dairy free

Tip Tuesday: How to Make Dairy-Free Whipped Cream

By in Creamy, How-to's, Sweets 4 Comments Tags: , , ,

coconut whipped cream

Although we’ve already celebrated Thanksgiving over here in Canada, I know a lot of you will be celebrating American Thanksgiving in a couple of days. This year I seem bent on providing you with allergy-free alternatives. It’s been 4 years since I’ve been able to be home for all of these holidays and  since there are a lot of food sensitivities in my family, I like making sure everyone gets to enjoy all of the holiday classics. I already shared a recipe for gluten-free pie crust, to fill with pumpkin and apple to your heart’s content. But now, I’ve got a dairy-free whipped topping for you, so you don’t have to stop by the freezer isle for any more Cool Whip! ;)

I’ve seen this idea quite a few times in the past year and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. If you’re on Pinterest you’ve probably come across the idea a time or two yourself. Well, I’m here to confirm that it works! Chilling a can of coconut milk, scooping off the cream that has formed on top and whipping it until smooth, makes a beautifully silky whipped topping that is perfect for topping pumpkin pies, latte’s, crepes and pretty much anything you would normally want whipped cream on.

The only thing to keep in mind is that it is made from coconut milk, so it will taste like coconut (surprise!), and may not be the perfect accompaniment to every dish. But, I’m a fan of coconut so for me it goes with pretty much anything. You can also change the flavours a bit by stirring in different spices, citrus zest or flavourings, to go with whatever you’ll be serving it with.

Once made, it will stay good for quite a few days in the fridge, so you can make it ahead to serve for a holiday meal or party. It’s always great to have an option for something guests, who have a food intolerance, can also enjoy. And, this is a great, easy, homemade option to replace the dairy-free toppings you get from the store.

Dairy-Free Whipped Cream

  • 1 can chilled coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar or honey)

Scoop off the top layer of thick coconut cream, leaving the liquid behind. Add vanilla and syrup to the cream. Whip until loose and light, adding a bit of the liquid to loosen it up a bit more, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving. (If you add a bit of the liquid it may separate again after sitting in the fridge, just give it a quick whip again before serving.)

Makes approximately: 1.5 cups

Tip Tuesday: How to Make any Ice Cream Recipe Dairy-Free

By in Cool, How-to's 6 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

ice creamsThis past weekend we celebrated one of my brother’s birthdays and I was in charge of making the ice cream. A lot of my family members are sensitive to milk so I wanted to experiment with a dairy-free version that everyone could enjoy. I’ve researched a lot online about dairy-free ice creams but have never found anything I felt really confident about, that even dairy-lovers would eat happily.

Finally I came across a recipe that was basically the same as my beloved vanilla ice cream but simply subbed coconut milk for the milk and cream. It made sense. Coconut milk is so thick and creamy, and made with a custard base, seemed to guarantee it creaminess. So, I whipped up a batch of Black Forest Ice Cream (thanks to freezing a couple batches of candied cherries this summer) and Classic Vanilla. I can’t believe it was so easy all along. It worked great.

People were so surprised when they found out the ice cream was dairy-free. Especially the chocolate, because you couldn’t taste the coconut milk at all. You could taste it slightly in the vanilla, but coconut and vanilla are definitely a yummy paring so there were no complaints. The consistency is slightly different than if you made it with full-fat milk and cream but it is still very creamy and far from being icy.

I’ll no longer be searching for specific dairy-free ice cream recipes and will instead just use my favourites and switch out the dairy with canned coconut milk. I found that two cans of regular sized coconut milk came to 3 cups, which was the perfect amount for both of the recipes above.

If you’ve got a dairy-free loved one in your life I encourage you to give this substitution a try. Nobody should have to miss out on the deliciousness of ice cream. And if you try it, let me know how it turns out for you!

*As far as I know, this won’t work as a substitute for recipes that call for sweetened condensed milk (like this no-churn ice cream) or recipes that call for cream that is whipped before folding in (such as with this semifreddo).

Piña Colada Smoothies

By in Beverages, Cold 6 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Piña Colada Smoothies

Our summer snack of choice has definitely got to be smoothies. And, a Piña Colada Smoothie, with the cooling flavour of coconut and the brightness of pineapple – I can”t think of a more refreshing combination. Just what is needed for a cooling boost of energy on a sluggishly hot day.

This is one piña colada that can be shared by all ages. It”s thick, creamy and mildly flavoured. My kids could not get enough. It”s also dairy free, full of fruit and has no sugar added!

These smoothies keep well refrigerated so you can prep them ahead of time. Pack them into mason jars and seal them up for a picnic or pour them into bottles and bring them along to work. Just give them a shake and you”re good to go.

If you”re going to be enjoying them right away, it”s most refreshing if the pineapple and coconut milk are refrigerated beforehand, that way you know the smoothie is going to be nice and cold. It”s definitely not a requirement, but on a hot day it”s nice to have it as cold as you can get it!

Piña Colada Smoothies

  • 3 cups chopped pineapple

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 1 banana

  • 2 teaspoons rum extract

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 4 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes: 4 servings

Adapted from Paula Deen.

Blueberry Banana (All Fruit) Smoothie

By in Beverages, Cold 3 Comments Tags: , , , ,

blueberry-banana smoothie

I’m a smoothie kind of girl. Not just any smoothie though. It has to have the right ratio of ingredients and lot’s of fruity flavour. The most important thing to me in a smoothie is that the fruit shines through. If there’s too much yogurt, or other added ingredients, I find there’s too much going on and I don’t get that pop in my mouth – that burst of flavour – that I crave.

This Blueberry Banana Smoothie is the simplest of the simple and also happens to be my absolute favourite. It contains no dairy and no ice, which means the flavour is nothing but fruit, fruit, fruit. I can’t handle too much dairy, so I was looking to make some smoothies without, and discovered that a banana does a lot in lending smoothness and creaminess (much like in the Five Minute Chunky Monkey Ice Cream). It also has no added sugar because the apple juice has enough natural sweetness. The only non-fruit going in here is vanilla, which I think is a must – it gives that creamy taste and brings all the flavours together.

Me and Max drank this pretty much every day in the summer. We wanted a light snack that would cool us down and help us get our intake of fruit. You can swap out the frozen blueberries for other berries as well, which is also delicious, but the blueberry is my personal fave. It has so much flavour and is such a gorgeous colour. I make sure to always have the ingredients on hand so I can whiz one up at any time.

If you’re like me and like your smoothies to be all-fruit flavour while still being creamy and smooth then I encourage you to give this a try. And, if you want to add a scoop of yogurt nobody with judge you for it. ;)

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

  • 1 banana, peeled and broken into large chunks
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2

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