have made this recipe with a few different flavours of spice including chilli pepper, cinnamon, curry and they are all delicious but this is my favourite and most festive! Plus your house smells amazing while cooking!

• 3 tea chai tea bags (or more if you like more spice)
• 3 cups unsalted, raw nuts (I used almonds and pecans)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. earth balance butter (or butter of choice)

-Break open chai tea bags, pour chai into coffee grinder or spice mill to grind into a powder.

-Add nuts, water, sugar, butter and chai tea into a pan.

-Turn stove to medium heat and stir nut mixture until the liquid has dissolved and nuts are caramelized.

-Stir constantly to prevent burning.

-Transfer onto a parchment lined pan and put into fridge until cooled.

-Break apart once cooled.

Hope you enjoyed these!!  I will have more for you soon – I promise!

.

Mom’s Oat Bran Muffins Revised

First off – DFB is close to hitting a pretty incredible milestone – 750 page views away from 100,000!!!! That is SO crazy – blows my mind and totally humbles me. 

Thank you, thank you!

________________________________________________

Moving on………

Awhile back I posted a recipe for my FAVORITE muffins in the whole wide world!  My mom always made them and they are so tasty, but they weren’t dairy free (and they had shortening in them).  She had made them dairy free a couple of times but now they are off travelling for 6 months, so I had to revise them for myself…

Long story short… this is what I came up with and they are fantastic!

Mom’s OAT BRAN MUFFINS
(with Dairy Free Betty alterations)

300 DEGREES FOR 20 MINUTES
MAKES 45 MEDIUM MUFFINS

2 CUPS BOILING WATER
2 CUPS BRAN
PUT IN A BOWL 1 AND LET SOAK

______________________________________

5 CUPS FLOUR

5 TSP BAKING SODA
1 TSP SALT
PUT IN BOWL 2 TOGETHER

_____________________________________

3/4 CUP SMASHED BANANA

1/4 CUP OIL (I used grape seed)

2-3 CUPS SUGAR – BROWN & WHITE MIXED
4 EGGS (Vegan Option – 4 TBSP chia with 8 TBSP water)
4 CUPS ALMOND MILK + 4 TBSP VINGEAR
4 CUPS OATS

1 TBSP PUMPKIN PIE SPICE  (I like them spicy)

4 PEELED AND LARGE GRATED CARROTS + 1/4 CUP MULBERRIES (I ran out of dried fruit)

other options - 2 CUPS RAISINS OR ASSORTED OTHER THINGS
IE: SHREDDED CARROT, BANANA, DRIED APRICOT ETC.
Into bowl # 3

______________________________________________
MIXED ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND BAKE

Hope you enjoy!!

They are perfect to toss in the freezer and then pull out for lunches! 

Oh So West Coast Salmon Chowder

A post from my days of writing at Our Big Earth!!  Don’t mind the holidays reference, but enjoy this recipe!

__________________________________________________________

The holidays have come and gone and everyone has already been back to school and work for a week. It’s also this time of year that people are in the final stages of the “turkey hangover,” also know as; hot turkey sandwich, turkey soup and stew and any other turkey flavoured meal overload, and they are ready for something completely different.

We are so lucky as Vancouver Islanders, to be surrounded by the beautiful ocean and all the goodies it provides us, so this recipe is quite fitting for all of us, West Coasters!

I created this recipe after trying to find some good dairy-free corn chowder recipes. I found a few OK-sounding recipes, but nothing that really stood out to me. I decided to go to my kitchen and I play around with different flavours until this creamy delight was born!

This recipe is a beautiful fusion of West Coast Canadian flavour and Asian richness! It has the creaminess of regular corn chowder, but with the sweetness of coconut milk and the little kick of curry. It’s great for the crock pot or to make as quick dinner (provided the salmon is pre cooked). With all of our snow fall warnings and below zero temperatures, this chowder will warm up the coldest toes and noses in town!

Oh So West Coast Salmon Corn Chowder

2 slices of bacon – diced
1/2 yellow onion – diced
2 cloves garlic – diced
1 lb. salmon filet (no bones)
1 celery stalk – diced
3 medium sized yellow potatoes – skin left on cubed 1 inch cubes
8 asparagus stems – diced
4 cups chicken, veggie or fish stock
1 can cream corn
1/2 cup whole corn kernels
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1/2 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. dried parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season salmon with salt and pepper and cook until just flaky, set aside.

2. Sauté bacon, onions, garlic, celery, asparagus and curry powder together in a large pot until bacon is crispy and onions are translucent.

3. Add stock and potatoes – cook until potatoes are soft.
Totally optional, but if you want your chowder a little less chunky – use potato masher and mash together ingredients in pot until desired consistency.

4. Add in creamed corn, corn kernels, coconut milk, and stir until combined.

5.  Just before serving, flake salmon into chowder, checking for bones.

6. Add in parsley, and salt and pepper and cook until salmon is warmed.

Serve steaming hot in a big bowl, with a nice glass of white wine and some great crusty bread and you have yourself a soul warming, “oh so west coast” meal, perfect for a chilly evening.

Alternative Ideas:

• Can use chicken, shrimp/prawns, smoked salmon, BBQ salmon or canned salmon.
  
• Add hot sauce for more of a kick!
  
• Serve in a sour dough bread bowl for a fun alternative!
  
• Substitute coconut milk for heavy cream for a more authentic corn chowder taste.
  
• Substitute curry powder for fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil.
  
• For a vegan version, omit bacon and salmon and add more potatoes, asparagus, corn, celery and onions.

