If you have a persistent health issue, eliminating dairy from your diet (in addition to other trigger foods) can be helpful and allow your body to heal and thrive. This isn’t always easy. I was a cheese and yogurt lover so I have tried my best to find healthy substitutes for the dairy items I love so much. One of my favorite ingredient to add flavor to my recipes is nutritional yeast. Now I’m not claiming this tastes the same as cheese, but it’s definitely satisfying and is one of my go to ingredients to spice up a recipe. See below for my other go-to dairy replacements and enjoy this super simple roasted asparagus!
- Kite Hill Plain Unsweetened Almond Milk Yogurt: This is a great replacement for regular yogurt. It’s delicious with some homemade paleo granola (I like this recipe) and some berries. You have to be careful with dairy free yogurts though. Most are full of sugar. Even the plain ones. You should always make sure you get the unsweetened versions. I buy my Kite Hill from Wegmans. For a list of stores near you that sell Kite Hill, click here.
- Homemade Coconut Milk: So many of the coconut and nut milks in stores still have preservatives, carageenan and other harmful ingredients, which is why I make my own coconut milk. I know that sounds like a lot of effort, but it only takes two seconds in a blender. For instructions on how to make your own coconut milk, click here.
- Nutritional Yeast: I sprinkle this on veggies and even include it in my homemade salad dressings. It’s an easy way to add flavor to a recipe. Most nutritional yeasts you find in the stores are fortified with synthetic B vitamins and Folic Acid. I try to avoid foods that are fortified as the vitamins in them are most often synthetic, which is why I buy Dr. Fuhrman’s nutritional yeast online. It is unfortified and the vitamins it contains are naturally occurring. It’s also important to note that nutritional yeast DOES NOT contain gluten and is safe for those on a gluten free diet. You can buy Dr. Fuhrman’s nutritional yeast online, here.
- Kite Hill Almond Milk Cream Cheese Spread: This is one of my absolute favorites. In my opinion, it tastes very similar to regular cream cheese and can be substituted in recipes for regular cream cheese. It’s also great on paleo bread or with Mary’s Gone Crackers Everything Pretzels. I prefer the plain version, but it also comes in chive flavor.
- Kite Hill Ricotta Almond Cheese: Being Italian, I miss lasagna and other Italian dishes that call for gluten and dairy. I was so happy to discover the kite hill ricotta. When I’m craving some comfort food, I make some brown rice pasta, meat sauce and top it with the Kite Hill ricotta. One word: AMAZING.
"Cheesy" Roasted Asparagus
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1-2 TBSP Ghee (you can sub coconut oil if vegan)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Nutritional Yeast to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut asparagus spears in half
- Lay cut asparagus on a large baking sheet or baking dish
- Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp ghee over asparagus, toss to coat
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender
- Sprinkle desired amount of nutritional yeast over the asparagus and serve
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