Vegans !

[Dairyfreedaisy]

sorry for clickbaity title, just a bit desperate for advice here from vegans or dairy free people

I’ve been unwell for a while and we have discovered it is due to lactose and dairy. I’ve removed it from my diet altogether, but I’m struggling with substitutes and so far I haven’t liked all the diary free things I’ve tried in place of chocolate, biscuits, ice cream and just general dairy based snacks and treats. I miss being able to eat chocolate without being unwell and I’ve got some dairy free chocolate to try but i didn’t like the taste or texture

does anyone have any go-to yummy vegan/dairy free treats or favourite brands/shops?

ive been contemplating going vegan for the last decade and never quite doing it so this has been my motivation to do it once and for all

also does anyone have any good places for recipes recommendations for dairy free baking and cooking or cookbook or website recommendations? I’d like to start meal making from scratch but a lot of things use cheese or cream so didn’t know where to start

thanks xx

Sweedish Glace ice cream isn't too bad.

Have you seen there’s a vegan board? Loads of ideas there.

I would look for naturally vegan recipes (Indian cooking is great for this-look at vegan richa’s site) rather than immediately trying to find substitutes. Most vegan cheese is vile.

Vego is great for chocolate.
Vegan magnums, Swedish glacé vanilla or tesco mine choc chip I love.
Bosh cook books are great, so is 'what vegans eat' and 'keep it vegan'.
I also like violife for cheese.

Ben and Jerry's non dairy chocolate brownie icecream
Chocolate fingers (dark chocolate)
Nomo caramel bars
Cadbury nut plant based chocolate bar
Booja truffles

I have tried loads of different chocolate/sweet treats and these are my favourite and the most near the real thing

I tried this at the weekend and it was really nice - couldn't tell it was made with tofu at all. I did add about a tablespoon of caster sugar as well as the honey.
www.yummly.co.uk/recipe/Tofu-Chocolate-Mousse-9025874#directions

I tend to find ‘naturally/accidentally’ vegan food are nicer than the straight substitutes, so (some) dark chocolate rather than a vegan variety. That said, I do like the Vego chocolate and some of the NoMo stuff is good.
Another vote for the Bosh books for recipes in general, especially the earlier ones, they seem to have a lot of ‘fake meat’ in their more recent stuff (marketing deals involved I think). And just give things a go, the idea of Aquafaba used to turn my stomach, but it’s actually a great ingredient for vegan recipes, and makes amazing mayonnaise!

Tesco/asda own garlic and herb philidelphia type spread is the only cheese substitute I've tried and liked

Hellmans vegan mayo tastes exactly the same as normal imo

Not vegan but love their stuff - Wicked! recipes on their website 😊
wickedkitchen.com/uk/vegan-recipes/

I love lazycatkitchen blog. Lots of the recipes are quite involved but they always work and pretty much everything I've made from her has been delicious. I also have Rose Elliot Complete Vegan cookbook which although seems simple has quite a few everyday recipes that are reliable and tasty. Just made a batch of her chocolate and ginger rock cakes which are easy peasy (and am now trying to stop myself eating because they smell divine straight out of the oven).

I tend to just have dark chocolate which is usually dairy free anyway and Oatly and Alpro both do pouring cream, which you could add to dark chocolate and melt if you want a more "milky" taste for recipes (or for just eating straight out of the bowl if you're having a crap day 😁).

In my experience a lot of the shop bought vegan treats are expensive and not very pleasant so if you have the time and inclination imho it's better to make your own.

Oreos are incidentally vegan (but made on the same line as milk, so avoid if you're anaphalatic to milk)

Ask another vote for Ben and jerrys dairy free ice cream, actually prefer it to the usual version

I’m currently dairy and egg free as breastfeeding my 5 mth old who has cow’s milk protein allergy. It’s all a bit new for me, I generally eat mostly veggie food but not vegan and didn’t need to do this with my older 3. At first I was pleasantly surprised by some vegan snack options but the novelty wore off quickly. Agree that accidentally vegan options tend to be preferable - there’s an ‘accidental vegan’ Facebook page that is helpful. Lots of cheaper biscuits etc tend to be vegan eg bourbons, nice biscuits, party rings, jam tarts.

Swedish glace is good, the vanilla and the chocolate one but the chocolate i wouldnt say is a directly similar taste to non dairy free but still nice.
Oreos are always nice
If its a lactose issue then the Arla lacto free mature cheddar is really good.

The other thing that works is if the thing you are eating has a good texture but the taste is odd, I make the flavour stronger to cover. E.g. putting vanilla extract or coco powder in icecream or mousse type things, or some nutritional yeast in with your vegan cheese dish to make it a bit cheesier

I recently tried some 'Dirty Cow' chocolate (hail Mary berry flavour) which was by far the best vegan chocolate I've tried - though it's not cheap.

I also like the alpro chocolate soya milk - to me it's indistinguishable from normal chocolate milk.

Brownies with oil instead of butter, and really dark chocolate without milk. Really good

The strawberry one is really nice ..I chose to eat it
Also Oatly is lovely

Tesco Jaffa cakes are dairy free

Month bojangles truffles are amazing!
Oreo’s for a biscuit fix
i like oatly, almond milk
oatly or Ben & jerries dairy free ice creams

Monty not month

If it's just lactose intolerance then the Arla Lacto free range is a game changer, they do most dairy products and are always adding more.

For actual Vegan cheese I like the smoked applewood one.

Vegan Ben and jerrys and vegan Magnums for ice cream and Gu do vegan cheesecakes which are nice.

Also the coconut colab chocolate or salted Carmel pots are good too

Aldi dairy free ice cream.
Waitrose dark choc with hazelnuts.
Waitrose mini Jaffa cakes.
The Collective yoghurts.

Make a Suet (veg) pudding with jam, apple etc.

Biscoff biscuits & spread are vegan - I made vegan Biscoff banana bread the other week, using stork block in place of butter, aquafaba in place of eggs & dark chocolate chips - some vegan friends said it was one of the best vegan cakes they'd ever had.
Aldi does dupes of M&S vegan sweets - Walter & Wendy worms, Leo Lions.

I'm not vegan, but Oatly ice-cream is better than regular ice-cream in my book.