Dairy-Free Pie Dough
If you're anything like me, you over-stock the refrigerator when entertaining on the holidays, which means that at the moment, you have more strawberries, cherries and blueberries than you know what to do with. My solution is to lengthen the festivites just a little bit by using the leftovers to make more tasty and fun treats, like pie! To make a berry-licious pie and use up a lot of fruit, follow this vegan pie dough recipe and fit the dough into a pie plate. Then, place about 6 cups of fruit in a medium-sized saucepan with sugar to taste and about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of cold water. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture is thickened, pour it into the prepared pie crust, toss some granola on top and bake it at about 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Easy as pie!Here are a few other dairy-free recipe solutions for leftover berries:
- Chocolate Cherry Roulade
- Fresh Fruit & Lemon Custard Tartlets
- Vegan Cherry Cobbler
- Zucchini Pasta
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Homemade Blueberry Granola
Granola is one of those multi-purpose foods that I always have in my pantry, and I like to stock up on my supply for long holiday weekends like the Fourth of July as it easily fits into a variety of dishes and meals. Enjoyed with almond milk as a cereal, with soy yogurt and fruit in a parfait glass, sprinkled over berries with honey and baked in the oven, or taken on a hike and enjoyed straight out of a bag, granola is a healthy, energy-rich treat that satisfies a sweet craving without that feeling of over-indulgence. Many store-bought granolas use butter, but luckily for dairy-freers like myself, there are plenty of granolas that stick to using healthy oils like canola oil and olive oil, and granola is so easy to make at home! For special weekends or "just because," I like to make my own homemade granola, which comes out beautiful and smells wonderful as it bakes.This blueberry granola recipe is one of my dairy-free favorites, and, served with dairy-free vanilla soy yogurt mixed with a little bit of honey and strawberries, it's perfect for the Fourth of July weekend!
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Dairy-Free Deviled Eggs
If I had to pick one signature Fourth of July party appetizer, I probably would have to pick deviled eggs, which are also one of the most popular dishes to make for picnics, potlucks and any other summertime outdoor parties. These bright little gems unfortunately almost always contain sour cream and full-fat mayonnaise, which, in addition to the fat content of the eggs themselves, makes for a snack that's high in cholesterol and fat. This dairy-free deviled eggs recipe cuts some of the fat and cholesterol of traditional recipes by using a combination of dairy-free sour cream and fat-free soy mayonnaise, but it certainly doesn't cut the taste! Here are just a couple more of my favorite appetizers for outdoor parties like the Fourth of July:
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Healthy Fig Bars Recipe
Figs are one of my favorite summer fruits, and now that they have just started to make an appearance at all of the local markets and groceries, they undoubtedly will be in my home for the rest of the season. In addition to being a delicious sweet treat on their own, figs are one of the best non-dairy calcium sources and contain other valuable nutrients suchs as potassium, fiber and B-vitamins. These dairy-free healthy fig bars are great for breakfast or snacks, using healthy ingredients such as whole wheat flour, oat flour, ground nuts and maple syrup for a delciously dairy-free and egg-free treat. Here are a few more of my favorite dairy-free recipes that use figs:
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Dairy-Free No-Bake Cookies
There are times, hot summer daytimes to be more specific, when there are few things I wouldn't do before turning on the oven in the middle of the day. For such afternoons, if I'm craving something sweet or casually entertaining friends, no-bake desserts quickly become the order of the day. These dairy-free no-bake chocolate cookies are some of my staple sweet treats; prepared with few ingredients in little time, these delicious morsels are also significantly healthier than most no-bake cookie recipes that contain a frightening amount of butter or margarine.For warm weather days when the oven is off-limits, here are a few more of my favorite dairy-free no-bake dessert recipes:
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com
Dairy-Free Chicken Tetrazzini
After a long day of work or play, especially in the middle of the week, I often find myself making pasta-based casserole dishes and throwing in some sort of protein for that extra fortifying something. Not only are casserole dishes like this dairy-free chicken tetrazzini easily beautiful, but they're easily satisfying, replenishing energy levels after a long day at the office or, for kids, a long day of being a kid.To complete this mid-week meal, I like to prepare a fresh garden salad, adding just a dollop of soy yogurt mixed with lemon juice and honey to taste, and for dessert, this dairy-free raspberry fool is so easy to whip together and will have had just enough time to chill by the time you're through eating dinner.
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Soy-Free Dairy-Free Ice Cream
While soy-based products are great dairy substitutions for many dairy-free eaters, I've also met many persons who not only have intolerances to dairy, but also have allergies or intolerances to soy products, which makes finding tasty substitutions even more of a daunting task. For me, dairy-free ice cream is one of my all-time favorite treats during the warm months of summer, but most of my favorite prepared non-dairy ice creams are soy-based. However, for those of you dairy-freers who are also soy-free, a store-bought dairy-free and soy-free ice cream is here at last!Turtle Mountain ™ , the makers of my favorite dairy-free ice cream line, has done it again with this dairy-free, soy-free coconut-based ice cream collection, Purely Decadent ® made with Coconut Milk. While, as almost always, my favorite flavor is their Vanilla Bean, this dairy-less, soy-less delight is also available in Chocolate, Coconut, Cookie Dough and Mint Chip, to suit a variety of palates.
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes
In celebration of summer's official arrival this weekend, I wanted to share this Dairy-Free Strawberry Shortcake Recipe that is truly a celebration of color, flavor and one of my favorite summertime fruits. Easy enough for a weeknight dessert but festive enough for a weekend party, these treats are dairy-free, egg-free and elegantly comforting.If I have time, I like to use my own dairy-free vanilla ice cream over store-bought varieties, and for an extra-special treat, I'll add a scoop of my non-dairy strawberry ice cream to top it all off.
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Mocha Muffins Recipe
Muffins are fun, quick-baking breakfast treats that are a nice way to fill your home with the scents of home-baked goods without heating up the kitchen in the middle of the day. These dairy-free mocha muffins are egg-free, easy to make and delicious, pairing two of my favorite flavors: chocolate and coffee. Best of all, they're easy enough for a special breakfast in the middle of the week!Here are a few more of my favorite Dairy-Free Muffin Recipes that will fill your home with smiles and scents of baking:
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Homemade Protein Bars Recipe
For many, with the beginning of summer also comes the beginning of more outdoor games, athletics and physical activites, not to mention a house full of kids to chase after for stay-at-home moms! With all the added movement, a body needs more fuel, which is why so many athletes turn to protein bars and energy drinks. So many store-bought energy bars contain whey and other milk proteins, which narrows down the selection for those of us with milk allergies and lactose intolerance, so I came up with my own Dairy-Free Protein Bars recipe! Filled with healthy ingredients, these bars are perfect for a tasty, lactose-free, post-workout snack.Here are some of my other favorite healthy bar recipes that make great snacks for busy summer days:
Photo © 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.