Category Archives: diary-free food

Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes that are dairy-free

Mashed Cauliflower Not Mashed Potatoes

A low-calorie, tasty alternative to mashed potatoes is mashed cauliflower. I actually think they taste better although you may not be able to tell the difference by just looking at them.

Since going to a primarily whole food plant-based diet there are only a few things I really miss. One of them is the butter on and sour cream in mashed potatoes. After watching everyone at Thanksgiving scarf them down I decided I had to pacify myself with a big batch of mashed cauliflower. They tasted great and had the added benefit of making me feel a tiny bit superior for having resisted the potatoes. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 28, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, gluten-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, weigh loss | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

More Reasons To Eat A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

In case you’re wondering if eating a plant-based diet is worth it, take a look at a long-term study by the Harvard School of Public Health. The study links eating red meat and the risk of death from cancer and heart disease. Not surprisingly, the more red meat you eat the higher the risk of death from cancer heart disease. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 27, 2012
Posted in diabetes, diary-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based Diet and Chronic Disease | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Butternut Squash Tostada

Butternut SquashLast week I met my friend Susan in my old neighborhood. When we were trying to figure out a restaurant, she suggested Real Food Daily. The restaurant is literally a block and a half from my old condo so it was easy for me to find.

This is a true plant-based whole food diet restaurant! The menu is an intriguing mix of plant-based food (vegan), local and organic dishes. The thing I appreciated most about the menu was there was no guessing about content. The selections were all marked for easy reference:  Soy-Free, Gluten-Free and Nut Free. The only problem was making a decision. I am not used to having that many selections on a menu. As a vegetarian I usually have 3 or 4 choices so making a decision is simple. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 24, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, diary-free food, gluten-free food, Mexican, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mashed Potato Soup

Plant-based Mashed Potato SoupI have a recipe for Mashed Potato Soup that I have served every holiday for the last 20 years. No matter how much I make, it always gets eaten to the last drop.

Ironically, the original recipe came from “The Healthy Heart” cookbook even though it calls for sour cream, cream cheese, milk and cheddar cheese. With all those dairy products, what’s not to like! (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on November 11, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, plant based diet, soup, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

While I am trying to figure out what else to do with all my pumpkin I decided to make a trial run at a true whole food plant-based pie. One that is sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free. Last year I made a dairy-free pie that was wonderful! This year the goal is a true vegan pumpkin pie – dairy-free and egg-free as well.

Last weekend I donned my Girl Scout attire (figuratively) and started experimenting so that Thanksgiving prep goes smoothly. I don’t want to be up to my elbows in pie failures come next Wednesday.

by Genene Cote Posted on November 8, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, baking, diary-free food, plant based diet, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Substituting Eggs

This is the time of year when I start thinking seriously about desserts. I mean, what is Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Pie or Christmas without cookies ?

Those of us who eat a whole food plant-based diet making desserts is really a challenge. There is a lot of substituting that has to be done. For most things it is relatively easy to substitute For example you can substitute:

  • Milk = Nut milk
  • Gluten based flours = gluten-free baking mix or brown rice flour
  • Sugar = honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar or stevia
  • Butter = Coconut Oil (more…)
by Genene Cote Posted on November 5, 2012
Posted in baking, dessert, diary-free food, Eggs, gluten-free food, sugar-free food, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Luxury Problems

weightlossI have a big-time luxury problem! You see instead of “spring cleaning”, we do “fall cleaning”. Most of the spring is devoted to getting the garden in shape. If the house suffers, it’s not like we spend much time inside between March and October. We are, however indoor, a lot, between November and February. So it is either clean up or sit and look at clutter all winter. I, personally, hate clutter!

One of my life “rules” is about changing closets with the season. Each spring and fall I sort and discard clothes:  if I haven’t worn it, it goes! This year I added the caveat that if it didn’t fit it had to go as well. Recently, David and I spend a lot of time looking like we are wearing someone else’s clothes. They are way big and don’t come close to fitting. A lot of them were marginal last year but this year they are just flat out ridiculous! So out with all the XL and a lot of the L size clothes. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on October 25, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, Cote Home Grown Fare, diary-free food, Food Additives, gluten-free food, plant based diet, processed food, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nutonnaise — Vegan Mayo

Almond MayonnaiseOne of the things I really miss (besides cheese) is mayo. Now, I am very picky about my mayo – it has to be Best Foods (Hellman’s for you East Coasters). I can taste the difference a mile away! Face it, mayo is full of fat and not exactly something I should be eating anyway. But if I am going to eat it, I want the real thing! In fact, the main reason I always order sandwiches and other foods dry (no mayo) is because I don’t want someone else’s bunk excuse for mayo.

But there are foods that just aren’t the same without a little mayo. For example an avocado, lettuce and tomato sandwich, a veggie burger, potato salad, cold slaw or an artichoke. And so you know, I truly believe that the only reason to eat an artichoke is as a mayo delivery vehicle. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on October 9, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, kitchen basics, vegan, Whole Food Plant-Based Food Kitchen | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Fall Apples are Here!

View detailsMy private challenge is to try a new recipe every week. If the “bones” are good, then I work with it over time until I like what I have. Once David and I agree it meets our very high standards, I write it up. Very often this works out great. And then there are times  like yesterday when they don’t work out at all. The recipe was confusing and the result was, well, AWFUL!

Fortunately, David is an adventurous eater and always willing to try these experiments. The other good thing is that he is quite willing to give me his unvarnished opinion.  In case you are wondering you are supposed to laugh here – it is that was joke. Seriously, he is a good cook in his own right and some of our best food ideas are a collaboration. (more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on September 26, 2012
Posted in diary-free food, fruit, plant based diet, snacks, sugar-free food, vegan, vegetarian, Whole Food Plant-Based recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Quick and Dirty Broccoli* Mac and “Cheese”

When it comes to comfort food, I am developmentally stuck somewhere in childhood. My favorite things to eat when I feel bad (besides chocolate) are mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy and beets (don’t ask). I probably ought to note that mac and cheese is a favorite no matter how I feel and giving it up was the hardest part of giving up dairy.

(more…)

by Genene Cote Posted on September 20, 2012
Posted in additive-free food, diary-free food, Italian, vegan, vegetarian | Tagged , , | Leave a comment