How to Make a Delicious Grilled (Fake) Cheese Sandwich

I made this particular grilled cheese using Trader Joe's Soy Blend of Mozzarella, Jack, and Cheddar Flavors.

Grilled cheese is one of those comfort foods you don't have to lose with lactose intolerance. Fake cheese works surprisingly well as a substitute. The trick is to blend it with other flavors. Some fake cheese options are better than others. I've tried many different kinds of soy cheese or vegan/dairy free cheese alternatives.

One version of sliced cheese singles I can recommend are Veggie Slices. These are soy based, but they do contain milk protein so watch out if you are allergic. They taste terrible on their own but make a great grilled cheese sandwich. I've used them for cold sandwiches but I'd honestly rather do without the fake cheese. This stuff tastes best cooked in something or melted.

If you are looking for vegan and completely dairy free, I always recommend Daiya Shreds. Although for taste, I prefer soy blend cheeses. Two other types I like are Trader Joe's soy mozzarella and shredded soy blend. These are sometimes hard to find in the cheese aisles so look thoroughly. I always find Daiya Shreds and Veggie Slices at Whole Foods.

Other pluses to lactose free cheeses: no cholesterol, less saturated fat, less sodium, and easy to digest.

Adding another filler in your sandwich blends with the fake cheese, making it taste more authentic. I like to add pickles, tomatoes, bacon, or all three to perfectly replicate a dairy grilled cheese sandwich. Get a nice, thick bread, like sourdough, spread on the SmartBalance Light, and honestly, it's hard to tell the difference.

Dairy Free Tomato Basil Skillet Eggs

Here's a dairy free healthy breakfast for two! I found this recipe in a magazine and adapted it to be dairy free. I made it with tomatoes, basil, and parsley from my garden. You can make this recipe even healthier by using just egg whites instead of whole eggs. Eliminate the toast to keep it gluten free or use a gluten free bread. Yummy!

Ingredients:

6-8 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
1/4-1/2 cup dairy free shredded mozzarella such as Trader Joe's Soy Mozzarella or Daiya Shreds, according to preference
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
15-20 fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, diced or 1 tsp dried chives

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium non stick pan over medium heat. Add onion with half of the sea salt and pepper (1/4 tsp each) and cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and the rest of the sea salt and pepper to the onion, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Use a spoon to make four even wells in the onion/tomato mixture and crack an egg into each. Cover pan and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with dairy free cheese then cover again and cook for 1 minute. Remove cover and add chopped basil, parsley, and chives. Serve immediately alone or on top of toasted bread. Enjoy the day!

             

Dairy Free Turkey Broccoli Quiche

We had a ton of leftovers from our 23 lb. turkey this Thanksgiving, so I was coming up with ways to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A quiche is a great breakfast opportunity to use up leftover turkey, but lactose intolerant and quiche usually don't go together that well. I replaced the heavy cream and cheese with shredded soy mozzarella, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and, of all things, Silk Nog.

Now, before you go wondering how any of these ingredients can possibly go together, you should know that the result was absolutely divine. My husband and I devoured this entire 9inch quiche in less than two days. You don't have to use the Nog, which is an eggnog alternative, you can use Lactaid Milk or Lactaid Half and Half (if you can find it), or Almond Milk or Soymilk instead. But if you do see the Silk Nog, give it a try. It has a beautiful blend of spices in it already that tastes great with an egg dish! A perfect Thanksgiving leftovers treat for the person in your family that can't digest dairy.

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli
1 tsp onion powder
Dash of black pepper
1 tablespoon Earth Balance or Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1 cup cooked turkey, chopped
3/4 cup shredded soy mozzarella cheese (I use Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese Alternative
4 eggs
1 cup Silk Nog (I also recommend Very Vanilla Soymilk)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt


Directions:


1. Let the pie crust sit out to adjust to room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Mold it into a 9inch pie dish.


2. Melt 1 tablespoon of buttery spread in a large pan and add the broccoli, onion powder, and a dash of black pepper, cooking over medium heat until just tender and it becomes a bright green color.



3. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then add 1 cup of Silk Nog, salt, pepper, and curry powder and whisk together until blended.

4. Add the ingredients to the pie in this order: cooked broccoli, chopped turkey, shredded soy mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese. Then, pour the egg mixture evenly over these ingredients. Spread the mixture so that all the ingredients are evenly covered.



5. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes, until the center of the quiche is completely cooked through. Goes well with a steaming cup of pumpkin spice coffee. Happy Black Friday!