Getting "creamy" food with no dairy/no coconut

[nutmegananne]

Ok, so no dairy on the program. I do find myself wanting to cook something with a "creamy" mouthfeel. Most recipes I see call for coconut milk, etc. as a sub, but we can't do coconut in our family because of food allergies.

Any other ideas, please??

TIA

Meg

[Susan W]

Sometimes you can make a creamy feel with sweet potatoes or cauliflower that you put through a blender or food processor. For me, I don't like to make things that are reminiscent of the things I am trying to change about how I eat. Probably the only exception to that would possibly be a soup if I wanted a thicker feel to it. In that case, I would use either the sweet potatoes or cauliflower or another winter squash and I would use my immersion blender for a couple of seconds until I get a little thicker texture.

[Robin Strathdee]

I would second the cauliflower (pureed, very very smooth) idea if you're looking for a "creamed spinach" type deal. It wont be spot on, but it may give you the right texture.

[Phanniemae]

I can total relate to this craving! I've upped the fat in my diet and that craving has gone away.

[jhmomi]

I think the Sunshine sauce from Well Fed has a creamy texture from the sunflower seed butter. Its great with veggies and meat. Not going to work for creamed spinach, but it's still a nice sauce. Sometimes I make it thicker with extra sunflower seeds or thinner with a little water. It blends up well in my VitaMix. I like a thinner version on a salad as my dressing.

Hollandaise sauce can also be made with clarified butter/ghee. That's good stuff. I just did a search and found this recipe on another Paleo forum that I might just have to try this week. It looks yummy and easy....

Two words: Blender Hollandaise

There are lots of recipes out there, here's one:

1/2 cup butter 3 egg yolks 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp mustard powder and/or Dash of cayenne pepper

Place egg yolks in blender with the lemon juice, mustard and/or cayenne, turn blender on high speed for 5 seconds to blend. Melt butter in microwave or on stove until almost boiling. Turn blender back on gradually pour in butter in a drizzle. It will only take 20 or 30 seconds to come together.

[lkb827]

I can absolutely relate. I am a dip person and like to have sauce on things. I made this mayo:

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/06/03/the-secret-to-homemade-mayo-patience/

and it has helped me a lot. From that, I have made dill dip, salad dressing, etc.

[StuffIMakeMyHusband]

Ghee! You can use it to make saag aloo -- basically an Indian curried creamed spinach, just sub something else for the white potatoes or leave them out.

[Jessica Wurth Tiemann]

I was getting a little burned out on tomato based sauces all the time, and we discovered mixing homemade mayo into them turned them into a nice "rosa" type sauce. I also have steamed cauliflower and then pureed it up with the mayo, and mixed it with spinach and garlic for a creamed spinach dish. Mixing mayo into sauces is a great way to use it up! We also mix it in with a chimchurri sauce and slather it on fish and roast it. ANOTHER mayo thing for a creamy texture is mashed sweet potato hummus with a little mayo mixed in to make it creamier feeling.

[kb0426]

I have made a "cream" of broccoli soup with cashews! Here is the recipe:

http://joythebaker.com/2011/10/vegan-cream-of-broccoli-soup/

I have yet to try it with other recipes, but depending on what you are trying to make, it might work.

[Nancy H.]

Thanks so much for the link. I have some broccoli now that I need to use and I love Cream of Broccoli soup.

I have made a "cream" of broccoli soup with cashews! Here is the recipe:

http://joythebaker.c...-broccoli-soup/

I have yet to try it with other recipes, but depending on what you are trying to make, it might work.