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dairy-free

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30 Minutes or Less

Dairy-Free Clam Chowder

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overhead image of a bowl of dairy-free clam chowder with gluten-free crackers on the side

This dairy-free clam chowder is irresistibly creamy, without any actual cream! This easy one-pot recipe is loaded with clams and restaurant-quality flavor.

a bowl of dairy-free clam chowder with a spoon in it

Clam chowder was one of those dishes that I quit cold-turkey when I went dairy-free. It was by no means easy, but it had to be done. Dairy-free clam chowder simply doesn’t exist on a menu anywhere (at least that I’m aware of). To me, and all my other non-dairy friends out there, I feel sorry for us!

I grew up in New England, and creamy clam chowders were a major part of my summer diet. Everywhere I went, if clam chowder was on the menu – I was ordering a cup! I was such a big chowder-enthusiast that at one point I participated in a clam chowder contest. I was a taste-tester by the way, as this was looooong before my recipe developer/food blogger days. So I guess, yes, you could say I’m a bit of a clam chowder aficionado of sorts. I don’t mean to brag, but like, you get it. Therefore, I’d say I’m a bit (ok more than a bit *hair flip*) qualified to be providing you with this dairy-free clam chowder recipe today.

Plenty of clams, chunks of tender potatoes, and a handful of fresh herbs are enveloped in a creamy chowder base. This dairy-free clam chowder tastes incredible with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and crushed gluten-free crackers on top – YUM!

What You Need To Make Dairy-Free Clam Chowder

Bacon – Consider this our secret ingredient! Bacon adds the perfect savory, almost smokey flavor to this recipe. You’ll start by crisping up the bacon in your pot. Then, removing the bacon and cooking the rest of the dish in the pot with its delicious rendered fat. You can either enjoy the bacon separately, or crumble it on top of your finished chowder. I personally love the latter and enjoy coming across little pieces of bacon throughout my dairy-free clam chowder.

Clam Juice – If you’ve never made clam chowder before, you’re probably not familiar with clam juice. I mean, clam chowder is the only reason I’ve ever purchased clam juice in my life. Don’t let the sound of this ingredient fool you, it contributes a subtle briny flavor to this recipe. If you can’t find clam juice, you can use an additional cup of chicken stock instead.

Canned Clams – These are surprisingly easy to find at most grocery stores! You can use either chopped or whole clams in this chowder. The kind you’d order at a restaurant most often contain chopped clams. However, I think both taste equally as great in this dairy-free clam chowder recipe.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Make it Paleo: Use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch for a paleo clam chowder.
  • Make it Whole30: Similar to paleo, use arrowroot starch instead of corn starch and make sure that your dairy-free milk is Whole30 compliant!
Dairy-Free Clam Chowder
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Dairy-Free Clam Chowder

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: New EnglandDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

6

servings
Cooking time

30

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

This dairy-free clam chowder is irresistibly creamy, without any actual cream! This easy one-pot recipe is loaded with clams and restaurant-quality flavor.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon

  • 2 celery stalks, chopped

  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 4 tablespoons corn starch, see Notes

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice

  • 3 yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed

  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, see Notes

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 3 (6.5 ounce) cans whole or chopped clams

  • 1 cup dairy-free milk

  • Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Directions

  • Cook bacon in a large pot or dutch oven until crispy, then remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Add chopped celery and onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Then add in the garlic and cook for just 1 minute.
  • Add in the corn starch and mix until well combined, pour in the chicken stock and clam juice, then add in the potatoes, thyme, salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
  • Pour in canned clams (with juice) and dairy-free milk, simmer for 3-5 minutes then taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Served with crumbled bacon and fresh parsley.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Corn Starch: You can use arrowroot starch instead if you’d like.
  • Fresh Thyme: If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead.

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30 Minutes or Less

Strawberry Spinach Salad

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overhead image of strawberry spinach salad on a plate with a fork

This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

overhead image of strawberry spinach salad on a plate with a fork

I am SO here for strawberry season! I’ve challenged myself to eat as many strawberries in as many different ways as possible before this delicious season is over. And as someone who loves a good sweet and savory combo, I will forever be pro-fruit in salads. There’s also just something about a strawberry and balsamic combo that is SO incredibly perfect. Also, as someone who loves and needs more quick and easy salad options in her life – this strawberry spinach salad checks all my boxes!

