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30 Minutes or Less

Healthy (& vegan!) Caramel Brulée Latte

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healthy caramel brulée latte in a mug with a spoon on the side.

A healthier take on the classic caramel brulée latte! Made with non-dairy milk and sweetened with coconut sugar, this warming latte rivals Starbucks’ version. Super easy to make in the comfort of your own home, with a handful of ingredients you likely already have on-hand.

two mugs of caramel brulée latte with milk on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make This Healthy Caramel Brulée Latte

Butter – I used Miyoko’s vegan butter to keep this latte recipe vegan-friendly! It melts beautifully into the caramel sauce, giving it that smooth, buttery flavor. However, you can certainly use regular butter if you’d like!

Coconut Sugar – This natural sweetener is unrefined and lower on the glycemic index (meaning less of a spike in blood sugar). It also has a slightly deeper flavor, which only adds to the flavor of our caramel sauce! Though if you don’t have any coconut sugar, feel free to use regular sugar or even brown sugar instead.

Milk – I used non-dairy cashew milk in my healthy caramel brulée latte, and it was perfectly creamy and delicious! But really any milk will work, so go ahead and use whatever you have at home.

Espresso – Either one shot of espresso, or 1/4 cup of strong coffee will do the trick. Or, if you’re like me and can’t get enough caffeine in your life, make it a double and add an extra shot of espresso!

Tips and Tricks

  • Keep a close eye on your caramel sauce while it cooks! The sugar can burn quickly, and needs to be stirred frequently. So I recommend tending to it the entire 5 minutes it cooks – trust me, it’ll be worth it!
  • For a salted caramel brulée latte, top yours off with a tiny pinch of flaky salt! I go crazy for a good salty/sweet combo, and that little pinch of salt goes a long way.
  • Turn this recipe into an iced latte by serving it over ice! To do this, I recommend letting your hot caramel milk come to room temperature first, as well as your espresso.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: That’s easy – just use all the vegan swaps I outlined above!

Make it Decaf: For a caffeine-free version, use your favorite decaf espresso or decaf coffee in your latte.

Healthy (& vegan!) Caramel Brulée Latte
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Healthy (& vegan!) Caramel Brulée Latte

4 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

serving
Prep time

0

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

A healthier take on the classic caramel brulée latte! Made with non-dairy milk and sweetened with coconut sugar, this warming latte rivals Starbucks’ version. Super easy to make in the comfort of your own home, with a handful of ingredients you likely already have on-hand.

Ingredients

  • For the caramel sauce:

  • 1/2 cup butter, I used vegan butter

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar, or regular sugar

  • For the latte:

  • 1 cup milk, I used non-dairy milk

  • 2 tablespoons caramel sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 shot espresso, or 1/4 cup strong coffee

Directions

  • Make the caramel sauce by melting butter and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once butter has melted, cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly until dark brown and bubbling.
  • Combine milk, 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, then whisk until frothy.
  • Add espresso or strong coffee to a mug, then pour milk mixture over the top. Top with whipped cream an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Gluten-Free Cornbread with Honey Butter

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gluten-free cornbread with milk on the side.

This light and fluffy gluten-free cornbread is perfectly sweet and surprisingly simple to make! With just a few easy swaps, you’ll have a gluten-free and dairy-free version of a comforting classic. Slather some dairy-free honey butter on a slice of this gluten-free cornbread for a delicious snack or side dish!

overhead image of gluten-free cornbread with honey butter on the side.

One Mother’s Day I wrote my Mom a card that read “Happy Mother’s Day! I like your cornbread.” And that my friends, is a true story. My Mom always made the BEST cornbread. Not too sweet, perfectly crumbly, and always served with her own homemade honey butter. I’d dream about that stuff and request it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner any chance I got.

While I wrote that Mother’s Day card many years ago, I’m still a huge fan of my Mom’s cornbread. Though her version has all of your “standard” ingredients – all purpose flour, milk, regular butter, etc. So when I set out to develop a gluten-free and dairy-free version of my Mom’s cornbread, I have to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes. But oh boy was I pleasantly surprised with how this recipe turned out! Nearly identical to the cornbread I grew up on, this gluten-free and dairy-free recipe does NOT disappoint. I was able to easily swap the all purpose flour for naturally gluten-free (and grain-free) flours, and the dairy for non-dairy counterparts. And if that hasn’t sold you on this cornbread – I was developed this recipe using just ONE BOWL. That’s right – easy baking and easy cleanup!

honey being drizzled over stacked gluten-free cornbread

What You Need To Make Gluten-Free Cornbread with Honey Butter

Cornmeal – Made from ground corn, this coarse “flour”is the star of this recipe! Though be sure to use cornMEAL and not corn starch or corn flour, which are simply not the same. And if you’re gluten-intolerant, be sure to use a cornmeal that reads “gluten-free” somewhere on the label. While cornmeal is naturally gluten-free, some brands may still contain traces of gluten.

Almond Flour – Not to be confused with almond meal, almond flour is a light, fluffy, and naturally gluten-free flour. Almond flour works in conjunction with tapioca flour to replace the all purpose flour in my Mom’s famous cornbread recipe. I’m not able to fully understand or explain the science of how these gluten-free flours work, but just trust me when I tell you, they WORK. Almond Flour and tapioca flour create a gluten-free cornbread that tastes just like any other cornbread!

