"Don't you miss (insert dairy items here)?
And my answer is usually (can't think of a time it hasn't been but want to stay on the safe side) no.
No, because there is often an alternative. However, there are alternatives, and then there are good alternatives. So to answer questions recently posed to me by a friend considering taking a walk a little closer to the veggie side of the street I say this: Cheese and Sour Cream have vegan alternatives! Of course if you are a die hard dairy lover and know that an alternative just isn't going to cut it - I suggest you check out some local artisan cheese makers in your area, they will most likely sell lovely cheeses that having been been produced ethically from cows, sheep and goats they love and respect (they may also know where to get get a more ethical sour cream? maybe...)
Ok so, Jo (question poser) here are my top picks for Vegan cheese and sour cream alternatives, what they are best used for and why they are so great!
CHEESE
- 3 flavours of shredded "cheese"
- it melts!!!
- fantastic on pizza, in lasagna, for making mac n' cheese, in burritos and on tacos
- a little goes a loooooong way
- CANADIAN!
- Mozzarella or American
- makes a great grilled cheese & melts well when steam is used ie: grilled cheese in a pan with a lid
- it's a member of the fantastic tofutti family!
- Ed Begley Jr. eats them while driving on route to a family camping trip in his show "Life with Ed"
- 9 hard "cheeses" and 5 soft "cheeses"
- sharp flavours that are great for the holidays
- excellent for "cheese" and crackers...and wine
- from the Isle of Bute in Scotland (this is more an infofact than a reason to buy it...infofact - I like it!)
- not entirely sure about the pringles and the pearl onions pictured with the sheese, but whatever floats your boat I guess.
SOUR CREAM
To be honest I have only ever tried two vegan sour creams...I will only discuss the one I like, there is no point to the other.
Toffuti Sour Supreme http://www.tofutti.com/
- tastes the same as dairy sour cream (as far as I can tell anyway, was never a big fan)- makes great dips and brings lots of zing and creaminess to mashed potatoes!
- yummy on nachos and burritos!Well Jo, I hope that answers your questions and gives you a few more options for alternatives :)
If anyone has questions or has a "vegan topic" they would like me to blog about please drop me a line at
veganvillager@gmail.com
YAY!!! Thanks! I'll see if I can find this stuff (particularly the Sour Supreme) at my local purveyor of awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of awesomeness - Sheese? COME ON. This could taste like death and I'd probably still eat it just for the name.