Help with non-dairy recipe substitution

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 22, 2007

• #1

I have some spaghetti noodles leftover from last night that I want to use for dinner tonight, with some chopped up veggies and chicken, but I don't know what to use for pasta sauce that Hayley can eat.

Will coconut milk work, or is it too sweet? I have dairy-free Earth Balance spread for a butter substitute, and a small amount of creamy goat cheese to use in place of cream cheese.

Will that work for a cream sauce, or no? I'm skeptical.

What else can I use for a pasta sauce or casserole sauce? I should have bought some plain almond/rice milk. I only bought vanilla.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 22, 2007

• #2

Maybe I'll just cook pasta for Mark and me, and give Hayley a peanut butter sandwich tonight.

 

groovymom2000

New member

• Mar 22, 2007

• #3

:lol Sorry Jenny-I just got home and saw your dilemma, and it's 8:45 pm here--of course, it may still be dinner time there? I have never had a lot of luck with "cream" based sauces--you're not doing soy, correct?
You can try making a white sauce with a bit of whatever milk you're using, some Earth's balance and flour/cornstarch, but you're going to have to fool around with it to get it where you want it. When you do, let me know!! Look up vegetarian cream sauce or something of the kind---I seem to recall there were some hits with that a while back, but I really try to cook as little as possible, so I'm not much help. Dh is the cook in my house--when he's home. Good luck!

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 22, 2007

• #4

I found this recipe that sounds really good, I think I'll make it with chicken though, and serve it with noodles, so I'm basically only using the sauce part of the recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/116882

I don't know how well it will go over with Hayley, so I'll have a peanut butter and banana sandwich waiting in the wings, LOL!

It's 6 pm here--I'm just now getting started with dinner.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 22, 2007

• #5

O-M-G! That recipe is awesome! I substituted chicken for the fish, and leftover spaghetti noodles for the rice, and dried garlic and ginger (not the same, I know), and it turned out FABULOUS! A bit spicy with the 2 tsp of curry paste, and I used spicy sesame oil instead of regular, but Mark and I love spicy. I'll just make Hayley a PB sandwich.

Now I need to go try to kick Mark's friend out and get him in from the garage to eat. He's got some new project going on.

 

T

tchrgrrl

New member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #6

For another time - I have made really yummy dairy-free mushroom sauce over pasta. I cook a bunch of sliced mushrooms in Earth's Balance until browned and wrinkly Sprinkle with flour, cook/stir until it forms a paste. Add chicken/veggie broth and stir until thick and saucey. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta or rice. yum. If I have it I add fresh parsley.

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #7

Try the cream sauce part of this recipe - it's my tuna-noodle cassarole.

Tuna-Noodle Cassarole

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #8

Thank you both! I think I can work with that and make something Hayley will actually eat.

 

T

thepeach80

Senior Community Member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #9

Basic Cream Soup - Condensed
Melt 3 Tbsp. safe margarine in sauce pan. Blend in 3 Tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook and stir until bubbly. Using wire whisk, stir in one cup of safe milk, stock, or combination. Cook just until smooth and thick. Makes slightly over 1 cup and is the same as a 10 oz. can of undiluted condensed soup.
Options:
Cream of chicken: Use chicken broth or safe bouillon as half the liquid. Add 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning and some diced chicken.
Cream of mushroom: Saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion in safe margarine before adding the flour.
Cream of celery: See mushroom, but use ½ cup celery instead of mushrooms.
You can vary the flavor by adding curry powder, garlic, onion, celery salt, lemon juice, chili powder, parsley, chopped veggies, chives, etc

This is supposed to be like condensed soup, but I thought it worked well as a sauce when I was on the TED w/ Evan.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #10

Thanks!

It's safe to say that vanilla milk will not work well, right? That was my problem last night. I only have vanilla milk and coconut milk. I need to remember to pick up some plain rice or almond milk for sauces, I guess.

 

T

thepeach80

Senior Community Member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #11

It probably wouldn't be a big deal in smaller amounts. None of us like vanilla rice milk so we never have that issue. Now I could drink like 5 qts of chocolate rice milk a day if my budget allowed though.

 

groovymom2000

New member

• Mar 23, 2007

• #12

Those all look really good--I'll have to try some of those next week.

 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member

• Mar 24, 2007

• #13

Yeah - vanilla milk is so high in the sugar content that it's not good for much aside from straight drinking.

I buy it in the summer to make smoothies with, but that's it.

 

scatterbunny

New member

• Mar 24, 2007

• #14

I bought vanilla because I figured Hayley would be more likely to drink it, but so far she's only using it in cereal, so basically I think she's just tolerating it--not loving it (both the rice milk and almond milk). Maybe I should switch to regular, unflavored, since she's just using it in cereal?