Non-Dairy Butter – I use and love Earth Balance Vegan Buttery sticks in my dairy-free honey butter. However, feel free to use your favorite non-dairy butter in this recipe! And if you’re not dairy-free, feel free to use regular butter instead.

gluten-free cornbread with a bite taken out

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Make it Vegan: Replace the egg with a flax egg and use maple syrup instead of honey to make this recipe vegan!
  • Add Dairy: Use regular milk instead of non-dairy milk, melted butter instead of coconut oil, and regular butter in the honey butter if you’re not dairy-free.
  • Make it Refined Sugar-Free: SURPRISE – this recipe is already refined sugar-free!
Gluten-Free Cornbread with Honey Butter
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Gluten-Free Cornbread with Honey Butter

4 from 5 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

9

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

This light and fluffy gluten-free cornbread is perfectly sweet and surprisingly simple to make! With just a few easy swaps, you’ll have a gluten-free and dairy-free version of a comforting classic. Slather some dairy-free honey butter on a slice of this gluten-free cornbread for a delicious snack or side dish!

Ingredients

  • For the cornbread:

  • 1 cup cornmeal

  • 1 cup almond flour

  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup non-dairy milk

  • 1 egg, see Notes

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

  • For the honey butter:

  • 1/4 cup dairy-free butter, softened

  • 1/4 cup honey, see Notes

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit and lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish.
  • Combine cornmeal, almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add in the almond milk, egg, and melted coconut oil then mix until well combined.
  • Transfer batter to the baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
  • While cornbread is cooling, mix together the softened butter and honey in a small bowl. Refrigerate the honey butter until ready to serve.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Egg: You can substitute the egg in this recipe for a flax egg or your favorite egg substitute.
  • Honey: Feel free to use maple syrup instead of honey to turn this into a maple butter recipe.

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Dairy-Free

Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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overhead image of healthy cheesecake with fresh strawberries

This healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!

close up overhead image of healthy cheesecake with fresh strawberries of healthy cheese

I didn’t always love cheesecake. Most I tried were too dry, dense, and/or sweet. Therefore, in developing this cheesecake I made sure it was light, almost fluffy, and perfectly sweet! And it wouldn’t be a SDHB recipe if I didn’t make it healthier too. I took the best cheesecake recipes I could find, substituted a few simple ingredients, and voilà this better-for-you cheesecake recipe was born!

Ingredients such as vegan cream cheese, vegan yogurt, and a touch of maple syrup make for a more nutritient dense recipe. I wish I had recorded the look on my boyfriend’s face when I told him this cheesecake was SO healthy he could, in fact, eat it for breakfast! Once he processed the near too-good-to-be-true news, he excitedly inhaled a massive slice of this vegan and gluten-free treat.

What You Need To Make Healthy Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers – I used my own recipe for gluten-free graham crackers, though you can use your favorite store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead. To turn them into graham cracker crumbs you can either seal them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin or heavy object, or add them to a food processor and give them a few pulses. Once all crackers have been ground into crumbs and no large pieces remain, you’re ready to use them in this recipe!

Vegan Cream Cheese – I used and love the Kite Hill Plain Vegan Cream Cheese in this recipe! Though feel free to use your favorite vegan cream cheese instead. If not vegan, you can use regular cream cheese. However, be sure to avoid flavored cream cheeses, plain is necessary for this healthy cheesecake recipe.

Vegan Yogurt – Similar to the vegan cream cheese, make sure your vegan yogurt is plain and unsweetened. Any added flavors or sugar would completely throw off the balance of this recipe. I used plain coconut yogurt and had great results, though any non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt will work!

Corn Starch – Most cheesecakes contain eggs to help bind the filling once baked. However, this cheesecake recipe is both healthy and vegan with the use of corn starch instead. Corn starch is imperative in getting this cheesecake to firm up and set to its perfectly light and soft consistency. If you don’t have corn starch, you can use arrowroot starch instead.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Dairy: Use regular butter, cream cheese, and yogurt in this recipe if not vegan or dairy-free.
  • Make it Paleo: Use paleo graham crackers, coconut oil instead of vegan butter, and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch to turn this into a healthy paleo cheesecake recipe!
Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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

8

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Chilling Time

8

hours

This healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!

Ingredients

  • For the graham cracker crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, see Notes

  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

  • For the cheesecake filling:

  • 16 ounces plain vegan cream cheese

  • 2 cups plain unsweetened vegan yogurt

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 3 tablespoons corn starch, see Notes

  • Pinch of salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
  • Add all graham cracker crust ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.
  • Transfer crust to the springform pan, flatten into an even layer across the bottom, then bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
  • Beat all cheesecake filling ingredients together in a large bowl then transfer to the pan and smooth over the crust.
  • Fill a pan with 1-inch of water and transfer it to the oven on the lower rack.
  • Place the cheesecake on the upper rack, above the water and bake for 30-35 minutes. Crack the oven door and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
  • Remove from the oven and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours before slicing and eating.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs: I made my vegan and gluten-free graham crackers, then turned them into crumbs by pulsing them in a food processor. However, you can use store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead if you’d like.
  • Corn Starch: Feel free to use arrowroot starch instead!

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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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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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