Ready to ditch dairy, but can’t imagine life without cheese? Don’t worry! There’s no reason you have to give up your favorite creamy delicacy when you decide to go vegan. The Dairy Detox makes it easy to transition healthfully and happily to dairy-freedom, without sacrificing cheese.
In just 12 days, Allison Rivers Samson and Michelle Cehn will lead Dairy Detox students through every aspect of dairy-free living through daily videos. Students will learn about health and nutrition (and why humans started drinking the milk of another species in the first place!). They’ll discover dairy-free versions of all their favorite foods, and will learn to how to shop, how to cook, and how to eat out with confidence. Dairy Detoxers will be empowered with the all knowledge and strategies they need to thrive dairy-free, plus, they’ll learn how choosing dairy-free is not only better for their own health, but also prevents unnecessary cruelty to animals and is far gentler on our planet.
If you’re looking to break the cheese addition—or you know friends or family who “could never give up cheese”—we highly recommend The 12-Day Dairy Detox. The next session starts on the 1st of the month! Meanwhile, dip your toes into dairy-freedom with Allison’s recipe for healthy and compassionate dairy-free mac & cheese, below. Enjoy!
- 8 ounces dry pasta, cooked al dente
- 1/4 cup unflavored (refined, not virgin) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1/4 cup diced carrots
- 3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon mild Dijon mustard
- In a large stockpot, cook the pasta according to package, drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, add oil, onion, carrots, garbanzo beans, garlic, salt, paprika, and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add water, sunflower seeds, vinegar, and Dijon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In a blender, process cooked contents of the sauté pan until completely smooth—this is important. Test for smoothness by removing a spoonful, allowing to cool for a minute, and then rubbing sauce between thumb and forefinger.
- In a large bowl, toss together the sauce with cooked pasta and serve hot.
- Unflavored coconut oil, also called “refined coconut oil,” is sold in jars in most health food stores. The most common brand is Spectrum. The “virgin” variety tastes like coconut, and is best for coconut-flavored dishes. Other options are sunflower or safflower oil, as well as a homemade non-dairy butter/margarine or store-bought like Miyoko’s Creamery or Earth Balance. Feel free to use less if you prefer.
- Raw, unsalted cashews can be used instead of sunflower seeds, but will add a touch sweetness to the flavor.
Get more delicious dairy-free recipe in The Dairy Detox Cookbook ($7). You can look forward to 30 yummy recipes including:
- Lazy Mama’s Cashew Milk
- Magic All-Purpose Cheesy Sauce
- Herbed Macadamia Ricotta
- Better Butter Spread
- Creamy Avocado Ranch
- Allison’s Ahhh-mazing Alfredo
- Modern Potato Skin Jalapeño Poppers
- Marry Me, Two Bean Chili
- Crazy for Coconut Whipped Cream
- Mexican Chocolate Cake
… and so much more. See you on the inside!
Recipe shared with permission from The Dairy Detox. Photo by Nicole Axworthy.
