From Someone Who Would Know: Dairy-Free Living

I have smoothies for breakfast almost every day, and I’ve actually never used a full-size blender for them. I bought a personal nutribullet when I started this journey, and I’ve never looked back: This beauty does everything I need and creates the perfect-sized smoothie (the cups hold 32 ounces, perfect for a very big breakfast or a meal for you and your boo). As a bonus, the nutribullet Pro comes in really fun, bright colors and the design is simple and sleek, with no confusing buttons. (I have the green, which looks so much better on my countertop than the traditional clunky stainless-steel blenders.) Don’t tell the recipe creators behind my meal-prep delivery service — more on that later — but every time they tell me to use a food processor to make a sauce or dressing, I use my nutribullet. Just try and stop me. 

Since I consume a lot of smoothies and no meat, I use this powder as an opportunity to up my protein intake. My nutritionist recommended that I use seed protein powders, and I once had a smoothie from a shop in San Diego with a vanilla-flavored one that was unforgettable. So I added Orgain’s Simple Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder to my pantry, and I love it. The protein is derived from nuts and seeds. I’ve also been using Ritual’s vanilla protein powder. It tastes like uncooked cake batter mix (minus all the chemicals), and to me, that’s a very good thing. 

Once the pandemic hit, I was cooking, uh…a lot, and soon realized I needed to get creative. I also needed an activity that added structure and ritual to my day, so I subscribed to Purple Carrot meals. That was two years ago, and I continue to look forward to cooking every night. Their meals are plant-based and full of flavor: In fact, Purple Carrot has opened me up to dishes and flavors I never knew I’d like. I had no idea what hoisin sauce was before I started cooking with it!

I usually get three two-serving meals per week, but you can opt for a more full-service experience. I look for the gluten-free and high-protein options, but PC also offers low-calorie and “quick” recipe categories, if that’s your thing. Once I’m done with my box for the week, I sometimes even recreate an old Purple Carrot dish from scratch — that’s how good these meals are. Relatedly, I’m in awe of everything you can do with tofu, from Asian-inspired dishes like General Tso’s to a tofu ricotta cheese I now make on the regular. 

I’ll never forget an argument I once had (with a really obnoxious person) about whether all dark chocolate is dairy-free. Listen, I would love to have lost that argument and learned that I could eat all the dark chocolate I want. But I won, because most chocolates, dark or not, have dairy in them, or might contain traces of dairy. I discovered Hu chocolate about a year ago; I was drawn to it because they offer a host of flavors like the Hershey classics that I was missing. The nut butter-filled bars are incredibly creamy, and the vanilla crunch gives me a cookies-‘n-cream-meets-Crunch-Bar experience. Hu also makes must-try cookies and chocolate chips that are dairy-free (and drool-inducing).  

If you’re going dairy-free, there’s a pretty strong likelihood that you’ll be craving traditional cheese, which means finding an alternative that you like is vital. I enjoy Daiya’s cheeses — not for assembling a cheese plate (that’s when you have to find a local nut cheese purveyor), but for using as a topping on dishes like eggplant parm or salad. But even more so, I’m beyond-grateful to Daiya for creating a creamy-as-heck mac ‘n cheese. In my opinion, it’s better than Kraft: You’ll be licking the bag that contains the creamy cheese topping after you’re done loading it onto your noodles. They even have a few mac ‘n cheese flavors, including classic cheddar and Alfredo, and the elbows are gluten-free. (Yes, I’m also gluten-free, as if my diet weren’t complicated enough already.) And, fun fact: if you’re simply lactose-intolerant, regular old Cabot cheese is, shockingly, lactose-free. You’re welcome. 

I do my best to avoid dairy at all costs, but if I suspect there’s a chance I’ve consumed some by accident (at a restaurant, for instance), I usually have Lactaid on me to mitigate any stomach aches that accident might cause. If only I knew I was lactose intolerant or had this pill handy years ago, when I scarfed down a yogurt before a 5 a.m. hike through Machu Picchu. I returned from that journey with a new perspective, no-longer-usable pants, and a great/gross story.