What You Need To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

Farro – Farro is a grain that’s full of fiber, iron, protein, and magnesium. I know, it’s the total package. If you’ve never had farro before, I highly recommend you give it a try. It tastes like a heartier brown rice. Though it has more than twice the amount of protein as rice! Follow the instructions on the package for how to cook the farro. The method is typically similar to pasta or rice. You’ll boil it in water for about 10-15 minutes, then strain it and let it cool for this recipe.

Spinach – Spinach is another major superfood in this recipe! Along with protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals – spinach is chock-full of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in spinach have been shown to reduce the risk of common diseases and even cancer. Yup, Popeye was seriously on to something with the whole spinach thing…

Walnuts – Here we go again with another superfood! Walnuts are also rich in antioxidants, are an incredible source of heart healthy omega-3s and have also been studied and found to reduce the risk of some cancers. Not only are they good for you, but walnuts give this salad a delightful crunch. I’m telling you, this strawberry spinach salad is the most well-rounded salad in both flavor and nutrition!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Protein: Feel free to add a flakey salmon filet or your favorite grilled/roasted chicken to increase the protein in this strawberry spinach salad recipe.
  • Make it Vegan: You can easily make this salad vegan by using maple syrup in place of the honey.
  • Use a Different Grain: Swap the farro for your favorite grain if you’d like! Cooked brown rice, quinoa, or even barley would taste great in this recipe.
  • Add Dairy: Sprinkle some crumbled feta over the top of your strawberry spinach salad.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
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Strawberry Spinach Salad

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

Ingredients

  • For the salad:

  • 1 cup farro

  • 1-2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

  • 3 cups spinach, sliced

  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • For the honey balsamic dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Cook farro according to package instructions then set aside to cool completely.
  • Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl, including cooked and cooled farro.
  • Whisk together salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then drizzle over salad and toss again to coat.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you don’t have strawberries, fresh blueberries or sliced apples would taste great in their place!

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Dairy-Free

Healthy Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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scoops of healthy cookie dough on a baking sheet

This healthy cookie dough is perfectly sweet and loaded with chocolate chips! With just 5 ingredients and in just 5 minutes, you’ll have a totally edible and good-for-you cookie dough. Sprinkle some of this healthy cookie dough over your favorite vegan ice cream for a healthier no-bake treat!

scoops of healthy cookie dough on a baking sheet

I’m sure we’ve all eaten raw cookie dough. I may or may not have purchased cookie dough in the past for the sole purpose of eating it raw. I know, don’t judge me! While I never thought twice about shoving spoonfuls of cookie dough in my mouth before it even had a chance to make it to the oven, there was always that little thought in the back of my mind like – this is SO not good for me. If anyone out there is like me and actually prefers raw cookie dough to the baked kind, then this recipe is for you!

This isn’t just any edible cookie dough recipe, it’s HEALTHY edible cookie dough. So healthy, in fact, that you could even enjoy it as an afternoon snack if you’d like! Protein-rich almond flour, a dash of natural maple syrup, and healthy fat-packed coconut oil make this edible cookie dough the most nutritious of its kind. I personally love whipping together a small batch of this stuff at around 3pm on a Tuesday when I am in dire need of a pick-me-up. This healthy cookie dough tastes indulgent without leaving you feeling like you overindulged. Trust me when I tell you this, you NEED this better-for-you sweet treat in your life. And lucky for you, with just five ingredients and five minutes you can have this healthy cookie dough in your life!

What You Need To Make Healthy Cookie Dough

Almond Flour – Almond flour is becoming easier and easier to find at the grocery store these days. I love almond flour for most of my gluten-free baked goods and treats. It also does a darn good job as the base in this recipe. If you don’t already have a bag of almond flour on hand, I highly recommend you go pick one up. And when you do, make sure this vegan and gluten-free cookie dough recipe is the first thing you make with it. Though be sure to purchase almond flour, and not almond meal. Almond meal is not as fine as the flour and will result in a grainier dough.