Notes:

For the crock-pot version –cook salmon and set aside and sauté bacon, onions, garlic, celery, asparagus and curry powder together in a pan until bacon is crispy and onions are translucent, transfer to crock-pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and set on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Since my hubby to be isn’t a fan of chowder, and this makes far more than I can eat, I put cooled chowder into mason jars and gave them to friends for a tasty dinner.

Although I haven’t tried it myself, you could probably freeze this recipe for a quick dinner, just be sure to stir it well as coconut milk has a tendency to separate after being thawed.

Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pie–Guest Post

 

Chicken Pot Pie
-1 of your favourite store bought pie crusts (try generic brands, as they usually omit dairy as a way to cut costs)  

For the filling:
-3 tablespoons of your favourite dairy free butter
-½ medium yellow onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-Salt and freshly ground pepper
-1-1½ lbs. cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works well if you want a short cut)
-1½-2 cups frozen peas and carrots

For the sauce:
-8 tablespoons of your favourite dairy free butter
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-2½ cups chicken broth
-½ cup soy milk
-Dash of hot sauce
-Salt and freshly ground pepper
-Sprinkle of thyme or marjoram (optional)

Add the onion to the pan, and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic, turn off the heat and mix in the chicken and the frozen peas and carrots. Stir in the thyme or marjoram (if using), red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the sauce, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and cook over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup.  Mix in the soy milk, the hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour the cream sauce over the chicken and veggie mixture and stir to combine well.  Spoon the mixture into individual oven-safe dishes, such as bowls or large ramekin’s. 

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Cut the dough to fit the dishes and place on top of the individual dishes.  Trim and crimp the edges and slice vents in the top.

Place the pot pie dishes on a baking sheet for easy transfer in and out of the oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Serve immediately.

These come out of the oven piping hot and oozing...completely irresistible.  Enjoy!
-Amanda

__________________________________________________

Thanks Amanda – these sound fantastic!!  I haven’t had Chicken Pot Pie since I became dairy free, so this is on my list for sure!!

Please check out Amanda’s blog for more yummy recipes!

______________________________________________

Hope you are all doing good!  Thanks for sticking around – even if I’m not posting often!

Dairy Free Survival Guide

So I apologize for my lack of posting lately.  As mentioned before – life get’s SO busy sometimes!

I did think it would be a great idea to make up a Dairy Free Survival Guide of sorts. 

These are all my suggestions – with the help of some of my facebook crew.  I didn’t get anything for these suggestions – it’s just what I have enjoyed over the past few years of being dairy free.

(I apologize if I missed your name the the suggestions, there were an overwhelming amount of them – please see facebook for the feed back!)

 

Milk Substitute

<source>

Almond Milk (Almond Breeze, unsweetened vanilla is my favourite)  or homemade (super easy)!

 

Butter/Margarine

<source>

 Earth Balance (Michelle and Brooke are with me on this one!)  I’ve used this in baking, mashed potatoes, on corn etc. and it’s awesome! There is a soy free version too!

 

Caramel (one of the things I miss the most) The closes to caramel I can do?   tahini and maple syrup

Sour Cream – cashew cream (was never a huge fan before) Sheena suggests Tofutti Better than Sour Cream

Cream Cheese

<source> Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese is awesome – dare I say better than real cream cheese?  (Sheena agrees) Sonia also suggested a tofu ricotta – here’s how she makes it. “Just crush up firm tofu with my hands (after draining it), and add some lemon juice, nooch, and italian spices + salt!”

 

Meltable “cheese”

I don’t enjoy any of the cheeses I have found so far, but  Brooke, Michelle, Char, Jesse and Sheena vote Daiya

 

Creamy Alfredo like pasta sauce

Donna and I both agree Raw Rose’s is awesome.

 

Cheesey product – Nooch also known as Nutritional Yeast – I use the Red Star Brand.

 

Yougert – homemade or soyourgut  - Michelle suggests So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt – which I have yet to see!! (I hope it comes this way soon!)

 

Ice Cream

So Good Butter Scotch Ripple 

AND

So Delicious Coconut Milk Cookie Dough-both are to DIE for… Steph totally agrees with this one!

 

Mac and Cheese Recipe – There are a few versions out there – I’ve personally tried this one and this one…

 

Buttermilk – dairy free milk of choice – 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice per 1 cup mik.

 

Creamer – coconut milk (I don’t really drink coffee, so I’m not sure on this one) and Emma suggests SOY NICE she said it’s the closest to half and half.

 

Chocolate Bar – Jokerz, Endangered Species  72% (I know Kris is with me),  Char also suggested the rice milk chocolate bars – which I loved until I found Endangered species!

Brooke and Michelle also voted for the Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips! I’ve never tried them!!

Pizza

Since I haven’t found a cheese that I enjoy – I find the best way to make a satisfying pizza is to use HUMMUS as the base!! – then no cheese is needed!! My favourite hummus is Sabre!

Something I didn’t realize was dairy free but am happy it is – for a random treat (really good crumbled in so good vanilla ice cream)

 

Oreo Cookies – they are not only dairy free – but VEGAN! (Yay Alyssa think they are great too!)

 

Now of course this list isn’t exhaustive and I may have missed a few things – if so please leave a comment here or on facebook! 

I know being dairy free can be a real challenge – so if you ever need any suggestions or tips, feel free to post on my facebook wall or leave a message with your email!  

I have also done a list of dairy free bloggers that I know of – you can find that here!

 

Good luck – and I’d love to hear if I have missed anything, or if you have favourites that I missed!!