How to indulge when you’re dairy free

How to indulge when you’re dairy free

We all need to indulge from time to time, but when you’re dairy free straying from your normal diet can be more of a challenge. Unfortunately many of the foods we class as indulgences also contain milk. That means chocolate, cake, pizza and many other dishes are all off the menu.

So where does that leave the dairy free among you? Can you never comfort eat again? The good news is that you can indulge just as much as before but you
have to be smart about it. This means finding alternatives to traditional treats or adapting your favourites so they no longer contain dairy. Here are a few tricks and recipes so you can still indulge without dairy.

Make dairy free chocolate your new best friend

When most of us think about indulging, we think of chocolate and for many the worst thing about having to go dairy free is saying goodbye to this particular treat. Luckily there is a dairy free alternative. Dairy free chocolate is brilliant and there are lots of different flavours and treats available to suit your fancy. For a delicious dessert, melt your dairy free chocolate, cover some strawberries in it and allow them to set in the fridge.

Get festive with roasted nuts

Roasted nuts are a sweet, dairy free treat that are perfect for this time of year. Chestnuts are a Christmas classic but other great choices include almonds, cashews and soy nuts. Add a bit of spice to the mix for a slightly different flavour.

Learn how to make dairy free pizza

Dairy free pizza is super easy to make. Simply buy a ready made dairy free pizza dough or find a recipe you’re happy with. Add tomato puree to the base and then cover with dairy free Mozzarella. If you want other toppings, such as vegetables or meat, add them to the top too.

Stock up on dairy free ice cream

Dairy free ice cream is a brilliant alternative and is must-have comfort food to have in the house. Eat with berries for a refreshingly luxurious snack.

Try dairy free coconut cheesecake

This is a great recipe that uses nuts to create flavour. Begin by soaking 300g of cashew nuts in a bowl of cold water overnight. The next morning cover a cake tin in margarine, sprinkle two tablespoons of desiccated coconut, ensuring it is distributed evenly. Put 200g of pitted dates in a bowl of warm water and allow to soak until softened. Add to a food processor and blitz until they have turned into a paste. Add 150g of almonds and 100g of blanched hazelnuts. Blitz again until there is a crumb consistency. Put the mixture into the cake tin, pat and smooth it with wet hands so it is even. Clean and dry the food processor, drain the cashew nuts and add them to the processor. Add the juice of four lemons, 250ml of runny honey and 165ml of coconut oil. Scape out the seeds of two vanilla pods and add to the processor, throwing away the pods. Blitz the mixture until smooth. Pour the cashew mixture over the crumb base, smooth evening, place on a tray, then gently tap it on a work surface to get rid of bubbles. Leave the cheesecake in the freezer until set.