Coconut Oil – Coconut oil, like almond flour, is becoming increasingly easy to find at most major grocery stores. If you’re not a fan of that coconut flavor, try to use an ultra-refined coconut oil in this recipe. The refining process strips the oil of most, if not all of its flavor. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can easily use melted vegan butter or regular butter instead!

Vegan Chocolate Chips – I use and LOVE the Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips for this recipe. Enjoy Life’s chocolate is entirely dairy, nut, and soy-free. Making it the ultimate addition to this healthier recipe. However, feel free to use your favorite vegan chocolate chips in this recipe. You can even chop up a vegan chocolate bar into chunks and add that to your healthy cookie dough!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Dairy: Use regular melted butter instead of coconut oil if you’re not vegan or dairy-free.
  • Make it Sugar-Free: Substitute the maple syrup for your favorite sugar-free syrup, or leave it out altogether. Also, be sure to use sugar-free or stevia-sweetened chocolate chips instead!
Healthy Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Healthy Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

4 from 30 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

This healthy cookie dough is perfectly sweet and loaded with chocolate chips! With just 5 ingredients and in just 5 minutes, you’ll have a totally edible and good-for-you cookie dough. Sprinkle some of this healthy cookie dough over your favorite vegan ice cream for a healthier no-bake treat!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups almond flour

  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Pinch of salt

  • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips, see Notes

Directions

  • Stir together all ingredients except chocolate chips, until combined.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips and serve.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • I used mini vegan chocolate chips in this recipe, though you can use any kind of chocolate chips or chunks you’d like!

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30 Minutes or Less

Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

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tzatziki dressing being poured over a gyro salad

This gyro salad with (dairy-free) tzatziki dressing is loaded with fresh flavor! Easier and healthier than classic gyro wraps, this salad comes together in under 30 minutes. Make this protein and veggie-packed meal on a busy weeknight when you’re craving something delicious and nutritious!

tzatziki dressing being poured over a gyro salad

So basically, I woke up one morning craving a gyro. Though when I searched for recipes, they all seemed way too complicated (yes, even for me) to make. And that my friends, is how the gyro salad was born. I wanted to keep this Greek-inspired recipe as similar to the traditional gyro wrap as possible. Therefore, I was sure to include every classic seasoning, herb, and flavor. The only thing I changed for this gyro salad was the method! First, you sautée the ground meat instead of baking and slicing it. Then, you quickly mix together the homemade tzatziki dressing with just a few simple ingredients. Lastly, you throw all of the ingredients in a bowl, drizzle it with that tangy dressing and enjoy! Also, I’m just going to say it, I could drink this tzatziki dressing with a straw – it’s that good!

What You Need To Make Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

Ground Beef + Ground Lamb – These two meats are traditional to any gyro recipe. If you’re not a fan of either ground meat, you can easily leave it out! Also, feel free to use ground turkey instead.

Dairy-Free Sour Cream – I use and love Kite Hill Dairy-Free Sour Cream. It’s deliciously creamy, perfectly tangy, and tastes incredibly similar to the real thing. However, any dairy-free sour cream would work here. And if you can’t find dairy-free sour cream, a dairy-free plain and unsweetened yogurt will also do the trick!

Fresh Dill – The star herb of this gyro salad show! Fresh dill brings on much of the irresistible flavor of this dressing. I highly recommend you use fresh dill instead of dried dill, it simply won’t taste the same. Additionally, you’ll be able to sprinkle any extra fresh dill on top of your finished gyro salad for even MORE delicious flavor!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Use Regular Sour Cream: Feel free to use an equal amount of regular sour cream if you’re not dairy-free!
  • Add Feta: For all my cheese-lovers out there, a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese would make the PERFECT addition to this gyro salad.
Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
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Gyro Salad with Tzatziki Dressing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: GreekDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

This gyro salad with (dairy-free) tzatziki dressing is loaded with fresh flavor! Easier and healthier than classic gyro wraps, this salad comes together in under 30 minutes. Make this protein and veggie-packed meal on a busy weeknight when you’re craving something delicious and nutritious!

Ingredients

  • For the gyro meat:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1 pound ground lamb

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • For the dairy-free tzatziki dressing:

  • 1 cup dairy-free sour cream, see Notes

  • 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • For the salad:

  • 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

  • 1/2 red onion, sliced

  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced

  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

Directions

  • Add all gyro meat ingredients to a large skillet over medium heat and cook until meat is no longer pink, breaking it up in the process. Strain any unwanted rendered fat from the meat.
  • Add all tzatziki dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix together to combine.
  • Assemble salad ingredients in a bowl, then top with gyro meat and tzatziki dressing.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Dairy-Free Sour Cream: Feel free to use dairy-free plain and unsweetened yogurt or regular sour cream in its place.

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Dairy-Free

Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)

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overhead image of vegan graham crackers on a table

These vegan graham crackers are also gluten and refined sugar-free! This easy recipe bakes up deliciously soft cookies and crumbly cookies. Enjoy these vegan graham crackers with a thick slather of peanut butter, some toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate, or simply on their own as a healthy snack or dessert!

vegan graham crackers witha glass of almond milk and rolled oats

I’d like to start off by thanking the person that first invented s’mores. Graham crackers are great, but let’s be honest they’d be nothing without the s’more. S’mores put graham crackers on the map. And it wasn’t until I had leftover boxes of this crispy cookie lying around from s’more-making that I realized how perfect they truly are. They’re soft, light, crumbly, and not to sweet. Graham crackers deserve a moment of their own and I am here to give them that. Think about this for a second – why don’t we place this sweet cracker in the same lineup as say a chocolate chip cookie? They are more than worthy of standing alone in my opinion. Not convinced yet? OK OK just make this vegan graham cracker recipe yourself and you’ll understand.

What You Need To Make Vegan Graham Crackers

Oat Flour – I love baking up my gluten-free treats with oat flour! Not only is it inexpensive, but it’s super easy to acquire. I highly advise against purchasing pre-made oat flour, it’s simply not necessary. Instead, purchase a big bag of oats then grind them in a food processor or blender to make your own cheap and easy oat flour. Oat flour gives these vegan graham crackers their irresistibly soft texture. It also make them healthier and more nutritious!

Maple Syrup – Just a touch of maple syrup gives these gluten-free cookies a bit of caramel color and flavor. You’ll notice that I keep the amount of sweetener in this recipe low because these vegan graham crackers really don’t need much! Maple syrup is a delicious natural sweetener and much healthier than any refined sugar.

Vegan Butter – I use and love the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks in my vegan/dairy-free baked goods. Though any vegan butter will work here, just be sure to melt it completely before adding it to this recipe. You could also sub the vegan butter for melted coconut oil or regular butter if you’d like!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Add Dairy: Feel free to use regular milk and butter in place of the almond milk and vegan butter in this recipe.

Make it Nut-Free: Use soy, hemp, or coconut milk instead of almond milk to make this vegan recipe nut-free.

Add Gluten: I haven’t tested this myself, but you can try using 2 cups of all purpose flour instead of oat flour. If you give this a try, start with just the 2 cups then add a bit more flour until a dough forms. And of course, let me know how it goes!

Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)
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Vegan Graham Crackers (gluten-free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

16

cookies
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Chilling time

1

hour

These vegan graham crackers are also gluten and refined sugar-free! This easy recipe bakes up deliciously soft cookies and crumbly cookies. Enjoy these vegan graham crackers with a thick slather of peanut butter, some toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate, or simply on their own!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups oat flour, see Notes

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar, see Notes

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil, melted

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup almond milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Mix together the oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add in the melted vegan butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until a dough forms.
  • Cover and transfer dough to the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove dough from fridge and roll out on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thick.
  • Cut dough into 2-inch squares, transfer to a baking sheet, poke the top of each graham cracker with a fork, then bake for 10-12 mintues.
  • Remove from oven, then let cool slightly on a baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Oat Flour: Make oat flour by grinding rolled oats in a blender or food processor until a fine flour forms and no large oat pieces remain.
  • Coconut Sugar: Feel free to use cane sugar or white sugar in place of the coconut sugar in this recipe!

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